Nigerian-born British singer/songwriter Shaé Universe weds dreamy R&B melodies with subtle gospel flavors and elements of hip-hop to create a dynamic and engaging hybrid. Active since the mid-2010s, she notched collaborations with artists like Kojo Funds and Ms. Banks before breaking out with the R&B-drill single "You Lose" in 2020. Shaé continued to experiment on her 2022 EP Unorthodox and the soulful 2023 highlights "LOML" and "Wish You Wouldn't" with Kali Claire. Born in Nigeria, Shaé immigrated with her family to the U.K. when she was four. Growing up in Watford, England, she sang with her mother in church choirs and later became enamored of American R&B singers like Erykah Badu, Jazmine Sullivan, and Brandy. While at university, she began posting clips online of her covering well-known songs and was surprised when major acts like Stormzy and Chance the Rapper endorsed her. After graduation, Shaé began releasing her own singles independently. 2017's "Big Mistake" with Ms. Banks helped establish her diverse amalgam of R&B, neo-soul, and rap, which she further developed on tracks like 2018's "No Stallin'" and 2019's "Misunderstood." The unique R&B flow mixed with taut drill beats on 2020's "You Love" became something of a breakout for Shaé, and she included it on her first project, Unorthodox. The 2022 EP also featured guests like Kojey Radical and Tay Iwar. She followed this with more experimentation, collaborating with Kadeem Tyrell and Geovarn on "Let Me Know (The Cypher)" and Ayotemi on "Give Me a Break." Among her 2023 singles were "Passenger Princess" and the romantic "LOML." - Biography by Timothy Monger