麻豆社

Background

Born in Zimbabwe and raised in South London, Eska Mtungwazi’s arresting vocal style has already won fans in , who as far back as 2013 was showcasing her “vocal facility that is virtually unmatched”, and , who described her as “possibly my favourite singer from the UK”. A multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, producer and guest vocalist on tracks by and , ESKA has a breadth of style that eludes easy categorisation.

Her immensely accomplished debut album is a joyful, pitch-perfect exploration of the human voice, recalling at turns the falsetto acrobatics of , the stripped-back soul of , and the yearningly heartfelt folk of .

Previously shortlisted?

No, but did appear on 2004 shortlisted album Upwards by .

What the critics say

"So distinctive and confessional is ESKA's voice that she's created a British pastoral music that defies classification." - Uncut Magazine

"It's a musical realisation that is well overdue, sure, but it's also enchanting and graceful, featuring songcraft that other artists take two or three records to achieve." - The 405

For fans of

, ,