Shakka

Few British singers have been as deliberate about their voice as Shakka. Born Malcolm Philip on 16 May 1989, he chose to sing in his own British accent when many contemporaries leaned on American-inflected delivery, and that decision became central to his sound. A singer, songwriter and record producer, he built his profile through YouTube covers and mashups before signing to Pitched Up, Columbia Records and Sony Music.

His first EP, Foolishness, came out himself in July 2009, recorded at a local youth centre. The 2011 mixtape The Shakka Crown Affair drew Wretch 32's attention, and the Shakkapellas that followed in 2012 found fans well beyond the UK. In 2013 his featured vocal on Wretch 32's "Blackout" reached number 6 on the UK Singles Chart, and he toured globally with Basement Jaxx. The breakthrough came in 2015 with the EP The Lost Boys and "Say Nada", whose remix featuring Jme has passed five million YouTube views. The Island followed in 2016, earning a second MOBO Award, and in 2017 he featured on Ghetts' "Know My Ting". His debut album, Road Trip To Venus, arrived on 24 September 2021.