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TSHA's music is a sunny, hook-heavy blend of progressive house, Afro-house, rave, and dance-pop. The London-based producer and DJ first made a name for herself with the release of her 2018 debut EP, Dawn, eventually earning a contract with Ninja Tune. Subsequent releases like "Sister" from her 2020 Flowers EP and 2021's NIMMO collaboration "OnlyL" further expanded her audience. Her debut album, Capricorn Sun, arrived in 2022, and the brightly textured yet emotional Sad Girl appeared in 2024.

With an ear for an infectious melody, TSHA's self-taught production took cues from the likes of Floating Points, Bonobo, and Jon Hopkins. She debuted in 2018 with the Dawn EP, followed by the single "Sacred," which caught the ear of Bonobo, with the DJ featuring it on his 2019 Fabric Presents mix. DJ slots on Rinse FM, and at club nights and festivals across the U.K., saw TSHA's profile rise. Her debut EP for Ninja Tune off-shoot Counter Records, Moonlight, arrived later in 2019. A remix of Millie Turner's "January" kick-started 2020, and TSHA followed it with the singles "Sister" and "Change," both of which appeared on her Flowers EP. Her run of success continued in 2021 with "Power" and "OnlyL" featuring NIMMO. The mix Fabric Presents TSHA appeared in 2022, and the producer released her debut album, Capricorn Sun, later in the year. The record's guests included Oumou Sangaré, MAFRO, and Clementine Douglas. TSHA teamed up with Aluna on the 2023 single "Killing Me," and "Somebody" featured Ellie Goulding and Gregory Porter. Sad Girl, TSHA's second full-length, nodded to the R&B ballads and anthemic techno of the artist's youth. Featuring appearances by Caroline Byrne, Ingrid Witt, and Abi Flynn, Sad Girl appeared in 2024. ~ Rich Wilson

Much like her predecessors Kate Bush and Imogen Heap, British vocalist Ellie Goulding stands at the forefront of independent-minded mainstream pop. With her unique soprano and knack for writing catchy yet emotionally earnest songs, Goulding quickly rose to the top of the U.K. charts with her breakthrough 2010 debut, Lights. Her folk-inflected pop sound increasingly drew from electronic influences -- heard on 2012's dubstep-influenced Halcyon -- and later touched upon dance music and ambient synth pop for her third studio album, 2015's Delirium. In 2020, she scored her third U.K. number one with her fourth set, the introspective Brightest Blue. Goulding continued to expand her sound, releasing the 2020 holiday EP Songbook for Christmas, before pivoting back to the dancefloor with the euphoric synths of 2023's Higher than Heaven.

Born in Hereford, England, Goulding later moved to the country's east coast to study drama at the University of Kent. She had developed a love for folk music as a teenager, and her time at university also exposed her to electronica. After two years, she took a break from her studies and moved to West London, where she pursued a career as an alternative singer/songwriter and befriended producers like Starsmith and Frankmusik, who gave her songs an electro-pop twist. In 2009, Goulding began building an online audience, where early tracks like "Starry Eyed" and a cover of Sam Sparro's "Black & Gold" were posted on taste-making websites. Goulding soon graduated from the blogosphere to print media, gaining praise from mainstream publications like The Guardian and fielding offers from record labels. She ultimately signed a major-label deal with Polydor Records and began preparing her debut album. In the meantime, she penned songs for Diana Vickers, Gabriella Climi, and others.

During the final weeks of 2009, Goulding topped the BBC's Sound of 2010, a poll conducted by British music critics and industry insiders to identify new talent. Building on that momentum, she blended acoustic and synthesized instruments on her first studio full-length, Lights, which was released in March 2010. The debut topped the U.K. charts during its first week and spun off "Starry Eyed" as a Top Five single (it also charted well in Ireland and New Zealand). Later that year, the album was re-released as Bright Lights. In addition to a hit cover of Elton John's "Your Song," the set included the international smash "Lights," which was certified five times platinum in the U.S. and peaked at number two on the Billboard Hot 100.

In 2012, Goulding returned with her sophomore album, Halcyon, which pushed her into more adventurous sonic territory with darker lyrical content and experimental electronic sounds. Home to the single "Anything Can Happen," it was her second straight U.K. chart-topper and the one to break her into the U.S. Top Ten. The next year, a deluxe reissue featuring ten extra songs was released; entitled Halcyon Days, it acted as a supplement to the original release. Two of its songs, U.K. number one "Burn" and Top Three single "How Long Will I Love You," became some of her biggest hits. Meanwhile, she scored another international hit with Calvin Harris' single "I Need Your Love," which was certified multi-platinum in the U.S., Australia, and Canada. Another hit Harris track, "Outside," kept her firmly planted on the global charts.

By 2014, Goulding had participated in Band Aid 30's update of "Do They Know It's Christmas?" and entered the U.K. Top Ten once more with "Beating Heart," a song released on the soundtrack for Divergent. Another soundtrack single, "Love Me Like You Do," added to the success of Fifty Shades of Grey in 2015 and soared to number one across multiple markets.

That same year, Goulding released her third studio album, Delirium, which featured collaborations with Max Martin, Greg Kurstin, and others. The pop-leaning record included the single "On My Mind" and peaked at number three on the U.S. and U.K. charts. For the remainder of the decade, Goulding scored some of her biggest hits in the form of collaborations, starting with 2017's "First Time" with electronic producer Kygo. The next year, another radio hit, "Close to Me," linked her up with producer Diplo and rapper Swae Lee. In 2019, she guested on Clean Bandit's single "Mama" and rapper Juice WRLD's "Hate Me" before returning to her own material with a pair of solo singles, "Flux" and "Sixteen."

Goulding kicked off the 2020s with "Worry About Me," a collaboration with American singer Blackbear, and "Slow Grenade" with Lauv. These tracks appeared on her fourth full-length, Brightest Blue, which arrived that summer. Split into two sides, the album's first half featured more experimental and vulnerable moments like "Power" (which interpolated Dua Lipa's "Be the One") and the piano-based "Flux," while side two (dubbed "EG.0") showcased more mainstream-friendly fare like her previously released singles with Blackbear, Lauv, Diplo, and Juice WRLD. The album became her third U.K. chart-topper. Later that year, Goulding got into the holiday spirit for the EP Songbook for Christmas, featuring her stripped-down takes on classics such as "O Holy Night," Don McLean's "Vincent," and Elton John's "Your Song." "Easy Lover," a collaboration with rapper Big Sean (and the first taste of her next era) arrived in July 2022. Another collaboration found Goulding reuniting with Calvin Harris for their first time since 2014 on the chart-topping anthem "Miracle."

As a reaction to the darkness of the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, Goulding remained on the dancefloor, turning to healing through shimmering, neon-washed synth pop for her fifth album. Released in early 2023, Higher than Heaven featured the singles "Let It Die" and the bonus track "All by Myself" with Alok and Sigala. ~ Neil Z. Yeung

Known for his warm baritone vocals, Gregory Porter rose to acclaim in the 2010s with his earthy, cross-pollinated brand of jazz, soul, and gospel. A gifted singer of standards as well as more contemporary soul material, Porter has earned favorable comparisons to his idols Nat King Cole, Donny Hathaway, and Stevie Wonder. He announced his arrival by picking up a Grammy nomination for his 2010 debut Water. After signing to Blue Note, he gained even wider notice for his third album, 2013's Liquid Spirit, which hit number two on the jazz charts and won the Grammy for Best Jazz Vocal Album. Although his original songs are his main focus, Porter often returns to his roots, as on his 2017 tribute album Nat King Cole & Me. Following a 2018 concert album recorded at London's Royal Albert Hall, he again showcased his R&B-infused songwriting with 2020's All Rise, before bringing together standards, original pieces, and star-studded duets for the 2021 companion album Still Rising and 2023 holiday album, Christmas Wish.

Born in Los Angeles in 1971, Porter grew up in Bakersfield, California, where his mother was a minister. It was through his mother's record collection that he fell under the spell of Cole, learning early on how to imitate him. Along with singing, he was also a gifted athlete, and left high school with a football scholarship to San Diego State University. However, after an injury to his shoulder derailed his sports career, he moved to Brooklyn, where he worked days as a chef while performing in local jazz clubs. It was during this period that he met saxophonist, composer, and pianist Kamau Kenyatta.

Kenyatta quickly became Porter's mentor, introducing him to flutist Hubert Laws. Laws then featured Porter on a track on his 1998 album Hubert Laws Remembers the Unforgettable Nat King Cole. Laws' sister, Eloise Laws, also heard Porter during the sessions and cast him as one of the leads in the musical It Ain't Nothing But the Blues, which eventually enjoyed a run on Broadway. In 2010, Porter released his debut album, Water, on Motéma Music. Well-received, it picked up a Grammy nod for Best Jazz Vocal Album. Be Good followed two years later and further showcased Porter's growing confidence.

In September 2013, Porter issued his third album and Blue Note debut, Liquid Spirit. Produced by Brian Bacchus, the record was a huge success, landing at number two on the Billboard Top Jazz Albums chart, and scooping up the 2014 Grammy Award for Best Jazz Vocal Album. It also became the one of the most streamed jazz albums of all time, with over 20 million streams. His second effort for Blue Note, Take Me to the Alley, was released in early 2016, and featured Porter's own version of "Holding On," a track he co-wrote and previously recorded with electronic act Disclosure. Also in 2016, Porter delivered the concert album Live in Berlin.

The following year, he released an album that paid tribute to the artist who had been most influential on his own music. The Grammy-nominated Nat King Cole & Me featured Porter's versions of some of Cole's most treasured classics, including "Smile" and "Mona Lisa." The concert album One Night Only: Live at the Royal Albert Hall arrived in 2018. Two years later, he returned to original music with his sixth full-length, the Troy Miller-produced All Rise. It also picked up a Grammy-nomination, this time for Best R&B Album, and paved the way for Porter's two-disc companion set Still Rising: The Collection, which featured a mix of standards and originals, as well as duets with Renée Fleming, Dianne Reeves, Laura Mvula, and others. The singer's first-ever holiday album, Christmas Wish, arrived in 2023 and featured standards like "Christmas Waltz" and "What Are You Doing New Years Eve?" alongside his originals, which included the title track. ~ Matt Collar