Bilal

Bilal Oliver came up in Philadelphia, where he started singing in church choirs as a kid. His debut album '1st Born Second' arrived in 2001, with songs like 'Soul Sista' showing off his falsetto and a style that mixed R&B with jazz and hip-hop.

He's worked with other artists from that scene, including Common and Mos Def on 'Reminisce.' Later records like 'A Love Surreal' and 'In Another Life' kept that blend going, with tracks such as 'All Matter' and 'Levels' floating between soul and something more experimental.

Bilal's live shows have a reputation for being pretty intense, backed by musicians like bassist Jonathan Maron and drummer Aaron Spears. He doesn't really fit the usual R&B mold, which has made his career uneven at times but kept his sound his own.