Yola

Blessed with soulful vocals and Grammy-nominated songwriting chops, Yolanda Quartey spent years working as a backing singer for several British headliners before transforming herself into a country-soul artist, heading to Nashville, and partnering with Black Keys frontman Dan Auerbach on her acclaimed debut album, 2019's Walk Through Fire. Born in Bristol, England, on July 31, 1983, she was raised by a strict, single mother who came to Britain from Barbados in the 1970s. A gifted singer, Yolanda began performing around the house at the age of four and started booking gigs at small bars and jazz clubs as a teenager. She moved to London at 19 to work with the DJ collective Bugz in the Attic, then returned to Bristol after several years and started country-rock group Phantom Limb in 2005. The band released three albums over eight years. Meanwhile, Yolanda's career as a backing vocalist grew to include collaborations with Katy Perry, Chase & Status, and Massive Attack, the latter of whom hired her as their touring singer for a 2008 tour that included Glastonbury Festival. Influenced by gospel, country, Americana, and vintage soul, she properly launched her solo career in 2016 with the EP Orphan Offering, which was released under the name Yola Carter. After traveling to Nashville to perform at Americana Fest, she found a new musical home in Tennessee, where Dan Auerbach spotted her talents at a local showcase and invited her to record at his studio. She also honed her sound by working with acclaimed country musicians such as Vince Gill, Ronnie McCoury and Molly Tuttle, before the debut album Walk Through Fire came out in 2019 under the name Yola. Full of warm, vintage, Southern soul grooves, Walk Through Fire received four nominations at the 2020 Grammy Awards. Yola worked with Dan Auerbach once again on 2021's Stand for Myself, which featured the Top 40 single "Diamond Studded Shoes."

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