Bilal

Bilal's voice is admired by the greats of jazz, hip-hop and R&B. The classically trained singer from Philadelphia, who can sing opera in seven languages, was discovered by Questlove, drummer and bandleader of The Roots. He soon sang with D'Angelo and Common. Hip-hop giants Dr. Dre and J Dilla were producers on his first album, after which he was invited by Beyoncé, Jay-Z, Robert Glasper and countless others. He won a Grammy for his contribution to Kendrick Lamar's album To Pimp a Butterfly.

Time and again, Bilal shows that he is looking ahead and does not fall back on the soul and r&b styles of the previous century. He proved that he can indeed sing standards in collaboration with various jazz orchestras. Philip Bailey, the legendary frontman of Earth, Wind & Fire, once said that Bilal is one of the rare singers who uses his voice as an instrument. It explains the versatility of the singer, who blossoms in a live setting, as he shows on his recent album Live at Glasshaus.