As we continue to highlight emerging talents from the UK jazz scene, the focus this week turns to singer Yazmin Lacey. The Nottingham-raised chanteuse melds various influences into a lush and satisfying sound. At first listen, her songs feel like classic soul, but the jazz and electronic characteristics begin to materialize, and the result is captivating and fresh.
Lacey didn’t plan on being a singer. She would sing for friends and family, but an earlier calling was acting. She signed up for a youth theatre program and performed on the stage and TV. She eventually tired of the stereotyping she received, telling Go London, “I knew I wasn’t comfortable with how I was being represented. So I decided to express myself on my own.”
She started the next phase of her creative journey, writing radio plays, but as she continued to write, the words turned into lyrics, and she began the transition to the soulful, seductive songstress that she is today. After some open-mic nights, she came to the attention of impresario Giles Peterson who heralded her as “Great new name for the UK” and after offering her spot in his Future Bubblers program, he eventually released Lacey’s debut EP, Black Moon, on his Brownswood label.
Her latest EP, When The Sun Dips 90 Degrees, dropped over the summer. With comparisons to one of her idols, Erykah Badu, and enthusiastic responses from critics and fans alike, Lacey is definitely on the rise.
90 Degrees