Britain's Laura Mvula is a soulful vocalist known for her inventive, atmospheric mix of R&B, jazz, classical, and pop. Born in 1986, Mvula grew up in the suburbs of Birmingham, where she was raised by her mother (who was from Saint Kitts) and father (who was from Jamaica). Introduced to jazz by her father, Mvula began taking piano lessons around age eight, and added violin lessons at age ten. Growing up, she also played in local youth orchestras and, influenced by her love of Disney films, aspired to be a film composer.
In her teens, Mvula began listening to R&B and gospel m...