Mahalia (singer)
{{Short description|British singer, songwriter and actress}}
{{Distinguish|Mahalia Jackson|Mahalia Barnes}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2020}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| name = Mahalia
| image = Boardmaster21 (76) (51385229597) (cropped).jpg
| caption = Mahalia performing at Boardmasters Festival in 2021
| birth_name = Mahalia Burkmar
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1998|05|01}}
| origin = Syston, Leicestershire, England
| genre = {{hlist|R&B|neo soul{{Cite web|url=https://www.okayplayer.com/originals/top-new-neo-soul-r-and-b-singers.html|title=Neo-Soul 2020: 23 Contemporary Artists Pushing the Sound Forward |website=Okayplayer.com|access-date=1 May 2024}}}}
| occupation = {{hlist|Singer|songwriter|actress}}
| instrument = {{hlist|Vocals|guitar}}
| years_active = 2015–present
| label = Asylum
| website = {{URL|https://www.mahaliamusic.co.uk/}}
| current_members =
}}
Mahalia Burkmar (born 1 May 1998), known mononymously as Mahalia,{{cite web|access-date=2019-04-17|title=Mahalia - New Songs, Playlists & Latest News|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/music/artists/5751a689-8b70-4ba0-a9e6-f8a10f4f8531|website=BBC}} is a British singer, songwriter and actress.{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-47854958|title=Mahalia: Drunk-dialling her way to fame|first=Mark|last=Savage|work=BBC News|date=9 April 2019}} Mahalia has released several EPs and three albums, Diary of Me (2016), Love and Compromise (2019) and IRL (2023). She also acted in the film Brotherhood (2016).{{cite news | url = https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/features/new-music-to-listen-to-this-week-mahalia-a7390916.html | date = 1 November 2016 | access-date = 6 April 2017| first = Roisin | last = O'Connor | newspaper = The Independent | location = London | title = New music to listen to this week: Mahalia}} She had her breakthrough in 2017 with her performance of "Sober" for the YouTube channel Colors.{{Cite web|last=Smyth|first=David|date=2019-04-08|title=Mahalia: 'I was ready to quit music in 2017'|url=https://www.standard.co.uk/culture/music/mahalia-interview-sober-london-album-a4110101.html|access-date=2021-11-08|website=Standard.co.uk|language=en}} In 2018, she was ranked number one on YouTube's Ones to Watch list.{{Cite news|date=2018-11-13|title=YouTube: Mahalia tops its first ever Ones To Watch list|language=en-GB|work=BBC News|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/newsbeat-46183500|access-date=2021-11-08}}
Life and career
Mahalia is from Syston, Charnwood, in Leicestershire.{{cite news | url = http://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/leicester-singer-mahalia-burkmar-to-star-in-brotherhood/story-29507263-detail/story.html | date = 13 July 2016 | access-date = 6 April 2017 | first = I | last = Frodsham | newspaper = Leicester Mercury | location = Leicester | title = Leicester singer Mahalia Burkmar to star in Brotherhood | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160714144649/http://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/leicester-singer-mahalia-burkmar-to-star-in-brotherhood/story-29507263-detail/story.html | archive-date = 14 July 2016 | url-status = dead }}{{cite web |url= https://i-d.co/article/10-things-you-need-to-know-about-mahalia/ |date= 10 December 2015 |access-date= 3 March 2025 |first= Hattie |last= Collins |publisher= Vice |work= i-D |title= 10 things you need to know about mahalia}} She was born to musician parents. Her father is British-Irish and her mother is Jamaican (Debbion Curry, the first singer of English band Colourbox, in 1982–1983).{{Cite web|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/music/artists/mahalia-messaging-jodie-comer-cancel-culture-problem-brits/|title=Mahalia on messaging Jodie Comer, cancel culture, sexist DMs and industry colourism|first=Eleanor|last=Halls|date=28 June 2019|website=Telegraph.co.uk}}{{cite news |last=Murphy |first=Lauren |title=Mahalia: IRL - An R&B artist of talent and attitude who plays it too safe |date=14 July 2023 |url=https://www.irishtimes.com/culture/music/review/2023/07/14/mahalia-irl-an-rb-artist-of-talent-and-attitude-who-plays-it-too-safe/ |work=The Irish Times}} Mahalia has described the town she grew up in as a predominantly white area with "a lot of racism".{{Cite web|title=Come My Way: Mahalia Interviewed|url=https://www.clashmusic.com/features/come-my-way-mahalia-interviewed|access-date=2021-11-08|website=Clash Magazine|date=30 April 2020 |language=en}} She has two brothers.{{Cite web|title=Singer Mahalia tipped as star by YouTube Music but 'avoids comment section'|url=https://www.independent.ie/entertainment/music/singer-mahalia-tipped-as-star-by-youtube-music-but-avoids-comment-section-37522559.html|access-date=2021-11-08|website=The Independent|date=12 November 2018 |language=en}}
She attended Roundhill Community College until she signed a record deal at age 13, when she transferred to a performing arts school,{{Cite web|last1=Fresh|first1=Mikey|date=2017-10-24|title=Mahalia Talks About Her Journey From Unknown Singer To Major Label Recording Artist|url=https://www.vibe.com/music/music-news/mahalia-interview-uk-singer-sober-545474/|access-date=2021-11-08|website=VIBE.com|language=en-US}} Birmingham Ormiston Academy,{{cite web |title=Q&A - MAHALIA |url=https://www.othervoices.ie/news/q-a-mahalia |website=Other Voices |access-date=8 November 2022}} where she took acting classes. Mahalia further expanded her actor training at Urban Young Actors, Leicester.{{cite web |title=Urban Young Actors |url=https://urbanyoungactors.com/ |website=Urban Young Actors |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230528235423/https://urbanyoungactors.com/ |archive-date=28 May 2023 |quote=It’s really interesting now, as a musician, how something like acting and drama skills can correlate with something like music. I am really grateful for my time at Urban.}}
As a child, she would often spend her summer breaks at home writing music{{citation needed|date=January 2020}}—she wrote her first song at age eight and signed a deal with Asylum Records at age 13.{{cite web | url = http://blog.urbanoutfitters.co.uk/?p=30827 | date = 11 December 2015 | access-date = 6 April 2017 | publisher = Urban Outfitters | work = UO Blog | title = Future Noise: Mahalia | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20170708132104/http://blog.urbanoutfitters.co.uk/?p=30827 | archive-date = 8 July 2017 | url-status = dead }} She performed live for the first time aged "eleven, or maybe 12" at an open mic.{{Cite web|date=2018-12-14|title=The first with... Mahalia|url=https://www.gq-magazine.co.uk/article/mahalia-interview|access-date=2021-11-08|website=British GQ|language=en-GB}} She released her debut EP, Head Space, in 2012. Mahalia was later introduced to Ed Sheeran, who she went on to perform as a supporting act for, duetting with him on his song "Gold Rush". She supported Sheeran and Emeli Sandé in their 2014 UK tours. She sang on the title track of UK No. 1 album We the Generation by Rudimental in 2015.[https://www.greenbelt.org.uk/artists/mahalia/ Mahalia]. Greenbelt Festival. Retrieved 7 March 2025.
In 2019, Mahalia was featured on BBC Radio 1's Brit List. Her album Love and Compromise was released and marketed as her debut album. The album concept was influenced by an interview with Eartha Kitt, which Mahalia's mother showed her when she was a child.{{Cite web|date=2019-09-07|title=Mahalia's not compromising her self-awareness|url=https://gal-dem.com/mahalia-interview-love-and-compromise/|access-date=2021-11-08|website=gal-dem}} Mahalia won Best Female Act and Best R&B/Soul Act at the 2020 MOBO Awards.{{Cite web|date=2021-07-17|title=Listen to Mahalia's soulful new single 'Whenever You're Ready'|url=https://www.nme.com/en_asia/news/music/listen-to-mahalias-soulful-new-single-whenever-youre-ready-2996492|access-date=2021-11-08|website=NME|language=en}}
In 2021, she released "Jealous", a collaboration with American rapper Rico Nasty. She was nominated for her first Grammy Award for Best R&B Performance at the 63rd Annual Grammy Awards.{{Cite web|date=2021-03-15|title=Grammy awards 2021: the full list of winners|url=http://www.theguardian.com/culture/2021/mar/14/grammy-awards-2021-winners-list|access-date=2021-11-08|website=The Guardian|language=en}} Mahalia was included in the 2021 Forbes 30 Under 30 list.{{Cite web|date=2021-04-08|title=Yomi Adegoke and other Black Brits honoured on Forbes 30 under 30 list|url=https://www.voice-online.co.uk/news/uk-news/2021/04/08/yomi-adegoke-nadine-white-and-other-black-brits-honoured-on-forbes-30-under-30-list/|access-date=2021-11-08|website=Voice Online|language=en}}
In 2022, Mahalia was among the performers at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham. She was also one of the opening acts in the all-female lineup at Adele's British Summer Time concerts in London's Hyde Park.{{cite web|title=Adele's All-Female Lineup Includes Kacey Musgraves, Mahalia, & Self Esteem |url=https://www.bustle.com/entertainment/adeles-all-female-bst-hyde-park-lineup-includes-kacey-musgraves-mahalia-self-esteem |website=Bustle |date=24 June 2022 |access-date=8 November 2022}}
In 2023, Mahalia released her second studio album, titled IRL.{{cite magazine |title=Mahalia Announces 'IRL' Album Release and UK Tour Dates |url=https://v13.net/2023/05/mahalia-announces-irl-album-release-and-uk-tour-dates/// |magazine=V13|access-date=30 June 2023}}{{cite web |title=Lauren Spencer Smith Announces Debut Studio Album Mirror |url=https://www.nme.com/features/music-interviews/mahalia-irl-tracklist-stormzy-3450959/|work=NME |access-date=30 June 2023}} In support of the album, she toured Europe, North America, and Australia.{{cite web|url=https://www.livenationentertainment.com/2023/10/mahalia-announces-2024-north-america-leg-of-the-in-real-life-tour/|title=MAHALIA ANNOUNCES 2024 NORTH AMERICA LEG OF THE 'IN REAL LIFE' TOUR|publisher=Live Nation Entertainment|date=3 October 2023|accessdate=7 May 2024}}{{cite web|url=https://www.abc.net.au/triplej/news/mahalia-2024-australian-tour/103380824|title=Mahalia is bringing her In Real Life tour to Australia|publisher=Triple J|work=Australian Broadcasting Corporation|first=Courtney|last=Fry|date=25 January 2024|accessdate=7 May 2024}}
Influences
Mahalia has listed Corinne Bailey Rae, Erykah Badu, Lauryn Hill, Amy Winehouse, Jill Scott, India Arie,{{Cite magazine|last=Callender|first=Samantha|date=2021-07-16|title=R&B Singer Mahalia Wants to Create Excellence|url=https://www.harpersbazaar.com/culture/art-books-music/a37046803/mahalia-whenever-youre-ready-interview/|access-date=2021-11-08|magazine=Harper's BAZAAR|language=en-US}} Ed Sheeran, and Kate Nash among her musical influences.
Discography
=Studio albums=
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;"
|+ List of studio albums, with selected details ! scope="col" rowspan="2"| Title ! scope="col" rowspan="2"| Details ! scope="col" colspan="4"| Peak chart positions |
| scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:90%;"| UK {{cite web|url=https://www.officialcharts.com/artist/56258/mahalia/|title=Mahalia {{!}} full Official Charts history|publisher=Official Charts Company|access-date=28 February 2020}} ! scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:90%;"| UK
! scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:85%;"| SCO
! scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:90%;"| US |
|---|
| scope="row"| Love and Compromise
|
| 28 || 3 || — || 23 |
| scope="row"| IRL
|
| 31 || 2 || 81 || — |
| colspan="11" style="font-size:85%"| "—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory. |
=Compilation albums=
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;"
|+ List of compilation albums ! scope="col"| Title ! scope="col"| Details |
| scope="row" | Diary of Me
|
|
|---|
=Extended plays=
=Singles=
=Guest appearances=
Awards and nominations
Filmography
- Brotherhood (Noel Clarke, 2016) – as Thea
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{Official website|mahaliamusic.co.uk}}
- {{Discogs artist|4640388-Mahalia}}
- {{IMDb name|nm8124347}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Mahalia}}
Category:21st-century Black British women singers
Category:21st-century British women singers
Category:Black British actresses
Category:English women singer-songwriters
Category:English singer-songwriters
Category:English people of Irish descent
Category:English people of Jamaican descent