Jacob Collier feat. Kimbra and Tank

Biography

Jacob Collier, born on 2 August 1994 in North London, England, is an English singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, producer, and educator whose career began with homemade multi-instrumental videos uploaded to YouTube starting in 2011, including a vocal arrangement of 'Pure Imagination' and a 2013 rendition of Stevie Wonder's 'Don't You Worry 'bout a Thing' that went viral.[1] In 2014, his videos caught the attention of jazz legends Herbie Hancock and Quincy Jones, leading to friendships and mentorship opportunities, after which he chose to remain independent and self-produce his debut album In My Room in his family home's music room, released in 2016.[1] Collier's musical style blends jazz, pop, funk, and harmonic complexity, often featuring real-time vocal harmonizing via custom instruments, looping stations, and extensive collaborations, as showcased in his ambitious Djesse series (Vols. 1-4, 2018-2024).[1][2]

Collier's career skyrocketed with Grammy wins starting in 2020 for Djesse Vol. 1 and Vol. 2, making history as the first British artist to win Grammys for his first four albums, including awards for 'All Night Long,' 'Moon River,' 'He Won't Hold You,' and 'Bridge Over Troubled Water' from Djesse Vol. 4 in 2025.[1] He toured extensively with innovative one-man shows featuring synchronized 3D video loops and performed at major festivals like Montreux Jazz, while contributing to projects like Coldplay's Everyday Life and Music of the Spheres, Stormzy's This Is What I Mean, and scoring for The Boss Baby with Hans Zimmer.[1] His emphasis on collaboration expanded in Djesse, drawing from a 'dream list' of artists to create shared sound worlds beyond his solo roots.[2]

Collier's legacy lies in his Grammy record of five consecutive albums with wins, his pioneering live performances, and influence on modern harmonic and production techniques, positioning him as a genre-defying force in contemporary music who values joy, dimensionality, and communal creativity.[1][2]

Fun Facts

• Collier's debut album In My Room was entirely written, arranged, recorded, and produced by him alone in his family home's music room over three months, playing every instrument himself.[1]
• He invented a custom 'Harmonizer' instrument for live real-time multi-voice harmonies and used six looping stations with 3D-captured video projections in his early one-man tours.[1]
• Collier re-composed Samsung's 'Over The Horizon' ringtone for the Galaxy S8/S8+ and co-produced tracks on Becca Stevens' Regina while scoring The Boss Baby with Hans Zimmer.[1]
• The a cappella 'Moon River' on Djesse Vol. 2 features over 100 vocal contributions from family, mentors, friends, and collaborators.[1]

Musical Connections

Mentors/Influences

• Herbie Hancock - Discovered and befriended Collier after seeing his YouTube cover, provided early endorsement and performance opportunities (Opened for Hancock at 2015 Montreux Jazz Festival) [2014-2015]
• Quincy Jones - Became friends after hearing Collier's Stevie Wonder cover, offered guidance (Early viral video endorsements) [2014]

Key Collaborators

• Kimbra - Vocal collaborator on funky track with shared harmonies ("In My Bones" from Djesse Vol. 3) [2019-2021]
• Tarriona “Tank” Ball (Tank and The Bangas) - Guest vocalist adding energetic presence to funk track ("In My Bones" from Djesse Vol. 3) [2021]
• Coldplay - Provided backing vocals (Everyday Life (2019), Music of the Spheres (2021)) [2019-2022]
• Stormzy - Collaboration on rap album (This Is What I Mean (2022)) [2022]

External Links

• Spotify
• Wikipedia