Yazmin Lacey

Biography

Yazmin Lacey is a British singer-songwriter born in East London who has become a prominent figure in contemporary UK soul and jazz music. Having written music in her bedroom throughout her teenage years, Lacey began performing acoustic shows in 2014 after relocating to Nottingham, where she discovered her distinctive voice and artistic direction. Her early work was characterized by intimate, emotionally direct songwriting that drew from classic soul traditions while incorporating unexpected influences ranging from bashment and dancehall to techno production techniques. Lacey's reputation grew locally in Nottingham, leading her to collaborate with a diverse group of musicians who would become her core band, including classically trained producer Pete and members of Three Body Trio and Broadstrokes.

Lacey's professional trajectory accelerated with the release of her debut EP 'Black Moon' in 2017 on the independent label Running Circle (co-founded by Lacey and her collaborators), which combined her incisive songwriting with jazz vitality and experimental production. The project earned recognition from influential tastemakers like Gilles Peterson, who praised her as a 'brilliant singer/songwriter and great new name for the UK.' She followed this with 'When The Sun Dips 90 Degrees' (2018) and 'Morning Matters' (2020), establishing herself as a distinctive voice in neo-soul and jazz. Her work received airplay across prestigious platforms including NTS, Jazz FM, BBC 1Xtra, BBC Radio 1, BBC Radio 4, and BBC Radio 6. In March 2023, Lacey released her debut album 'Voice Notes,' which showcased her chameleonic sound and spontaneous recording style, addressing themes of generational change, unrequited love, and personal transformation through warped soul, reggae, and electronica.

Lacey's artistic identity is deeply rooted in the intersection of Black British, Caribbean, and contemporary electronic cultures. She has cited UK soul pioneers like Soul II Soul, Sade, Beverley Knight, and Neneh Cherry as formative influences, viewing their work as models for creating music that authentically represents her lived experience at cultural crossroads. Her approach to music-making emphasizes authenticity over polish, often recording in unconventional spaces and rejecting excessive social media promotion in favor of artistic integrity. Despite lacking formal classical training or instrumental proficiency, Lacey has developed a distinctive collaborative process with her band, particularly with producer Pete, where she contributes vocal ideas and emotional direction that are then developed into fully realized compositions.

Fun Facts

• Lacey came to music almost by accident—she initially pursued youth work as a career but transitioned to music when singing opportunities became more frequent, eventually recognizing it as a 'once-in-a-lifetime opportunity' that she couldn't pass up.
• She has no formal classical training, cannot play instruments proficiently, and learned to make music through late-night studio sessions where she would hum melodies that her producer Pete would then develop into full compositions.
• Lacey co-founded the independent label Running Circle with her band members and Guohan from Three Body Trio specifically because none of them felt comfortable with typical social media-driven music promotion hype, preferring to release music on their own terms.
• Her musical influences span an unusually diverse range—from her father's love of bashment and dancehall to her discovery of techno production techniques after moving to Nottingham, which influenced her approach to layering and composition.

Musical Connections

Mentors/Influences

• Gilles Peterson - Influential tastemaker and radio personality who championed Lacey's early work and provided critical validation (Black Moon EP recognition and ongoing support) [2017-present]
• Soul II Soul - UK soul pioneers cited as massive influence for demonstrating how Black, British, and Caribbean cultures could intersect in music (General artistic influence on Lacey's approach to UK soul) [Formative influence]
• Sade - Black female role model and UK soul artist who influenced Lacey's approach to creating soulful music (General artistic influence) [Formative influence]

Key Collaborators

• Pete (Producer) - Classically trained producer and core collaborator with whom Lacey developed a strong creative dialogue; he translates her vocal ideas into full compositions (Black Moon EP, subsequent studio work) [2017-present]
• Three Body Trio - Instrumental ensemble whose members collaborated with Lacey and co-founded Running Circle label with her (Black Moon EP, Running Circle label) [2017-present]
• Broadstrokes - Musical project whose members are part of Lacey's core band (Lacey's band and collaborative projects) [2017-present]
• Warren Xlnce - Collaborator on high-profile projects (Collaborations) [Pre-2017]
• Congi - Collaborator on high-profile projects (Collaborations) [Pre-2017]

External Links

• Spotify