Arlissa

Arlissa is a British singer-songwriter of American and German heritage, raised in Crystal Palace, London. She works in pop and R&B, blending soulful vocals with contemporary production. After signing to London Records early in her career, she gained wider recognition through a collaboration with Nas on «Hard to Love Somebody», a rare pairing that made her only the second UK artist to work with the rapper. The song caught the attention of Jay-Z, who signed her to Roc Nation, and she was later included on the BBC's Sound of 2013 longlist.

Her planned debut album was shelved when she parted ways with London Records and Roc Nation, prompting a period as an independent artist. During this stretch she released a series of stripped-back, acoustic-leaning tracks, most notably «Hearts Ain't Gonna Lie», which spread widely online and drew the interest of DJ and producer Jonas Blue, who remixed it for release through Def Jam and Virgin.

The success of that remix led Arlissa to sign a full deal with Def Jam and Virgin, and she has continued releasing music including «We Won't Move» and «I Surrender», known for emotionally direct songwriting paired with electronic-pop textures.