Ava Joe

In a world overrun with unrealistic projections of perfection, Ava Joe is providing some much-needed balance. Charting the emotional disarray of life in one's early 20s, her songwriting is timely yet timeless, setting tales of toxic love affairs and youthful hedonism to alluring soul-pop so sweetly nostalgic it's utterly transportive. Born in Devon and raised in Surrey, Ava's childhood was steeped in music, thanks to her dad's career as a touring musician. She recalls Radiohead and Nirvana being on regular rotation at home, but it was Adele that provided her first real musical epiphany. "I was obsessed," she remembers. "I saw myself being that kind of singer - super ballsy and belt-y - and I used to have that kind of voice. But I think your voice changes depending on what traumas you go through in life, which is why I'm drawn to artists like Billie Holiday, Chet Baker and Amy Winehouse - you can hear their stories in their voices."