By Damian Biniek
At 23 years old, Lianne La Havas has already hit the big time.
Born into a musical family, she started learning how to play herself at the young age of 7. Her father taught her how to play piano and guitar as Lianne watched her mother perform on stage with the likes of Jill Scott and Mary J. Blige. She took on the stage name of La Havas as an interpretation of her father’s surname, Vlahavas.
That her father was Greek and her mother Jamaican could explain why La Havas’ music fuses so many different genres of music; jazz, soul, R & B, and subdued rock.
La Havas’ growth as a performer has been staggering. After appearing on the BBC’s “Later…. with Jools Holland” with Bon Iver, that band’s founder Justin Vernon immediately snatched her up to tour with them throughout the US.
“As soon as we saw her play it was so refreshing; somebody who could play their instrument, somebody who could use their voice, but in their own way,” said Vernon. “She is just fantastic.”
La Havas’s first official album release, “Is Your Love Big Enough?”, was named iTunes’ Album of the Year for 2012. One thing is for sure, we’ll all be hearing a lot more of her.
Prepare to be moved by La Havas’ beautiful voice and these songs of love and loss.
Lianne La Havas: Gone (Slaughtered Lamb)
Lianne La Havas: Tease Me (Servants Jazz Quarters)
Lianne La Havas: Empty (Tour Bus Session)
Lianne La Havas: Forget (KCRW)
Your Morning Music 