Known for her soulful, R&B-influenced vocals and uplifting, often confessional lyrics, England's Grace Carter first gained attention in 2017 with the viral single "Silence." Following a tour with Dua Lipa, she gained wider acclaim, winning third place in the BBC's Sound of 2019 and releasing her EP Saving Grace.nnBorn in London, Carter was raised by her white British mother and never knew her black British father. Growing up, she struggled with her sense of identity. At age 13, her stepdad gave her a guitar as a way of channeling her emotions. He challenged her to write a song a week. Over time, this developed into a passion, as she wrote songs inspired by soul artists like Lauryn Hill, Alicia Keys, and Nina Simone, along with more contemporary singers like Adele and Beyoncé. At age 18, she moved with her family to Brighton, where she further developed her sound, performing and recording. In 2017, she released debut single "Silence," which went viral, racking up millions of streams online. From there, Dua Lipa invited her to go on tour, and she issued a second single, "Ashes." In 2019, she reached third place in the BBC's Sound of 2019. Also that year, she issued her debut EP, the Mike Dean-produced Saving Grace. ~ Matt Collar