Biography

The voice is sweet, smooth, effortless. It flows with the music, dropping to a whisper, rising to a shout, drawing the listener deeper into the song. No matter how fresh-sounding it is (and it is), this is not the voice of a kid or a neophyte. No, this is thoughtful, grown-up soul. This is Chris Alleyne...

The London-born singer and songwriter answered the same call that moved so many of his contemporaries to grab a guitar and get in front of a microphone. But until recently, this family man and father has been reluctant to go public with his dazzling songs. Inspired by the birth of his child, Alleyne assembled a band and took to the studio, determined at last to share his vision with the world. These tracks are the result of that initial session – and there’ll be many more to come.

The first thing that might strike an uninitiated listener about Chris Alleyne’s music is how unaffected it is. These stories seem to proceed straight from the singer’s lived experience – they’re clear, honest, unadulterated, and worldly-wise. Alleyne, an enormous fan of pop, is well-acquainted with the soul tradition – yet there’s something unmistakably modern about his productions, too. He may have dodged the limelight for the past decade, but he’s got a history in the business: as a teenager, he performed with R&B combo First Class. The sound of classic singers echo in his radio-ready performances: he can coast through a classic melody like Philippe Wynne of The Spinners, growl like D’Angelo, or croon like John Legend. His is the sort of voice that the music industry is starved for: one that radiates optimism, charm, and quiet, understated power.