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British rapper and songwriter Speech Debelle has earned major acclaim for her intensely reflective lyrics and sophisticated flows, set to lushly orchestrated, often acoustic-based production that draws from jazz, folk, reggae, and classical. Her 2009 debut album, Speech Therapy, was awarded the prestigious Mercury Prize, and she followed it with the more ambitious, expansive Freedom of Speech in 2012. She has remained busy with other pursuits, particularly social activism and cooking, but she's returned to music on occasion, self-releasing her third effort, Tantil Before I Breathe, in 2017, and issuing Sunday Dinner on a Monday, a more atmospheric, electronic effort inspired by her family lineage, in 2023.
Corynne Elliot was raised in a Jamaican household in South London. She began writing poetry as a youth, then started rapping as a teenager because she wasn't satisfied with her singing voice. Writing became increasingly essential as a form of emotional release as she dealt with hardships, including family issues and several years of homelessness. Her music addressed and reflected on these experiences, and after signing with Ninja Tune-affiliated label Big Dada, she was able to develop her artistic vision. Speech Therapy, her 2009 debut as Speech Debelle, was recorded mainly in Melbourne, Australia, with co-production from Lotek and Plutonic Lab, as well as guest appearances from Micachu and Roots Manuva. With lush, jazzy instrumentation and confessional lyrics, the album sounded unlike anything else being produced at the time, and it garnered much critical acclaim, eventually winning the Mercury Prize over significantly more popular competitors such as Bat for Lashes and Florence and the Machine. However, all the praise did not translate to sales, and the MC made it known that she was frustrated with her label. Still, she collaborated with Bonobo on a song titled "Sun Will Rise" for Ninja Tune's 20th anniversary box set in 2010, and she worked with producer Kwes. on her second album, Freedom of Speech, which was released by Big Dada in 2012.
Since the release of her first album, Debelle has devoted much of her time to social activism, including guest speaking at political conferences, a photography project spreading awareness about climate change, and participation in voter awareness programs. She hosted the BBC documentary Hidden Homeless in 2012, and curated exhibits of artwork by prisoners at London's Southbank Centre. Additionally, she focused on her passion for cooking, appearing as a semifinalist on Celebrity MasterChef, and hosting a food podcast called The Work Brunch. Tantil Before I Breathe, her self-issued third album, appeared in 2017, and was accompanied by the release of a cookbook and memoir. She resurfaced in 2022 with two singles, "Away from Here" and "Atlantis," appearing on Monday Sessions. A more bass-heavy single, "101010," was released in early 2023, preceding Debelle's fourth album. Sunday Dinner on a Monday, an examination of family, friends, lineage, and ancestral DNA, arrived in June. ~ Paul Simpson & Jason Thurston
