Kenya Grace

Kenya Grace Johnson, born on May 9, 1998, in South Africa, is a British singer, songwriter, and producer who gained prominence with her 2023 single "Strangers," which reached number one on the UK Singles Chart. Raised in Chandler's Ford, near Southampton, England, Grace began writing songs at age 10 and developed her musical skills on a second-hand Yamaha keyboard. She initially pursued studies in history and English literature at the Academy of Contemporary Music in Guildford but switched to music, graduating in 2019 with a degree in songwriting and creative artistry. Grace's early releases include "Obsessed" and "Tell Me Why" in 2019, followed by "Talk" in 2020, which she wrote during the UK COVID-19 lockdown. Her music blends elements of drum and bass, UK garage, and 1990s house music, characterized by catchy beats and introspective lyrics focusing on interpersonal relationships. In 2023, she signed with Warner Records' dance label Major Recordings and released "Strangers," a self-written and produced track that went viral on TikTok and Instagram Reels. The song's success marked her as the first British female artist to top the UK charts with a debut single since 2014. Grace cites artists like Banks, Flume, and Nao as major influences, and her music has been described as a fusion of PinkPantheress, Charli XCX, and Piri. Her debut EP, The After Taste, was released in March 2024.