Bilal (American singer)

For other uses, see Bilal (disambiguation) and Bilal Hajji.

Bilal
Bilal at Central Park SummerStage in New York, 2015
Bilal at Central Park SummerStage in New York, 2015
Background information
Birth nameBilal Sayeed Oliver
Also known as
  • Airtight
Born (1979-08-23) August 23, 1979 (age 45)
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Genres
Occupations
  • Singer
  • songwriter
  • record producer
Years active1999–present
Labels
Websiteofficialbilal.com

Bilal Sayeed Oliver (born August 23, 1979)[3] is an American singer, songwriter, and record producer. He is an independent artist, noted for his wide vocal range, work across multiple genres, and intense live performances.

Starting out at a major label, Bilal debuted with his popular R&B single "Soul Sista" in 2000, but turned to playing jazz venues and recording more progressive soul music in subsequent years.[5] He has commercially released four albums to critical success,[6] while his unreleased but widely leaked second album Love for Sale also found wide acclaim among critics and listeners.[7] He was a member of the Soulquarians, an experimental black music collective active from the late 1990s to early 2000s.[8] He has been well received, both nationally and internationally, with an extensive list of collaborations including Kendrick Lamar, Common, Erykah Badu, Jay-Z, Beyoncé, Guru, Kimbra, J Dilla, Robert Glasper, and The Roots.

In August 2020, during the COVID-19 lockdown, Bilal wrote and recorded his first EP, Voyage-19, over the course of three days and in collaboration with various musicians in remote experimental sessions, which were streamed live on YouTube. The resulting three-track EP was released digitally the following month, with revenues of its sale and accompanying donations given to the participating artists, many of whom had been struggling financially due to the pandemic.

  1. ^ Lindsey, Craig D. (February 12, 2013). "Five Lesser-Known Soul Men Worth Your Attention". The Village Voice. Retrieved January 23, 2021.
  2. ^ Price, Emmett George (2010). Encyclopedia of African American Music. Vol. 3. ABC-CLIO. p. 656. ISBN 978-0313341991.
  3. ^ a b Kellman, Andy. "Bilal Biography". Allmusic. Retrieved April 16, 2020.
  4. ^ "Music". Willamette Week. April 13, 2016. p. 33. Retrieved August 20, 2020 – via Issuu.
  5. ^ Bilal (September 30, 2010). "Jazz and Soul Singer Bilal Oliver". The Sound of Young America (Podcast). No. 143. Interviewed by Jesse Thorn. Maximum Fun. Archived from the original on January 23, 2021. Retrieved January 23, 2021.
  6. ^ "Bilal Music Profile". Metacritic. Retrieved July 22, 2020.
  7. ^ Anon. (January 31, 2013). "Bilal 'A Love Surreal' CD Release, Tuesday, February 12 at Highline Ballroom" (Press release). Carolyn McClair Public Relations. Retrieved July 20, 2020 – via All About Jazz.
  8. ^ Cite error: The named reference soulhead was invoked but never defined (see the help page).