These days, the words ‘talent’ and ‘skill’ are thrown around all too frequently. But with Mali Music, they only begin to describe what he’s capable of.
When Mali Music began his musical journey in Phoenix, Arizona, he may have had some inclination of the success to come. After all, he’s pretty talented, capable of strumming a guitar and singing melodies with the panache and swagger of music legends before him. What he might not have factored in, though, is the number accolades that would come his way: to date, he’s a four-time Grammy-nominated artist, composer and producer.
At this point, dedicated Mali fans might be shaking their heads in anger: how the hell does one ‘discover’ a four-time Grammy-nominated artist? That, I suppose, is his blessing and his curse. With that said, I won’t spend a second more deciphering the ins and out of fame and celebrity. Instead, I’ll tell you why need to – if you haven’t done so already – discover Mali Music.
First, there’s the voice. Think Steve Wonder meets Bruno Mars, a marriage of jazz, blues and soul. It’s very high praise, I know – but when you take a listen to his body of work, I’m sure you’ll arrive at the same conclusion. At the age of 11, Mali began nurturing his unique talent, testing his voice and sound at his church. Soon, his unique take on urban gospel would draw in the crowds.
Those crowds would get bigger, eventually turning to states across America – and the world. Earlier this year, he won his first Grammy for “Movin’ On”, earning him a well-earned spot on the list of Black artists boasting the award on their mantlepiece. At 33, it’s anyone’s guess how many more of those shiny gold gongs will come his way.
Thus far, Mali has proven that he doesn’t make music for today or tomorrow. He’s less interested in riding the waves of latest the trends or creating sounds just to please the masses. True, that may mean you’re less likely to hear his music climbing up and down the charts.
But it also means you’re likely to enjoy his timeless sound for a long, long time to come.
Check out the other artists in our Discover Weekly series.