Forge Brief

Esperanza Spalding

2006-present; commercial peak 2011-present (Chamber Music Society, Radio Music Society, Emily's D+Evolution, 12 Little Spells, Songwrights Apothecary Lab)

Brazilian-American jazz + soul fusion — Wayne Shorter + Stevie Wonder + Joni Mitchell in one artist who also plays upright bass.

Forge a Esperanza Spalding-inspired song How we score

Genres

jazzjazz fusionsoulexperimental jazz

Vocal character

Esperanza Spalding: alto with jazz-tradition + soul-melisma + Brazilian-Portuguese bilingual delivery. Bassist + vocalist signature aesthetic; equal parts singing and bass-playing.

Production markers

Esperanza Spalding self-productionjazz + jazz-fusion + soul + experimental-jazz foundation (upright-bass + electric-bass + piano + drums + horns)Concord Jazz / Heads Up sonicvisual identity around Brazilian-jazz + Black-female-bassist authenticitycollaboration with jazz + soul + experimental roster (Wayne Shorter, Bruno Mars, Salif Keita)no auto-tunelive-band touring with full ensemble

Lyrical themes

Brazilian-American + Black-female identityspiritual-seeking + mystical imageryromantic devotion + heartbreakjazz-tradition + bossa-nova reclamationcollaboration + roster + post-Grammy industry navigation (Spalding was first jazz-artist to win Best New Artist Grammy)female-bassist + jazz-tradition + improvisational ambition

Signature moves

bassist + vocalist dual-instrument-vocal aestheticBrazilian-Portuguese + English bilingual deliveryjazz-fusion + soul-tradition blendcollaboration with Wayne Shorter + jazz-legacy roster

Avoid — off-brand for this artist

auto-tuneEDM-drop maximalismmodern-pop-radio compressionpop-crossover song structurelyrical specificity to one earthly moment

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