Aloe Blacc

Aloe Blacc reached a global audience as the guest vocalist on Avicii’s 2013 single “Wake Me Up,” a record that topped charts in 22 countries, including Australia and the UK. Born Egbert Nathaniel Dawkins III on January 7, 1979, he is an American singer, songwriter, rapper, and record producer from Laguna Hills, California. His work moves between soul, hip hop, R&B, neo soul, and pop, with a voice that has carried both rap-rooted collaborations and broad pop hits.

Before his solo work, Blacc formed the hip hop duo Emanon with producer Exile. He signed with Stone’s Throw in 2006 and released his debut album, Shine Through, that same year. The record leaned heavily on singing rather than the rapping associated with his Emanon work, and Blacc produced nearly all of it himself, with Madlib producing one track.

His second album, Good Things, brought wider international recognition through “I Need a Dollar.” He later followed with Lift Your Spirit, which included his own acoustic version of “Wake Me Up” and the single “The Man.” As a lead artist, “The Man” reached number one on the UK Singles Chart. Alongside his solo releases, Blacc’s songwriting and guest performances have kept him active across soul, contemporary R&B, pop, and hip hop.