NAO

I've got a soft spot for late 80's and early 90's R&B - think Bell Biv DeVoe, Tony! Toni! Toné!, Bobby Brown, Janet Jackson, Paul Abdul, etc. I'm taken back to grade school roller skating parties with 3' licorice ropes, hot dogs, and first crushes. I've gotten some weird looks when I put this on the speakers, looks that ask "are you serious or are you trolling me right now?"

I'm serious. 

This affection is part of the reason I was immediately hooked the first time I heard NAO. She's got this incredibly unique voice and a striking delivery, but it's set against bright synths and punchy compressed drums that take me back to a day when I was rocking hammer pants. 

I've seen NAO a couple of times and she absolutely lights up the stage. Few performers so obviously enjoy themselves as much as she does in front of a crowd. Add to this a very cool human story, and you have someone is tough not to love and root for. 

I'm excited to see where she takes her music. Her first album was great but she obviously has a ton of creative horsepower and ambition. Hopefully I won't have to wait too long to find out. She just wrapped up her tour and is headed back into the studio.