Celeste

Celeste Epiphany Waite is a British singer and songwriter. In 2019, she became the fifth artist to top the BBC's annual Sound of... poll and win the Rising Star Award at the Brit Awards in the same year. Her debut album Not Your Muse was released in 2021 and debuted at No. 1 on the UK Albums Chart.

Celeste began her career in 2014 providing vocals for electronic producers such as Avicii, Tieks, and Real Lies, while also self-publishing content onto SoundCloud on the side. She made her solo debut via Lily Allen's vanity label Bank Holiday Records with the EP "The Milk & the Honey." After signing with Polydor Records in 2018, she released the singles "Lately" as well as a live version of the song "Both Sides of the Moon."

Celeste released her second extended play titled "Lately" in March 2019. The EP charted on the British, German, French and Spanish iTunes charts. Celeste performed a showcase at SXSW under BBC Radio 1 in March 2019, as well as a BBC Music Introducing session at Maida Vale Studios in April 2019. Celeste collaborated with Mulberry in June 2019 when she performed at the inaugural #MulberryMyLocal event in London. She provided the theme song for the acclaimed BBC documentary program "Black Hollywood: They Gotta Have Us" in July 2019. In October 2019, Celeste supported Janelle Monáe for a night at Columbiahalle in Berlin.

Celeste made her American late-night television debut when she performed "Strange" on The Late Late Show with James Corden in late January 2020. Following Celeste's performance of "Strange" at the 2020 Brit Awards, Celeste saw interest from other big names in the pop music industry who attended the ceremony such as Billie Eilish, Camilla Cabello, and Stormzy. Celeste was listed on Forbes' annual 30 Under 30 list, which recognizes the 30 most influential people in Europe under the age of 30, in 2020.

In April 2020 she did a virtual performance from her bedroom on The Graham Norton Show in order to encourage social distancing during the COVID-19 pandemic. For the April 2020 fundraiser telecast, The Big Night In, Celeste performed a cover of Bill Withers' "Lean on Me" and also appeared in the Live Lounge Allstars' charity single "Times Like These." The charity single was Celeste's first No. 1 and her first top 10 entry in the UK. Celeste released the single "I Can See The Change," which was produced by Grammy-winning musician Finneas, in late May 2020. She was nominated in the Best New International Act category at the 2020 BET Awards.

Celeste performed and recorded three songs for the original soundtrack for the film The Trial of the Chicago 7 (2020). One of these songs, "Hear My Voice," served as the lead single for the soundtrack album, and was submitted to the 93rd Academy Awards for Best Original Song. She was later nominated for Best Original Song at the 78th Golden Globe Awards with the song "Hear My Voice." Celeste also provided the single "A Little Love" as the soundtrack to the 2020 John Lewis & Partners Christmas advert, becoming the first original song and non-cover version to do so. Celeste and American jazz musician Jon Batiste provided a duet version of the song "It's All Right" for the end credits of the 2020 Disney-Pixar film Soul.

Celeste's debut studio album titled "Not Your Muse" was released on January 29, 2021, and debuted at number one on the UK Albums Chart. Celeste also performed the lullaby "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star" in a Super Bowl ad for Inspiration4, an all-civilian charity space mission.