Cleo Sol’s First U.S. Solo Shows: A Groundbreaking Moment for the Rising Global R&B Star

UK-based singer Cleo Sol has been an enigmatic force in R&B. She has rarely given interviews, performed live only on occasion, releases music on her own terms, yet her therapeutic sound has begun to echo so tenderly with listeners far across UK borders. 

In an industry obsessed with visibility, Cleo’s journey is unique. She’s always chosen the artistry and intentionality over giving into demands of our fast-paced attention-driven world. But now, for the first time, Cleo is bringing her sultry sound to stages beyond London. 

This year marks a major moment for Cleo as she sets out on her first leg of solo shows here in the U.S., finally giving fans in NYC and LA a rare chance to experience her music and mystery in the purest form, live and unfiltered. 

Cleo Sol’s journey in music started early. By the time she was 16, she was already writing songs and sharing covers on Myspace, pretty much like any millennial teen of the early 2000s. It was in that era though where she crossed paths with producer DaVinChe, a door opener for Cleo who provided collaborative opportunities with other popular UK stars, like Skepta. So as she continued to work with some of the big names in the UK music scene, Cleo built momentum with her reggae-inspired track “High” in 2011.  

Her debut album, You Should Know (2016), and follow-up Clarity (2017) showed her growth, but her role in the widely-known British collective Sault really put Cleo Sol on the map. Sault’s albums, like 5 (2019) and Untitled (Black Is) (2020), earned her visibility, catapulting her as a global force to watch. 

Much like Sault, who have rarely performed live, Cleo moves with a similar elusiveness. She juggles a balance between maintaining her privacy and connecting with fans, amplifying the mystique and sense of closeness that is embodied in her music and presence.

In 2020, Cleo Sol’s COLORS performance of “Why Don’t You?” went viral, pulling in over 24 million views and exposing her music to an even wider audience. 

That same year, Cleo released Rose in the Dark, which became another powerful moment for the rising star. The track “Rose in the Dark” landed on the hit HBO show Insecure, giving her even more exposure and allowing her to connect with listeners in a deeper way, as Insecure was such a cultural phenomenon resonating widely among black millennial and gen-z audiences. 

Though she’s gone on to release three more albums, Mother (2021), Heaven (2023) and Gold (2023)  her music is all about authenticity, with lyrics and melodies that feel nothing short of a mindful therapy session. Tracks like “Know You Are Loved” are all about lifting people up, while her neo-soul influences from icons like Erykah Badu and Jill Scott pulse through notes. 

As Cleo embarks on this new chapter with her first-ever U.S. solo shows, it’s clear her global rise is only just beginning and the world is ready for more.