Joan Armatrading

Joan Armatrading is a pioneering British singer-songwriter, guitarist, and producer who became the first UK Black female artist to achieve major international commercial success. Born on December 9, 1950, in Saint Kitts, she moved to Birmingham, England, at age seven, where she taught herself to play piano and guitar before writing her own songs by age 14. After releasing her critically acclaimed debut album Whatever's For Us in 1972, she catapulted to global fame with her self-titled 1976 album, which featured her signature hit "Love and Affection". Over a career spanning more than five decades, her versatile musical style has seamlessly crossed genres like folk, rock, blues, jazz, and soul.