06/18/2026
Welcome to summer school ⭐️ sit down, grab a drink, and let’s talk about why ROCHELLE JORDAN is one of the must-f**king-see performers of the Class of ‘26
Born Oct. 21, 1989 (a Libra) in Buckinghamshire, England to British-Jamaican parents, Rochelle Jordan’s musical education began early. She was heavily influenced by her parents’ Jamaican roots of reggae and gospel, her older brother’s affinity for club hits out of Great Britain, and eventually North American R&B and hip hop following a move to Toronto at age 4. By age 16, she was uploading R&B covers to YouTube, finding a voice for herself.
Her natural talent caught the attention of producer KLSH, with whom she released her inaugural mixtape “Alien Phase” in 2010, an atmospheric R&B project ahead of its time. By the time her second mixtape, “Rojo,” dropped one year later, her online following had grown, as well as her reputation among underground R&B circles.
It was her 2012 mixtape “Pressure” that solidified her place among the emerging Toronto hip hop and R&B scene, among the likes of The Weeknd, Drake, and PARTYNEXTDOOR. Unlike her peers, however, Jordan toed the line between contemporary North American pop and thrumming, addictive British house. Her local upbringing uniquely positioned her to push her own genre forward.
The next 10 years marked a period of growth and challenge as she moved to LA, released her debut album “1021,” and signed a record and management deal that proved to be creatively restricting. A long hiatus followed as Jordan regrouped.
Her return was triumphantly marked with the release of “Play With Changes,” with Young Arts Records, a project that received widespread critical acclaim and marked a major stylistic evolution. She embraced UK garage, jungle, and drum & bass, paired beautifully with classically beautiful R&B-influenced vocals and addressing themes of self-discovery and personal freedom.
Her 2025 album, “Through the Wall,” was an absolute smash, earning glowing reviews from the likes of Pitchfork, Metacritic, Tastemakers, and more. She’s solidified her place among the ranks of Janet Jackson, FKA Twigs, and Solange.
You can see her live, here, on August 8 🌃
