Joy Elizabeth Akther Crookes (born October 9th, 1998), known professionally as simply Joy Crookes, is a singer-songwriter hailing from South London, England. Born to a Bangladeshi mother and an Irish father, Crookes’s multinational background is one of the most important parts of her artistry.

By only the age of thirteen, Crookes had gained a strong interest in music, quickly teaching herself how to play the guitar, piano, and bass. Soon after, she began to write her own music. In a matter of only two years, Crookes had gained recognition from several thousand people, including her current manager, thanks to her cover of “Hit The Road Jack” by Ray Charles that she posted to her YouTube channel.

Her debut single “New Manhattan” was released in February, 2016, quickly followed by her next single “Sinatra” in August, 2016. She released one more single, “Bad Feeling,” in June, 2017, before releasing her debut EP, Influence, which featured two additional songs. The two non-single songs, “Power” and “Mother May I Sleep With Danger” catapulted Crookes into the music industry, mainly thanks to her performance on A COLORS Show, which has garnered over 8 million views.

Crookes dropped two more EP’s in 2019, Reminiscence and Perception, and released her debut album Skin in 2021. Besides music, Crookes takes pride as a prominent activist against xenophobia, gentrification, and racism— she always tries to represent her heritage in every way possible.

Her vocal style and unique songwriting abilities have brought forth the comparisons to Amy Winehouse and Lauryn Hill.

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