Stefflon Don

British dancehall/rap artist Stephanie Allen (aka Stefflon Don) switches between Jamaican patois, grime verses, and honeyed vocals with ease and confidence. She broke through in 2017 with the Top Ten hit “Hurtin’ Me,” and won MOBO and NME Awards before her 2018 mixtape Secure charted in the Top 40. She appeared on Wiley’s 2019 hit “Boasty,” and subsequent solo singles such as 2020′s “Can’t Let You Go” and 2022′s “Like That” ventured into styles such as Afrobeats, trap, and R&B. The assured dance-rap single “Move It” appeared in 2023. Stefflon Don released her debut album, Island 54, in 2024. Originally born in Birmingham to Jamaican parents, Allen moved to the Netherlands when she was five years old. Her family remained in Holland for nine years before moving to Clapton, East London, when she was 14. As Allen grew older, she knew she wanted to pursue music, taking on the initial strategy of covering other artists’ work and spinning it in new directions; the first two efforts that gained traction came in 2015, when Allen covered Wretch 32′s “Six Words” and Section Boyz’s “Lock Arff.” As Allen became more popular, she collaborated with a number of prominent artists including Lethal Bizzle, Sneakbo, Jeremih, and Wretch 32 on his 2016 album Growing Over Life. That year also saw the release of her debut mixtape, Real Ting, which featured Jeremih returning the favor as a guest artist. As 2016 drew to a close, Stefflon Don was highlighted on the BBC’s Sound of 2017 list. She kicked off 2018 with the release of the Hurtin' Me EP (Polydor), which featured “Instruction” with Jax Jones and Demi Lovato, as well as the U.K. Top Ten title track, and in 2019 she issued the single “Phone Down,” a collaboration with rapper Lil Baby. The following year saw the release of the Afrobeats-tinged track “Can’t Let You Go,” and her 2021 singles included “Toxic Love” and “The Don.” “Bun Fi Bun,” “Juice,” and “Like That” all appeared in 2022, as well as “The One” and “Daily Duppy (Dem Dead).” Stefflon Don was featured on tracks by Jim Jones and Sigala in 2023 before issuing her own club-ready single, “Move It.” Several more tracks appeared during the year, including songs with Bnxn, Martin Solveig, and Chase & Status. Island 54, Stefflon Don’s first album, arrived in 2024, with guest appearances by Buju Banton, D-Block Europe, Adekunle Gold, and James Gillespie. ~ Liam Martin & Paul Simpson