Cleopatra Zvezdana Nikolic[2] (born 24 March 1990), better known by her stage name Cleo Sol, is an English singer-songwriter. Working closely with her husband, the producer Dean Josiah Cover, she has released five solo studio albums beginning with the EP Winter Songs (2018), followed by full-lengths Rose in the Dark (2020), Mother (2021), Heaven (2023), and Gold (2023) and is the lead vocalist of music group Sault.
Cleo Sol was born in Ladbroke Grove to jazz musicians who lived in Notting Hill. Cleo grew up in Ladbroke Grove. Her mother is Serbian-Spanish and her father is Jamaican.[3]
Cleo Sol made her debut in 2008 featuring on the single "Tears" by Tinie Tempah.[4] In 2011 Cleo Sol signed to DaVinChe's record label Dirty Canvas and Island Records, releasing singles such as "High" and "Never the Right Time (Who Do You Love)".[5][6] She took a musical hiatus from 2012 to 2017.[1] She returned with the EP Winter Songs, released on 9 March 2018.[7] In 2019, she was featured on the single "Selfish" by British rapper Little Simz, reconnecting in 2021 with the rapper for the song "Woman".[8][9]
Cleo Sol released her debut studio album, Rose in the Dark, on 27 March 2020. It was included by Complex and Clash in their end-of-year lists.[10][11] The next year, she released her second studio album, titled Mother, on 20 August 2021.[12] Surprise albums Heaven and Gold followed in September 2023. She is a member of the UK based musical collective SAULT who have released eleven studio albums.[13][14][15] The group rarely appears live or does interviews and Cleo Sol rarely performs live.[16]
Cleo Sol has cited influences including Stevie Wonder, Erykah Badu and Jill Scott. She grew up listening to reggae, Motown, jazz, and Latin music.[3][17][18]
Cleo Sol is married to the English record producer Inflo (Dean Josiah Cover); their child was born in 2021.[19]
| Title | Details |
|---|---|
| Rose in the Dark |
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| Mother |
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| Heaven |
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| Gold |
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| Title | Details |
|---|---|
| Winter Songs |
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| Title | Year | Album |
|---|---|---|
| "High" (featuring Gappy Ranks) |
2011 | Non-album single |
| "Never the Right Time (Who Do You Love)" | 2012 | |
| "Code to Crack" (with Toddla T featuring Scrufizzer) | ||
| "Why Don't You" | 2017 | Winter Songs & Rose in the Dark |
| "Try and You Try" | Winter Songs | |
| "One" | 2019 | Non-album single |
| "Sweet Blue" | ||
| "Butterfly" | 2020 | Rose in the Dark |
| "Shine" | Non-album single | |
| "Fear When You Fly" | 2024 | Non-album single |
| Title | Year | Album |
|---|---|---|
| "Tears" (Tinie Tempah featuring Cleo Sol) |
2008 | Non-album single |
| "Selfish" (Little Simz featuring Cleo Sol) |
2019 | Grey Area |
| "Woman" (Little Simz featuring Cleo Sol) |
2021 | Sometimes I Might Be Introvert |
| Title | Year | Other artist(s) | Album |
|---|---|---|---|
| "Ladder" | 2012 | Angel, Mark Asari | 7 Minutes Before Time |
| Authority control databases: Artists |
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