Biography

23-year-old singer/songwriter and guitarist, Raquel Martins moved to London when she was only 17. Raised under the sun in Portugal, she grew up listening to the endless classics from the Brazilian and jazz repertoire. It was only when she discovered the world of contemporary hip­hop, soul and jazz music that she realised she could create something new with all the sounds she had been absorbing over the years. In only 4 years in the UK capital, she's already established herself as both a very solid side musician working for established artists such as Poppy Ajudha, Amaarae and Gracey, as well as an artist with a unique voice, at the intersection of modern soul and jazz, reminiscent of Nai Palm, Jordan Rakei or Oscar Jerome, with an added authentic Brazilian flavour that sets her apart. Her self-produced EP 'The Way' caught the attention of the UK scene, with international supporters such as Gilles Peterson, Jamie Cullum and Dan Digs (KRCW) to name a few. The EP currently sits at over 500k streams, with editorial support from Spotify and Bandcamp. Key radio moments include 'Take 5' feature on Jamie Cullum (BBC2) and a 'Brownswood Basement ' with Gilles Peterson in the space of 2 months in 2021, leading to a prime time slot at WOH 2022. Throughout 2022, Raquel played shows in the UK and Portugal including NOS Alive, Wilderness, House of Koko and her first London Headline as part of LJF in Nov 2022. She also opened for Isaiah Sharkey and Brazilian legend Marcos Valle.