Blood

When touring for her debut album Is Your Love Big Enough? came to a close, Lianne La Havas headed to Jamaica with her mother for a long-awaited holiday that evolved into an experience of self-discovery. She enjoyed emotional reunions with long-lost relatives; embraced Kingston's clubs; and even jammed in front of her family for the first time during a session with legendary dancehall/reggae producer Stephen McGregor. Exploring her roots inspired La Havas's writing. Lyrically, she says, the songs she wrote are almost all related to "the feeling of who you are and where you come from." And musically, La Havas took inspiration from Jamaica's love of grooves, rhythms, and syncopation. McGregor ultimately joined in the making of Blood along with a rich collection of others, including Adele/FKA twigs collaborator Paul Epworth and Matt Hales of Aqualung.