Next-gen riser Debbie returns with the ornate world-building of ‘No Way’, evoking and emulating RnB sirens of past but with a streetwise edge.

‘No Way’ was inspired by the belting passion of Beyoncé’s ‘Don’t Hurt Yourself’. Produced by British producer Jonny Coffer, Debbie says: “I remember I wore sunglasses for like the whole week. And I was just listening to Don’t Hurt Yourself by Beyoncé on loop, stomping around everywhere I went. I walked into the session in a bit of a mood and I sang the chorus, but I was so angry I couldn’t come up with a verse so I just left it.”

A year later, in-demand producer MNEK modified the song by adding the verses. The finished produced emerged; a sleek and soulful jam roving between plaintive notes and defiant declarations. – Clash

Now, with her immense vocal ability and clear artistic vision, a musical career seems a natural path. Still, Debbie’s initial exposure to music was limited, with her religious parents permitting her only to listen to gospel. When she turned 16 she deeply embraced chart music, her playlists capturing the zeitgeist of 2010s teen culture through a rotation of Justin Bieber, Ariana Grande and Jessie J. But the early influences remained, now present within the gospel-inspired harmonies and backing vocals that have subtly defined her releases so far.

Yet it wasn’t until she stumbled upon vocal powerhouses, and other purveyors of “truth music” (something Debbie defines as honesty and vulnerability) Aretha Franklin, Lauryn Hill and Whitney Houston that something clicked. “I was like, actually, I think I want to make this into a career,” she explains. “But, I never really admitted it, because it’s kind of scary to be at uni studying finance and being like, I want to do music, actually.” – The Line of Best Fit