雅各布·科利尔

Jacob Collier (né Moriarty; born 2 August 1994) is an English singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, producer and educator. His music incorporates a combination of jazz and elements from other musical genres, and often features extensive use of reharmonisations and close harmony. He is known for his energetic live performances, in which he often conducts the audience to sing harmony or play percussion parts.

In 2013, his split screen video covers of popular songs, such as Stevie Wonder's "Don't You Worry 'bout a Thing", began to go viral on YouTube. In 2014, Collier became friends with Herbie Hancock and Quincy Jones after they heard and saw his video cover of Stevie Wonder's song. Collier decided to stay independent and produce his first album. He originally sang all the harmony and played all the instruments on his songs. In 2016, Collier released his debut album, In My Room, which he recorded, arranged, performed and produced himself in the back room of his family home in Finchley, North London.

In 2018, Collier began working on Djesse, a four-volume, 50-song album featuring more than two dozen artists and ensembles. The first volume, which featured the Metropole Orkest, Djesse Vol. 1, was released in December 2018. The second, Djesse Vol. 2, used more acoustic instrumentation and was released in July 2019. The third volume, Djesse Vol. 3, was released in 2020. The fourth and final volume for the album, Djesse Vol. 4, was released in March 2024.

In 2017, Collier was awarded Grammy Awards for his arrangements of the "Flintstones" theme and Stevie Wonder's "You and I" on his first album. In 2020, Collier won Grammy Awards for his arrangements of "All Night Long (All Night)" from Djesse Vol. 1 and "Moon River" from Djesse Vol. 2. In 2021, he won a Grammy Award for "He Won't Hold You" from Djesse Vol. 3., making him the first British artist to receive a Grammy Award for each of his first four albums. In 2025, he won his seventh Grammy for "Bridge Over Troubled Water" from Djesse Vol. 4 in the Best Arrangement, Instrumental, or A Cappella category, extending his record to five consecutive albums with at least one Grammy win.

Background

Early years and education

Jacob Moriarty was born on 2 August 1994. He grew up in North London with two younger sisters. His mother, Suzie Collier, is a violinist, conductor, and professor at the Royal Academy of Music's Junior Academy. His maternal grandfather, Derek Collier, was a violinist who taught at the Royal Academy and performed with orchestras around the world.

Collier has said: "We sing Bach chorales together as family—it's just so much fun." He is of Chinese descent through his maternal grandmother, Leila Wong. At 10, Collier portrayed Tiny Tim in the Arthur Allan Seidelman film A Christmas Carol (2004). At the same time he was performing as a treble singer in classical roles, like one of the three boys in Mozart's The Magic Flute and Miles in Benjamin Britten's The Turn of the Screw, which influenced his use and understanding of harmony. Of Britten's harmonic language, he said, "My mind was shattered outwards."

Collier attended Mill Hill County High School in north London, and the Purcell School for Young Musicians in Bushey, Hertfordshire. He briefly studied jazz piano at the Royal Academy.