Joyce Wrice (born August 15, 1992) is an American singer and songwriter from

San Diego San Diego ( , ) is a city on the Pacific coast of Southern California, adjacent to the Mexico–United States border. With a population of over 1.4 million, it is the List of United States cities by population, eighth-most populous city in t ...

. Known for her blend of R&B and

neo soul Neo soul (sometimes called progressive soul) is a genre of popular music. As a term, it was coined by music industry entrepreneur Kedar Massenburg during the late 1990s to market and describe a style of music that emerged from Soul music, soul ...

, she gained recognition with her debut studio album, ''Overgrown'' (2021). In 2023, Wrice earned a nomination alongside Haitian-Canadian music producer

Kaytranada Louis Kevin Celestin (born August 25, 1992), known professionally as Kaytranada (stylized as KAYTRANADA, shortened as KAYTRA), is a Haitian-Canadian music producer, rapper, singer and DJ. Celestin rose to prominence after releasing a series of m ...

at the

Juno Awards The Juno Awards (stylized as JUNOS), or simply known as the Junos, are awards presented by the Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences to recognize outstanding achievements in Canada's music industry. The Grammy Awards are the United S ...

Early life

Wrice was born and raised in

San Diego, California San Diego ( , ) is a city on the Pacific coast of Southern California, adjacent to the Mexico–United States border. With a population of over 1.4 million, it is the List of United States cities by population, eighth-most populous city in t ...

. She grew up in a multicultural household with a Japanese mother and an

African-American African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from any of the Black racial groups of Africa. ...

father. Wrice developed an interest in music at an early age, listening to a wide range of artists including

Mariah Carey Mariah Carey ( ; born March 27, 1969) is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, and actress. Dubbed the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, Songbird Supreme" by ''Guinness World Records'', Carey is known for her five-octave voc ...

Brandy Brandy is a liquor produced by distilling wine. Brandy generally contains 35–60% alcohol by volume (70–120 US proof) and is typically consumed as an after-dinner digestif. Some brandies are aged in wooden casks. Others are coloured ...

, and

Lauryn Hill Lauryn Noelle Hill (born May 26, 1975) is an American musician. She is celebrated as one of the most influential musical artists of her generation. Hill is credited with breaking barriers for female rappers, contributing to the popular music, m ...

. After graduating from high school, she moved to

Los Angeles Los Angeles, often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, most populous city in the U.S. state of California, and the commercial, Financial District, Los Angeles, financial, and Culture of Los Angeles, ...

to pursue a career in music while studying at

Soka University of America Soka University of America (SUA) is a Private college, private Liberal arts colleges in the United States, liberal arts college in Aliso Viejo, California. Originally founded in 1987, it was established on its current campus in 2001 by Daisaku ...

Career

Wrice began her music career by posting covers and original songs on platforms like

YouTube YouTube is an American social media and online video sharing platform owned by Google. YouTube was founded on February 14, 2005, by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim who were three former employees of PayPal. Headquartered in ...

and

SoundCloud SoundCloud is a German audio streaming service owned and operated by SoundCloud Global Limited & Co. KG. The service enables its users to upload, promote, and share audio. Founded in 2007 by Alexander Ljung and Eric Wahlforss, SoundCloud is ...

, where she gradually built a following. In 2016, she released her debut EP, ''Stay Around'', which featured a collection of R&B tracks and established her as a rising artist in the independent music scene. Her breakthrough came with the release of her debut album, ''Overgrown'', in March 2021. The album featured collaborations with artists like Masego,

Freddie Gibbs Fredrick Jamel Tipton (born June 14, 1982), better known by his stage name Freddie Gibbs, is an American rapper and songwriter. He signed with Interscope Records in 2006 and recorded his debut album for the label; however, its release was cance ...

, and

Lucky Daye David Debrandon Brown (born September 25, 1985), known professionally as Lucky Daye, is an American R&B singer-songwriter from New Orleans. He signed with Keep Cool Records and RCA Records to release his first two extended plays, ''I'' (2018) ...

. ''Overgrown'' was praised for its cohesive production, reminiscent of classic R&B, and Wrice's rich, emotive vocals. The album's lead single, "On One," featuring Freddie Gibbs, became particularly popular, earning significant streaming numbers and radio play. In 2022, she was listed as one of Okayplayer's "10 Artists to Watch." She also performed the

theme song Theme music is a musical composition which is often written specifically for radio programming, television shows, video games, or films and is usually played during the title sequence, opening credits, closing credits, and in some instances at ...

for the 2023

Disney+ The Walt Disney Company, commonly referred to as simply Disney, is an American multinational mass media and entertainment industry, entertainment conglomerate (company), conglomerate headquartered at the Walt Disney Studios (Burbank), Walt Di ...

series '' The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder''.

Musical style and influences

Wrice's music is characterized by its smooth vocal delivery, soulful melodies, and a fusion of 90s R&B with contemporary sounds. She cites artists such as

Aaliyah Aaliyah Dana Haughton ( ; January 16, 1979 – August 25, 2001) was an American singer, actress, dancer, and model. Known as the " Princess of R&B" and "Queen of Urban Pop", she is credited with helping to redefine contemporary R&B, p ...

, and Usher as major influences on her style. Her lyrics often delve into personal themes, including vulnerability, empowerment, and love. Wrice’s sound has been described as both nostalgic and innovative, paying homage to R&B traditions.

Discography

Film score

* '' The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder'' (2023) Albums * ''Overgrown'' (2021) EPs * ''Stay Around'' (2016) * ''Motive'' (2022) Notable Singles * "''On One''" featuring

(2021) * "''That's On You''" (2020) * "''Falling in Love''" (2019)

Awards and nominations

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Wrice, Joyce Living people 1992 births Singers from San Diego 21st-century American singer-songwriters African-American women singers American rhythm and blues singers American soul singers African-American songwriters Singer-songwriters from California 20th-century American singers African-American women singer-songwriters American contemporary R&B singers American women pop singers American women hip-hop musicians American hip-hop singers American voice actresses