Alina Baraz

Alina Baraz was born on September 24, 1993, in Cleveland, Ohio, to Russian-Ukrainian immigrant parents. Her early exposure to classical music was complemented by a personal interest in 90s music and singers like Adele, Amy Winehouse, and Corinne Bailey Rae. She began singing in a gospel choir at a young age, developing her vocal abilities. At 19, Baraz moved to Los Angeles, California, to pursue her music career professionally, where she also cultivated a passion for songwriting. Her first song, “Roses Dipped in Gold,” was released on April 15, 2013, as part of the “Lounge Masters Vibes” collection series.

Her career gained initial momentum in 2013 when she discovered Danish electronic producer Galimatias’ music online. Baraz wrote lyrics for one of his instrumentals, releasing it on SoundCloud as “Drift.” This collaboration led to the creation of the EP “Urban Flora,” which was finalized through remote work, with the artists not meeting in person until the project was complete in February 2015. The EP, also featuring tracks like “Pretty Thoughts,” “Make You Feel,” and “Fantasy,” received a commercial digital release via Ultra Music on May 19, 2015. “Urban Flora” achieved critical acclaim and significant streaming success, reaching number 111 on the US Billboard 200 and number 2 on the US Billboard Top Dance/Electronic Albums Chart. A remix EP followed in September 2015, and Baraz and Galimatias embarked on a co-headlining North American tour. In August 2016, Baraz signed with Mom + Pop Music, which re-released “Urban Flora” on vinyl.

Baraz began her solo live performances in 2016 at North American music festivals, including Lightning in a Bottle, Sasquatch! Music Festival, Electric Forest Festival, and Lollapalooza. She released her first solo single, “Electric,” featuring Khalid, on January 20, 2017, through Mom + Pop Music. This was followed by her ‘Let’s Get Lost Tour’ in 2017. In September and October 2017, she supported Coldplay on eight North American dates of their A Head Full of Dreams Tour. Her solo EP, “The Color of You,” was released on April 6, 2018, and charted at number 59 on the Billboard 200. Her debut studio album, “It Was Divine,” was released on April 24, 2020, charting at number 43 on the Billboard 200 and featuring collaborations with artists such as 6lack, Nas, and Smino. After departing from her label, Baraz released the independent EPs “Sunbeam” and “Moongate” in 2021, and continues to release music independently, including singles like “Don’t Buy Me Roses” (2023) and “Take Care Of You” (2026).