Bilal (American singer) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Bilal
Bilal at Central Park SummerStage in New York, 2015
Background information
Birth name	Bilal Sayeed Oliver
Also known as	Airtight
Born	(1979-08-23) August 23, 1979 (age 45) Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Genres	Progressive soul neo soul R&B Philadelphia soul jazz psychedelic soul
Occupation(s)	Singer songwriter record producer
Years active	1999–present
Labels	E1 Plug Research Universal Interscope Purpose
Associated acts	The Dresden Soul Symphony Soulquarians CeeLo Green Erykah Badu J Dilla Kendrick Lamar Kimbra Mos Def Musiq Soulchild Nottz The Roots Mac Miller

Bilal Sayeed Oliver (born August 23, 1979) is an American singer, songwriter, and music producer. He is known for his amazing singing voice and for mixing different music styles. He performs live with a lot of energy.

Bilal started his career with a big record company. His popular R&B song "Soul Sista" came out in 2000. Later, he began playing in jazz clubs and making more experimental soul music. He has released several successful albums. His second album, Love for Sale, was never officially released but became very popular after it was shared online.

He was part of a group called the Soulquarians. This group of musicians worked together on new and different kinds of music in the late 1990s and early 2000s. Bilal has worked with many famous artists like Kendrick Lamar, Common, Erykah Badu, Beyoncé, and The Roots.

In August 2020, during the COVID-19 lockdown, Bilal created his first EP, called Voyage-19. An EP is like a mini-album with fewer songs. He made it in just three days by working with other musicians online. They streamed the whole process live on YouTube. The songs were released digitally, and the money earned helped the musicians who were having a hard time during the pandemic.

Early Life and Music Journey

The Philadelphia High School for the Creative and Performing Arts, where Bilal studied music.

Bilal Sayeed Oliver was born in Germantown, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He grew up in a family where his mother was Christian and his father was Muslim. When he was 11, he became the choir director at his mother's church. At 14, he started his own music group and performed at local cafes in Philadelphia.

His father often took him to jazz clubs in the city. Bilal remembers these trips as very important for his music. He saw many great musicians there. He decided then that he wanted to be involved in music.

Bilal went to the Philadelphia High School for the Creative and Performing Arts. After high school, he studied at The New School for Jazz and Contemporary Music in New York City. There, he met other musicians like Robert Glasper. They often went to jazz clubs and jam sessions. A jam session is when musicians play together without much planning.

At one jam session, Bilal met Aaron Comess, a musician from the band Spin Doctors. They recorded some songs together. A record company called Interscope Records heard these songs and signed Bilal to a music contract.

Music Career Highlights

Starting Out with 1st Born Second

Common and Mos Def (pictured in 1999) worked with Bilal on his first album.

Bilal quickly became part of the New York music scene. He met famous artists like Common, The Roots, and Erykah Badu. These artists were part of the Soulquarians group.

In 2001, Bilal released his first album, called 1st Born Second. Many Soulquarians members helped with the album, along with famous producers like Dr. Dre and J Dilla. The album was very successful and was praised by music critics. It sold over 300,000 copies.

The album showed off Bilal's wide range of music styles. It included the popular R&B song "Soul Sista" and songs with political messages like "Fast Lane". People loved his unique voice and how he could sing freely. Many called his music "neo-soul," but Bilal always felt his music was broader than that.

The Love for Sale Story and Airtight's Revenge

Bilal performing in Budapest, 2008.

After his first album, Bilal kept working with other artists. He also started making his second album, Love for Sale. This album was different because it used more live instruments and had a new sound.

However, his record company, Interscope, was not happy with the album. They thought it wouldn't sell well. Before it could be officially released, the entire album was leaked online. This means it was shared on the internet without permission. Interscope then decided not to release the album at all.

Bilal was very upset and even thought about quitting music. But Love for Sale became very popular online, with over half a million downloads. Bilal started touring and performing the songs, even though the album wasn't officially out. His concerts were known for being powerful and amazing.

After nine years without an official album release, Bilal returned on September 14, 2010, with Airtight's Revenge. This album was released by an independent record label called Plug Research. Bilal said the album was about his experiences and what he learned over the years. It mixed jazz, hip-hop, electronic, rock, soul, and blues. One song from the album, "Little One," was nominated for a Grammy Award in 2011.

New Albums and Collaborations

Bilal (center right) at the 2011 Stockholm Jazz Festival in Sweden.

In 2012, Bilal announced a new album called A Love Surreal. This album had a more acoustic sound, meaning it used more natural instruments. He released a mixtape called The Retrospection and then the main song "Back to Love." The album A Love Surreal came out on February 26, 2013.

A Love Surreal was very successful. It reached number one on iTunes' R&B chart and received excellent reviews from music critics.

Bilal continued to work with many different artists. His fifth album, In Another Life, was released in 2015 and was also praised by critics. In 2019, he sang on a song called "We're a Winner" with Philip Bailey. Philip Bailey said that Bilal uses his voice like an instrument and explores many different sounds.

Creating Music During the Pandemic

In August 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, Bilal created an experimental three-song EP called Voyage-19. He worked on it for three days, writing, recording, and producing one song each day. He collaborated with over 30 other musicians, including Erykah Badu and Robert Glasper. Everyone worked from their own homes because of the pandemic.

The whole process was streamed live online. People could pre-order the EP, and the money from sales and donations went to the musicians who were struggling financially. The EP was released digitally on September 6, 2020.

Recent Projects: Live Performances and New Album

In December 2023, Bilal performed a concert in Brooklyn, New York. This concert was later released as a live album called Live at Glasshaus. Famous musicians like Questlove, Common, and Robert Glasper joined him. They played 11 songs from Bilal's career, including old favorites and a new song called "Humility." The album was released on June 14, 2024.

In August 2024, Bilal announced his sixth studio album, Adjust Brightness. It was released on September 30, 2024. He also went on a tour across North America for the album.

On November 20, 2024, a documentary film about his Live at Glasshaus concert was released on YouTube. It showed his performance and included interviews with Bilal and other musicians. In January 2025, Bilal performed on NPR's Tiny Desk series, which features artists performing in a small office setting.

Discography

Guest Appearances on Songs

Bilal has sung on many songs by other artists. Here are some of them:

with Common

• "Funky For You" (Common & Jill Scott) from Like Water for Chocolate
• "Nag Champa (Afrodesiac for the World)" from Like Water for Chocolate
• "The 6th Sense" from Like Water for Chocolate
• "Heaven Somewhere" from Electric Circus
• "Faithful" (Common & John Legend) from Be
• "It's Your World/Pop's Reprise" from Be
• "U, Black Maybe" from Finding Forever
• "Play Your Cards Right" from Finding Forever
• "Joy and Peace" from Black America Again
• "Home" from "Black America Again"
• "A Bigger Picture Called Free" from "Black America Again"
• "Letter To The Free" from "Black America Again"

Awards and Nominations

Bilal has won and been nominated for several awards for his music:

Tours

• Little One Tour (2011)

See also

In Spanish: Bilal para niños