Dornik

Self-termed "electronic soul" artist Dornik arrived during the first half of the 2010s as one of the most unique and promising voices in R&B. The multi-instrumentalist, singer, songwriter, and producer has two albums two his credit, Dornik (2015) and Limboland (2020), and counts <a href="spotify:artist:5Mq7iqCWBzofK39FBqblNc">Jessie Ware</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:0XoDNlIZvfQP47lyLBVIsz">Zo!</a>, and <a href="spotify:artist:2i1CPudyCUjL50Wqjv8AMI">Alfa Mist</a> and <a href="spotify:artist:30SZetOBMEael27tboxz7f">Emmavie</a> among the artists he has supported as a collaborator.

Introduced to music by his parents -- named Dorothy and Nick, hence his given name -- Dornik Leigh started playing drums and got into a production as a youngster growing up in South London, specifically Croydon. In 2011, he formed TURTL, a band that included bassist <a href="spotify:artist:3gTKlamoFhZeUOFykWBouS">Rocco Palladino</a> (son of low-end master <a href="spotify:artist:5vjTuHApbJQOo9L3Ro2KM8">Pino Palladino</a>). The two were among the members who also took gigs as part of <a href="spotify:artist:5Mq7iqCWBzofK39FBqblNc">Jessie Ware</a>'s backing band. Dornik stood out when he would duet, in place of <a href="spotify:artist:2WoVwexZuODvclzULjPQtm">Sampha</a>, with <a href="spotify:artist:5Mq7iqCWBzofK39FBqblNc">Ware</a> on "Valentine." <a href="spotify:artist:5Mq7iqCWBzofK39FBqblNc">Ware</a>, also floored by some of Dornik's home recordings, returned the favor by encouraging Dornik's alliance with <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22PMR%22">PMR</a>, the Island-supported label to which she was signed.

Dornik made his <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22PMR%22">PMR</a> debut in 2013 with "Something About You," a sweet midtempo single that fell somewhere between <a href="spotify:artist:2h93pZq0e7k5yf4dywlkpM">Frank Ocean</a> and <a href="spotify:artist:3UVRliakQfa1pMWIsNuiZ8">Musiq (Soulchild)</a>. Additional singles throughout 2014, highlighted by "On My Mind" and "Drive," prompted a wide swath of comparisons, including many to <a href="spotify:artist:3fMbdgg4jU18AjLCKBhRSm">Michael Jackson</a>, likely due to Dornik's unassuming yet assured vocals that recalled <a href="spotify:artist:3fMbdgg4jU18AjLCKBhRSm">MJ</a>'s approach on songs like "I Can't Help It" and "Butterflies." Dornik's self-titled debut, featuring most of the singles that preceded it, followed in 2015.

Between solo projects, Dornik made an overseas connection with <a href="spotify:artist:0XoDNlIZvfQP47lyLBVIsz">Zo!</a> and <a href="spotify:artist:5SyCTZ8X8YQCI0J1VRp4iC">Phonte</a> that resulted in "Lifelines," off the former's SkyBreak album, and another with <a href="spotify:artist:3jk39CGeaaSO3FPKNx1RUx">Syd</a> of <a href="spotify:artist:7GN9PivdemQRKjDt4z5Zv8">the Internet</a>, the standalone track "Amazing." His second album, the more expansive Limboland, was self-released in March 2020 with a guest list including <a href="spotify:artist:5SyCTZ8X8YQCI0J1VRp4iC">Phonte</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:17czHqI0Lwj2V3htvm8afG">Gavin Turek</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:5iRM7qYip6UNfQaPe2reCz">Barney Artist</a>, and Taylor Graves. Within a month, Dornik was credited as co-producer of <a href="spotify:artist:2i1CPudyCUjL50Wqjv8AMI">Alfa Mist</a> and <a href="spotify:artist:30SZetOBMEael27tboxz7f">Emmavie</a>'s "Fly Away." ~ Andy Kellman