Biography

Tendai is a London-based artist and one of the first signings to the 0207 Def Jam label, known for his genre-defying sound and cinematic approach to music in which he draws from his wide-ranging influences—from alternative R&B to indie rock, UK garage, and beyond. Raised in a deeply religious household in East London, Tendai’s early musical foundation was shaped by everything from gospel hymns to ABBA to John Coltrane, and he grew up performing in a Ugandan gospel choir. With a deeply visual approach to songwriting, Tendai often describes his music as scenes or soliloquies, capturing the emotional and cinematic qualities of life, love, and identity. A self-proclaimed “student of sound,” Tendai’s work is a constant evolution, as he pushes boundaries and experiments with new rhythms and textures. Whether writing for his own project or lending his sound to the likes of Bakar, Ayra Starr, Jim Legxacy, kwn, or Stormzy (whose last album Tendai executive produced), Tendai’s musical footprint remains unpredictable yet undeniably authentic.