Jacob Collier: Biography

Jacob Collier is an English singer, songwriter, composer, arranger, producer and multi-instrumentalist known for his complex harmonies, inventive arrangements and highly interactive live performances.

Early Life

Jacob Collier was born on 2 August 1994 in London. He grew up in a musical family and developed an interest in harmony, composition and multiple instruments from an early age.

YouTube Breakthrough

Collier first attracted widespread international attention through YouTube videos in which he performed multiple vocal and instrumental parts of arrangements, often using split-screen video editing.

His sophisticated harmonies and unusual arrangements quickly attracted millions of viewers and brought him to the attention of musicians and producers around the world.

Recording Career

His debut album, In My Room, was released in 2016. Collier performed, arranged and produced much of the material himself.

He subsequently embarked on the ambitious four-volume Djesse project, collaborating with artists and ensembles from a wide range of musical backgrounds.

Grammy Awards

Collier has received extensive recognition from the Recording Academy. Through the 2026 Grammy Awards, he has seven Grammy wins from 16 nominations.

His Grammy-recognised work includes arrangements of Flintstones, Moon River, All Night Long, He Won’t Hold You, In the Wee Small Hours of the Morning and Bridge Over Troubled Water.

Live Performances

One of Collier’s most distinctive performance techniques involves turning audiences into enormous improvised choirs. Using hand gestures, he divides audiences into sections and directs them to sing different notes or rhythms.

This combination of musical theory, technology, improvisation and audience participation has become a defining feature of his work.