Combining neon clouds of jovial melodies with unfiltered emotion and shapeshifting style, DRAM is an irrepressible soul. Hailing from Hampton, Virginia, the Grammy- nominated singer, rapper, and producer’s flurries of smoky falsetto and kaleidoscopic soundscapes have earned him status as a young legend, a reputation he reinforces with new album DRAM&B, a svelte distillation of all DRAM’s stylistic idiosyncrasies. DRAM began his career level up with 2014’s “Cha Cha,” a viral dancefloor adventure coated in good vibes. He consummated his rise with “Broccoli,” a candy-coated, Lil Yachty-assisted bop that peaked at No. 5 on the Billboard Hot 100. He continued to elevate with projects like #1HappyHoliday (2017), That’s a Girls Name (2018), Shelley FKA DRAM (2021), and What Had Happened Was... (2022) seeing him dive into more varied sonic textures, themes, and emotions. Recorded following the death of his beloved mother, What Had Happened Was... saw DRAM reckon with an all-consuming trauma. Heading into DRAM&B, he’s rediscovered joy. “It was a dark period,” he says of the years preceding his latest effort. “Now, I just want to be back outside with this new music,” he adds, “And we can ride into the sunset.”