Inspiration, name-free
NAO
Alternative R&B from the 2010s: 80s synth pads, gated reverb drums, sub bass, seductive and melancholic in feel. A name-free Suno recipe that reproduces the signature sound without tripping the artist-name filter.
Style: Alternative R&B
History
Nao, born Neo Jessica Joshua on 20 December 1987 in Nottingham, England, is an English singer-songwriter and record producer based in East London. She studied vocal jazz at the Guildhall School of Music & Drama, worked as a backing vocalist for Kwabs and Jarvis Cocker, and sang in the a cappella group The Boxettes before launching a solo career in 2014. Her music blends soul, R&B, electronic and funk into a style she herself named "wonky funk." Her 2014 EP So Good reached UK radio playlists, and 2015's 15 February earned a Pitchfork Best New Music tag. She placed third in the BBC Sound of 2016 poll and released her debut album, For All We Know (2016), which brought a Brit Award nomination. Her second album, Saturn (2018), picked up nominations for both the Mercury Prize and a Grammy for Best Urban Contemporary Album. Albums And Then Life Was Beautiful (2021) and Jupiter (2025) followed. Notably, Nao co-wrote Ariana Grande's hit "Be Alright" and was a featured vocalist on Disclosure's UK number-one album Caracal.
The recipe
Opening the recipe…