"Soul music is true to its name. It's music that connects to your soul, your spirit."

• Born Cassandra Monique Batie Dec. 30, 1984, in San Diego, California

• Andra Day broke through with "Rise Up," a single from her debut album, 2015's Cheers To The Fall. The track reached No. 10 on Billboard's Hot R&B Songs chart while the album reached No. 48 on the Billboard 200.

• Day earned her first career GRAMMY nominations for 2015 for Best R&B Performance ("Rise Up") and Best R&B Album (Cheers To The Fall.) She made her GRAMMY stage debut at the 58th GRAMMY Awards in 2016, singing a duet with fellow GRAMMY nominee Ellie Goulding.

• Stevie Wonder helped Day get her start. After Day's manager ran into the GRAMMY winner's ex-wife, fashion designer Kai Millard Morris, Wonder was so impressed with Day's singing he linked her with producer Adrian Gurvitz, who co-produced her debut album.

• Day participated in "Stayin' Alive: A GRAMMY Salute To The Music Of The Bee Gees," The Recording Academy's 40th-anniversary celebration of the Bee Gees and the landmark Saturday Night Fever film soundtrack. In addition to singing "Love So Right" solo, she performed as part of a medley with Demi Lovato, Tori Kelly and Little Big Town.