Giveon

Giveon Dezmann Evans, known mononymously as Giveon, is an American R&B singer and songwriter. Born on February 21, 1995, he is recognized for his baritone vocals and a style inspired by 1960s and 1970s jazz. He first gained prominence with his 2019 single "Like I Want You" before achieving wider recognition through his standalone releases and collaborations with artists such as Drake and Justin Bieber.

Giveon was raised in Long Beach, California, alongside his two brothers by a single mother. His mother encouraged his early interest in music, often having him sing at birthday parties, while protecting her family from gang culture and poverty. He attended Long Beach Polytechnic High School and took a music education program at the Grammy Museum at age 18. Through the Recording Academy program, he developed a passion for music history and classic jazz, drawing inspiration from the bellowing voice of Frank Sinatra and the music of Barry White. He cites Sinatra, Frank Ocean, Drake, Adele, and Sampha as key artistic influences.

In August 2018, Giveon self-released his debut single, "Garden Kisses." Canadian record producer Sevn Thomas discovered him on a random SoundCloud playlist and subsequently signed him to his record label Not So Fast alongside Epic Records. Giveon began performing original songs live prior to recording them, and in November 2019, he released "Like I Want You" shortly before serving as an opening act for Snoh Aalegra on her Ugh, A Mini Tour Again across Europe and North America.

While on tour with Snoh Aalegra, Giveon regularly freestyled during his sets. A video of his freestyle in Chicago was sent to Drake, resulting in their collaboration "Chicago Freestyle." The track was released on streaming platforms in May 2020 on Drake's mixtape Dark Lane Demo Tapes, reaching number 14 on the Billboard Hot 100. In March 2020, Giveon released his debut extended play, Take Time, executive produced by Thomas. The project topped the Billboard Heatseekers Albums chart and earned a Grammy Award nomination for Best R&B Album.

Giveon released his second EP, When It's All Said and Done, in October 2020, supported by the lead single "Stuck on You," which he performed for his television debut on Jimmy Kimmel Live!. His single "Heartbreak Anniversary" reached number 16 on the Billboard Hot 100 and earned a quintuple platinum certification from the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). In March 2021, he bundled his first two EPs into the compilation album When It's All Said and Done... Take Time, which peaked at number five on the Billboard 200.

Also in March 2021, Giveon featured alongside Daniel Caesar on Justin Bieber's single "Peaches," which debuted atop the Billboard Global 200, Billboard Hot 100, and Canadian Hot 100 while receiving four Grammy nominations. Later that year, he featured alongside Lil Durk on Drake's track "In the Bible," reaching number seven on the Billboard Hot 100. In 2022, Giveon recorded the track "Time," co-written by Drake, for the film Amsterdam.

Giveon released his debut studio album, Give or Take, on June 24, 2022. It debuted at number 11 on the Billboard 200 and was supported by the singles "For Tonight," "Lie Again," and "Lost Me." Following guest appearances on Teddy Swims's "Are You Even Real" and Ayra Starr's "Last Heartbreak Song" in early 2025, Giveon released his second studio album, Beloved, on July 11, 2025. Supported by the singles "Twenties" and "Rather Be," the album peaked at number eight on the Billboard 200.