As her name suggests, Jess Connelly is part Irish but her heart and career are centred around the Philippines, the country she moved to from Australia at the age of 17. Her signature blend of pop and contemporary soul has made her one of the country’s hottest properties, with debut mixtape JCon garnering rave reviews and earning her an opening slot for Chance the Rapper in Manila. The hype is merited: her sound harkens back to the golden age of ‘90s R&B, with velvety tracks like “hooked / good Lover”, “Company” and “Expect” recalling Lauryn Hill and Mary J. Blige in their prime.