Alana Davis occupies the intersection of 90s Lilith Fair folk and the soulful, rhythmic sensibilities of urban R&B. Her music is defined by a rich, smoky alto voice that glides over syncopated acoustic guitar patterns, creating a sound that is both earthy and sophisticated. It feels like the musical equivalent of a well-worn leather jacket: comfortable, timeless, and possessing a quiet, resilient strength.
What sets Davis apart is her inherent jazz DNA, inherited from her father, which manifests in her adventurous vocal phrasing and the subtle complexity of her arrangements. While her contemporaries often leaned into straightforward pop-rock, Davis maintained a groove-heavy foundation that allowed her music to be sampled by hip-hop legends and embraced by downtempo collectives alike. There is a specific unhurried quality to her delivery that demands a slower pace from the listener.
Start with her debut, Blame It on Me, to hear the definitive version of her sound, including her iconic reimagining of 32 Flavors. From there, explore Fortune Cookies to hear how her soulful folk identity interacted with the sleek, early-2000s production of The Neptunes, proving her voice could anchor even the most modern soundscapes.
Alana Schofield Davis (born May 6, 1974) is an American singer-songwriter. Her father, Walter Davis Jr., was an African-American pianist who played alongside such jazz greats as Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gillespie. A record deal with Elektra Records produced Davis' first two albums; Blame It on Me, which was chosen as one of Time's five best albums of 1997, and 2001's Fortune Cookies, which featured production by The Neptunes and Ed Tuton. She released videos of the songs "32 Flavors" and "Crazy." Davis achieved a radio hit with the single "32 Flavors" from her debut album. The song is a cover version of a track written and previously recorded by Ani DiFranco. Blame It on Me stayed on the Billboard Top 200 for seven weeks, peaking at No. 157 in February 1998 and reaching sales of over 240,000 in the United States. "Murder", also from Blame It on Me, was sampled on Jay-Z's Vol. 3... Life and Times of S. Carter. After a guest appearance on the 1999 soundtrack to The Mod Squad, Davis left Elektra and signed a single deal with SME Records. She released the single "Carry On" on this label, and the song was featured in a Super Bowl commercial for Sony Electronics. Tired of major record labels, Davis went independent in 2005 and formed her own label, Tigress Records. She released a third album, Surrender Dorothy, on this label, which featured the single "Wide Open." In 2006, Davis toured with Thievery Corporation for a couple of dates as a guest vocalist. In July 2017, Davis played 2 shows, one in Rochester, New York, and one in New York City. In May 2018, Davis released her 4th studio album, Love Again.
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