Titiyo Yambalu Felicia Jah (born July 23, 1967) is a Swedish singer and songwriter whose music combines soul, contemporary R&B, pop, and dance-oriented production. Often described in Sweden as a leading figure in the country's modern soul tradition, she has built a career around a distinctive, understated vocal style and a willingness to move between polished pop, alternative rock, electronic music, and Swedish-language songwriting.
Born in Stockholm, Titiyo grew up in a highly musical family. Her father was Sierra Leonean percussionist Ahmadu Jah, while her half-sister is singer Neneh Cherry. Titiyo began performing in Stockholm during the 1980s, initially singing rare-groove and soul material with a local band. She signed with the Swedish label Telegram and released her first single, "Talking to the Man in the Moon," in 1989. The song became an early Swedish hit, followed by "After the Rain."
Her self-titled debut album appeared in 1990 and established her as one of Sweden's most promising new R&B artists. The record reached the upper end of the Swedish album chart and was also issued in the United States through Arista Records. Its sound reflected the era's interest in combining soul vocals with dance-pop arrangements, while Titiyo's relaxed delivery gave the material a warmer and more personal character.
The follow-up, This Is Titiyo (1993), broadened her reputation. It produced songs including "Tell Me I'm Not Dreaming" and "Back and Forth," and continued her collaboration with musicians from Stockholm's soul and pop scenes. During the following years she also worked as a guest vocalist, appearing with acts such as Blacknuss and Stakka Bo. These collaborations highlighted her ability to adapt her voice to club music, pop, and more experimental arrangements.
Titiyo took a more independent approach to Extended (1997), an album on which she was involved in both composition and production. After another period away from the spotlight, she returned with Come Along in 2001. Created with producer Tore Johansson and songwriters Peter Svensson of the Cardigans and Joakim Berg of Kent, the album gave her a renewed international profile. The title track became her signature song and brought her success in several European countries. Its blend of blues, alternative rock, pop, and dance influences marked a clear development from the more conventional R&B of her debut.
Her later work continued to resist easy categorization. Hidden (2008) included the single "Longing for Lullabies," recorded with producer Kleerup, while 13 Gården (2015) represented a significant change in direction. Named after an address connected with her childhood, it was her first full-length album recorded entirely in Swedish. Songs such as "Solna" and "Drottningen ar tillbaka" presented a more locally rooted and reflective side of her songwriting.
Titiyo returned with Hemland in 2025. The album consists of Swedish interpretations of songs by other artists and writers, including material associated with Thastrom and Cornelis Vreeswijk. Rather than revisiting the sound of her commercial breakthrough, the project places her mature voice at the center of a distinctly Swedish repertoire.
Across her career, Titiyo has received four Grammis awards and was inducted into the Swedish Music Hall of Fame in 2018. Her work is notable for connecting Swedish pop with soul and R&B while allowing her sound to evolve across several musical generations.