Biography

Kollege stands as Chicago’s most daring R&B visionary—a self‑taught singer‑songwriter‑producer who melds ’80s Prince mystique, Devante Swing’s lush grooves, and raw street edge into a sound that feels both sacred and carnal. In a genre too often defined by hollow bravado, he delivers late‑night sermons of lust and redemption, driven by emotion instead of ego. His debut album Red Room (2023) announced him as a true giant—fearlessly traversing classic R&B, Alternative, Pop, Hip‑Hop, and full‑blown opera on tracks like “The Opera (Interlude).” Kollege isn’t just another voice—he’s the first since R. Kelly, whose musical legacy remains complicated, to fully claim the “R&B Thug” title while pushing boundaries with conviction. On “Bad Habit,” he turns love into addiction. On “ACTIVATED,” he fuses street poetry with silken hooks under club lights. With velvet vocals, in-house production, and gospel-tinged heartbreak, Kollege isn’t just raising the bar—he’s rewriting R&B’s future.