One of the most prominent voices in R&B celebrates her 29th birthday today. Continue reading to check out a gallery of her essential songs!

Summer Marjani Walker was born in Atlanta, Georgia. By watching tutorials on YouTube, Summer taught herself how to play the guitar. Shortly after, she began performing covers, which were uploaded to YouTube and Vine. Ironically enough, she was discovered on Vine by a woman that shares the same name as her. The other Summer Walker as the studio manager of the Atlanta based label Love Renaissance. Summer eventually signed with the label and Interscope Records in 2017. The following year (October 19th, 2018), she released her debut commercial mixtape Last Day of Summer. The mixtape was supported by the led single, ‘Girls Need Love.’ After gaining a bigger buzz from the success of her mixtape and touring with 6LACK, Summer got a huge co-sign in the form of Drake, when he hopped on the ‘Girls Need Love’ remix.

Over It, Summer’s debut studio album was released on October 4th, 2019. It debuted at number two on the US Billboard 200 with 134,000 units in its first week. The debut marked the largest streaming week for an R&B album by a female artist (in terms of on-demand audio streams) and topped the R&B Albums chart for 14 nonconsecutive weeks. She released the Life on Earth EP in 2020. The project debuted at number 8 on the Billboard 200 becoming Walker’s second top 10 project on the chart. Later on that year, she won the Billboard Music Award for Best Female Artist. Over It eventually finished 2020 as the second best performing R&B album of the year behind The Weeknd’s After Hours.

The songstress further solidified herself as a bonafide superstar with the release of her second studio album, Still Over It in 2021. The album surpassed 166,000 units within the first week of release, breaking the record for the biggest R&B debut on the US albums chart since Beyoncé’s album Lemonade. Summer’s momentum continued into 2022 when she earned her first ever Grammy nomination (she was featured on Kendrick Lamar’s ‘Purple Hearts’ from Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers). In the past few years, Summer has been busy lending her voice to other artist’s songs including Usher, Ciara, 21 Savage, Sexyy Red and more. Although we got the projects Clear 2: Soft Life and Clear: The Series in 2023, it’s safe to say that the world is waiting for third studio album, Finally Over It. She released the lead single, ‘Heart of a Woman’ in October of last year.

If her upcoming album sounds as amazing as everything else she’s released, then we are definitely in for a treat. Summer is already one of the most important voices in contemporary R&B. She has helped re-center the genre around emotional honesty, vulnerability, and feminine perspective. As a chart-topping artist, her music is undeniable. To celebrate her 29th birthday and her amazing artistry, tap in to a playlist of her essential songs. Let us know your favorites and if we forgot any! HAPPY 29TH BIRTHDAY TO SUMMER WALKER!