Leikeli47

It’s likely you don’t know much about rapper Leikeli47. Maybe it’s the balaclava she always wears or that she’s never revealed her real name, adding a sense of mystery to her meteoric rise that included an appearance at last year’s Boston Calling. Raised in Virginia and Brooklyn, she draws from a deep well of genres—from ballroom culture to gospel, as well as trap, Chicago house and New York radio rap—to craft songs that celebrate identity, beauty and black womanhood. After a string of mixtapes and EPs, she released her debut album, Wash & Set, in 2017 and its follow-up, Acrylic, in November. Her tracks have appeared on shows like Grown-ish and HBO’s Insecure, and though her face is covered, her melodies and flows offer deep glimpses into her soul. Peek behind the mask when Leikeli47 hits the Sinclair on April 1. / Nathan Tavares

Photo: Philip-Daniel Ducasse