Showcased against an atmospheric backdrop of electronic flourishes, rich harmonies and insistent grooves, vocalist, performer and songwriter Malik reveals an expressive and soulful voice. Pull the shades and dim the lights: these silky and seductive songs are a soundtrack for romance. Born in Oxnard, California and brought up in Bakersfield, Malik was raised between rich musical cultures as he absorbed rancheras, pop and R&B. With a bi-racial family (African-American and Mexican), his maternal grandmother exerted a strong musical influence via the impassioned vocals of Vicente Fernandez and other artists in the traditional Latin genres. “I love the emotion in those singers,” Malik notes.