Anita Baker is an American jazz and soul singer celebrated for her rich contralto voice and emotive ballads. Emerging in the late 1970s with Chapter 8, she launched her solo career with The Songstress in 1983. Baker became a major figure of the 1980s quiet storm era, achieving breakthrough success with her album Rapture and the hit single Sweet Love. Throughout her career, she has earned eight Grammy Awards and multiple Platinum and Gold albums, solidifying her place among the most influential voices in modern soul music.