Quinn XCII is a Detroit-based vocalist and songwriter who fuses pop, hip-hop, reggae, and EDM into his own unique sound. His songs are typically about failed relationships and heartbreak, but they’re often sung or rapped over bright, sunny backing tracks that partially disguise the melancholy sentiments of the lyrics. He began making music in high school and later, while a student at Michigan State University, working with his Ann Arbor-based friend Ayokay on many tracks. His hip-hop mixtape Shlup appeared in 2013, but he gained more attention as his songs became more pop-focused. Following the spring 2015 release of his Change of Scenery EP, his single “Stung” was released by Atlantic imprint Taste and Tone later in the year. “Kings of Summer,” a collaboration with Ayokay, followed in early 2016, as did Quinn‘s EP Bloom. A pair of catchy singles, “Straightjacket” and “Make Time,” dropped in late 2016 and early 2017, respectively, and in early 2018, he released a third single, “Iron & Steel.”