RL Grime broke through with viral remixes of Chief Keef’s “Love Sosa” and Kanye West’s “Mercy,” then carved out a lane of his own with a stark visual identity, animated videos, and a long-running Halloween mix series. His sound and presentation helped separate him from the pack early, and his debut album VOID arrived as the #1 Electronic album in the United States.

He first gained traction as a New York-based teenager, then deepened that following through a run of well-regarded EPs before independently releasing VOID in 2014. Even as his audience grew through major festival appearances, strong press, and a rising profile, he kept his release strategy selective and stayed tied to his underground roots. Along the way, his collaborator list expanded to include artists like Big Sean, Miguel, and Skrillex.

That next phase sharpened in late 2017 with “Era,” a cinematic single that signaled the arrival of NOVA. The album was preceded by a sold-out tour with stops in Australia, Los Angeles, and New York, and its anticipation only grew as fans and blogs speculated in the lead-up to release.