Taio Cruz is a British pop singer, songwriter, and producer behind the global smash hits "Dynamite" and "Break Your Heart," which helped define the sound of late-2000s and early-2010s dance-pop. Born Jacob Taio Cruz on April 23, 1985, in London to Nigerian and Brazilian parents, he first established himself as a songwriter — penning a UK #1 for Will Young — before launching his own artist career.

His 2008 debut album Departure introduced him to UK audiences, but it was the 2009 follow-up Rokstarr that turned him into a global phenomenon. The album's lead single "Break Your Heart" topped the UK Singles Chart and, after a Ludacris-featuring re-release, became his first #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 2010.