Smoky-voiced singer and songwriter Bria Lee made her recorded debut in 2018 with the trippy retro-contemporary R&B single "Purple Clouds." The Rhode Island native, born Brianna Paolino, grew up in a home supportive of her talent as it developed throughout childhood. After high school, she moved to New York, where she attended Manhattan School of Music to study piano and became known as a vocalist in the city's jazz scene. Paolino put music on hold to take care of her ailing father back in Rhode Island, but after his death, she fulfilled his wish by continuing to pursue music in New York. A performance at a showcase led to a contract with major-label Republic, which set Paolino up with songwriters and producers Ari Kalimi and Corte Ellis. Altogether, the trio co-wrote "Purple Clouds," incorporating a sample from Mr. Bungle's "Goodbye Sober Day," to intensify the song's dreamlike quality. In June 2018, it was released as Paolino's first single.