South East London native Cosima debuted in her early twenties with a series of dramatic yet understated ballads that belied her age and blurred the line between artful contemporary R&B and mature pop. The rich-voiced singer started writing songs at a young age. Toward the end of her teens, while staying in Germany with her maternal grandparents, she boosted her confidence with classical vocal lessons. Not long after Cosima's return to Peckham, she snared a contract with major-label Island after they heard her demo. In July 2016, she released her first single, "Had to Feel Something," and followed it with second and third singles separated by a couple months. All three cuts were featured on South of Heaven, a seven-track EP that arrived that December. Another rich and moody ballad, "To Build a House," was released as a single in February 2017.