Kirby Lauryen Dockery, also known mononymously as Kirby (stylized as KIRBY), is an American singer and songwriter. She has written pop songs for artists such as Rihanna, Kanye West, or as Paul McCartney's 2015 single "FourFiveSeconds". As a recording artist herself, she released her first album, Sis, in 2020.
Life and career Dockery was born in Memphis, Tennessee and raised in Southaven, Mississippi. She studied music at Stax Music Academy, and enrolled at Berklee College of Music after high school but left in 2009 to pursue music full-time. She was influenced by Kanye West's The College Dropout.
She began a YouTube challenge where she posted videos of herself singing a new original song for 275 days. She was contacted by Joy Brown of Roc Nation on day 302 of the challenge and signed to the label.
She has worked with artists such as Christina Aguilera, Jennifer Lopez, Brandy, and Timbaland. Kirby co-wrote the track "FourFiveSeconds", which went through several rounds of edits as directed by Kanye West. She also wrote the song "Die with You" performed by Beyoncé and "Break Your Heart Right Back" by Ariana Grande.
She released her first album, Sis, in February 2020. Robyn Mowatt of Okayplayer referred to it as "a mashup of refreshing deep cuts." Two singles from the album were featured on the soundtrack for the fourth season of Insecure.
In June 2020, Kirby posted a viral TikTok video about the racist origins of the pancake brand Aunt Jemima, and amid other online critiques taking place, the brand announced that they would retire the racist imagery.
Her second album, Miss Black America, was released in August 2025. The album is deeply influenced by Kirby's enslaved ancestors and their collective roots in Mississippi.
On November 26, 2025, Kirby appeared on the Tamron Hall show on ABC, as part of their Friendsgiving episode, discussing her ‘A Song A Day’ challenge, and her first album, Sis, from 2020. She also performed on the show, live in the studio.
In May 2026, she debuted the music video for her song "Saving Grace", as a promotional tie-in with the Amazon Prime Video series Spider-Noir.
Discography Studio albums Sis. He Wasn't the One (2021) Miss Black America (2025)
Extended plays Sis. (2020) I Told You I Would (2022)
Soundtrack albums Swarm (2023)
Singles TitleYearAlbum"Loved by You" 2016rowspan="2" "Vain" 2017"Kool Aid"2019Sis."Don't Leave Your Girl""We Don't Funk"2020"Velvet (Remix)" "Black Leaves" 2022 "Saving Grace" 2026
Songwriting credits indicates a credited vocal/featured artist contribution
Title Year Artist(s) Album Credits Written with"J'irai te chercher"2014Amel BentInstinctCo-writerAmel Bent, Simon Cohen, Aymeric Mazaudier, and Kore"The Game"Kelly RowlandPepsi Beats of the Beautiful GameJake Troth, and Sia Furler"Let It Be Me"Jennifer LopezA.K.A.Harmony Samuels and Jennifer Lopez"She"Keyshia ColePoint of No ReturnKeyshia Cole, Sean Fenton, Dijon McFarlane, and Priese Board"Hustle Harder"CommonNobody's SmilingLonnie Lynn, Ernest Wilson, Snoh Nowrozi, Seandrea Sledge, Alexander Izquierdo, and Leon Michels"Break Your Heart Right Back"Ariana GrandeMy EverythingAndrew "Pop" Wansel, Warren "Oak" Felder, Donald Glover, Bernard Edwards, Nile Rodgers, Steven Jordan, Christopher Wallace, Sean Combs, and Mason Betha"Only One"Kanye WestKanye West, Paul McCartney, Mike Dean, and Noah Goldstein"Crazy"2015Kat DahliaMy GardenGlass John"FourFiveSeconds"Rihanna, Kanye West, and Paul McCartneyKanye West, Paul McCartney, Mike Dean, Tyrone Griffin, Jr., David Longstreth, Robyn Fenty, Dallas Austin, Elon Rutberg, and Noah Goldstein"Die with You"BeyoncéBeyoncé"If I Have To"Avery WilsonAvery Wilson, Rodney Jerkins, and Sean Garrett"The Otherside"Elijah BlakeShadows & DiamondsSean Fenton and Carlo Montagnese"Rockabye"Sean Fenton, Christopher Crowhurst, and Anthony Charles Williams II"Aquaria"BootsAquariaJordan Asher and Angel Deradoorian"Over Getting Over"Fleur EastLove, Sax and FlashbacksAndrew "Pop" Wansel, Warren "Oak" Felder, and Trevor "Trevorious" Brown"Never Say When"Fleur East, Andrew "Pop" Wansel, and Warren "Oak" Felder"Love Just Ain't Enough"MonicaCode RedMonica Brown, Nick Brongers, Jocelyn Donald, Timothy Mosley, and Jonathan Solone-Myvett"Call My Name"Monica Brown, Jocelyn Donald, Daniel Jones, Jamal Jones, Timothy Mosley, and Jonathan Solone-Myvett"All Men Lie"Monica Brown, Nick Brongers, and Timothy Mosley"Beggin & Pleadin"2016BrandyRonald Colson, Andrew "Pop" Wansel, Warren "Oak" Felder, John Lee Hooker, Steve Mostyn, and Brandy Norwood"Wolves"Kanye WestThe Life of PabloKanye West, Sia Furler, Victor Mensah, Magnus August Høiberg, Alan Stanley Soucy Brinsmead, Noah Goldstein, Elon Rutberg, Cydel Young, Ryan McDermott, Mike Dean, Caroline Shaw, and Pat Reynolds"Nothing Even Matters"Kevin RossCo-writer/Featured artistKevin Ross"Will You Fight"2017La'Porsha RenaeAlready All ReadyCo-writerLa'Porsha Renae, Edgar "Johnny Velvet" Etienne, and Harmony Samuels"Tell Me You Love Me"Demi LovatoTell Me You Love MeAjay Bhattacharyya and John Hill"Twice"2018Christina AguileraLiberationWriter/Producer"Accelerate"Co-writerChristina Aguilera, Kanye West, Mike Dean, Che Pope, Ernest Brown, Carlton Davis Mays, Jr., Bibi Bourelly, Ilsey Juber, Tayla Parx, Tyrone Griffin, Jr., Tauheed Epps, and Ronald Brown"Thank You"Black ThoughtStreams of Thought, Vol. 1Co-writer/Featured artistTariq Trotter and Patrick Douthit"Don't Walk Away"2020John LegendBigger LoveCo-writerJohn Stephens, Stephen McGregor, and Mikyala Simpson
References
External links Kirby Lauryen profile on Allmusic Kirby Lauryen profile on Discogs