Giveon went from Long Beach nobody to Grammy nominated star and his real name surprises
Giveon is an American contemporary R&B music singer and songwriter. He is widely known for his distinct baritone voice and hits like Still Your Best, Garden Kisses, and Anniversary Heartbreak. His journey from a relatively unknown singer in Long Beach to Grammy-nominated star has inspired many in the industry. In an interview with Schon Magazine, Giveon talked about his inspirations.
What I learned is that quality music will always win. It’s not about volume. All this happened for me with eight songs, so that’s something I take with me for the rest of my career.
Source: Getty Images
TABLE OF CONTENTS
- Key takeaways
- Giveon's profile summary
- What is Giveon’s real name?
- Why is Giveon named Giveon?
- What is Giveon's age?
- Is Giveon African?
- Where is Giveon from?
- Where are Giveon's parents from?
- Where is Giveon's family from?
- Giveon's education
- Giveon’s career history
- Giveon’s songs
- What is Giveon’s net worth?
- Is Giveon married?
- Is Giveon dating anyone?
- Who is Giveons' ex-girlfriend?
- What is Giveon’s height and weight?
- What are some fun facts about Giveon?
Key takeaways
- Giveon's real name is Giveon Dezmann Evans.
- He began his professional music career at 23.
- The R&B superstar has worked with artists such as Justin Bieber, Daniel Caesar, Drake, and Lil Durk.
- He has received multiple Grammy nominations, including Best R&B Album for Take Time.
Giveon's profile summary
Full name | Giveon Dezmann Evans |
Gender | Male |
Date of birth | 21 February 1995 |
Age | 31 years old (as of 2026) |
Zodiac sign | Pisces |
Place of birth | Long Beach, California, United States |
Current residence | Los Angeles, California, United States |
Nationality | American |
Ethnicity | African-American |
Religion | Christianity |
Sexuality | Straight |
Height | 5'9" (175 cm) |
Weight | 150 lbs. (68 kg) |
Hair color | Black |
Eye color | Dark Brown |
Siblings | 2 |
Marital status | Unmarried |
Alma mater | Long Beach Polytechnic High School |
Alma mater | Grammy Museum |
Profession | Singer, songwriter |
Net worth | $1 million |
TikTok | |
What is Giveon’s real name?
His real name is Giveon Dezmann Evans. While many artists use mononyms, the R&B superstar uses his actual first name, which is often mistaken for a stage name.
Why is Giveon named Giveon?
The artist has shared that his mother chose the name Giveon (pronounced give-ee-on) because she believed he would be a "given" (giving) person. He told BET Her in 2020.
My mom told me that she picked that name so I would somehow end up being someone that gives. If that's true, then she was right, so hopefully I'm giving you guys something now and I continue to give. So give on, you know?
While he once wished for a simpler name, he grew to appreciate its uniqueness. The name aligns with his career, as he often focuses on giving back to his fans and supporting his family through his soulful music.
What is Giveon's age?
The singer is 31 years old as of 2026. He was born on 21 February 1995, and his zodiac sign is Pisces.
Source: Getty Images
Is Giveon African?
He is an American national of African-American ethnicity.
Where is Giveon from?
The singer has his roots in the East Side of Long Beach, California. He is not African by nationality and has addressed misconceptions about his origin, clarifying that he is from California, not Britain or other locations.
Where are Giveon's parents from?
While he has not publicly detailed his parents' specific origins or heritage, Giveon has noted that he was raised in Long Beach, California, and described his hometown as "fun, dangerous, and interesting all at the same time."
Where is Giveon's family from?
Giveon's family is from Long Beach, California, where he was born and raised by a single mother alongside his two brothers, one of them named John. Growing up in a "dangerous" area of Eastside Long Beach, Giveon's mom consciously worked to protect her three boys from the pressures of local gang culture and poverty.
Her influence was also instrumental in guiding him toward music. Giveon's early musical exposure included listening to R&B legends like Anita Baker, Sade, and Mary J. Blige, while his mum cleaned the house on Sundays.
When his mom noticed that he loved singing, she encouraged him to sing at birthday parties and at family events, a practice he sometimes resisted, but later appreciated. When his voice dropped in middle school, and he believed he could no longer sing, his mother continued to support him.
She encouraged him to embrace his baritone voice and even shared with him her voice notes. Eventually, her support influenced his early EP, TAKE TIME.
Giveon's education
The award-winning R&B artist attended Long Beach Polytechnic High School and later pursued a course in music at the Grammy Museum. He discovered Frank Sinatra through a Grammy Museum program at age 18, which helped him embrace his natural baritone voice rather than trying to conform to higher-pitched traditional singers.
Giveon’s career history
Giveon started his music career in 2018 when he released his debut song Garden Kisses. He did not gain popularity until record producer Sevn Thomas spotted his talent and signed him with Not So Fast and Epic Records.
Before his 2020 breakout, Giveon worked at the Bubba Gump Shrimp Company and ran a dog-walking business while he continued to hone his music skills. While touring and opening for Snoh Aalegra around 2019, Giveon only had two songs released, so he would perform freestyles to fill time on stage.
During a stop in Chicago, he did a freestyle that his manager, Simon Gebrelul, filmed. Simon would end up sending the video to rapper Drake despite Giveon's hesitation. Drake enjoyed the melody and vocals so much that he used the raw audio to build the hook for the song, Chicago Freestyle.
Giveon’s breakthrough in the industry came after he was featured in Drake’s song Chicago Freestyle. As of April 2026, the singer has released two studio albums: Give or Take (2022) and Beloved (2025). His discography also includes notable early EPs, Take Time and When It's All Said and Done.
Throughout his career, the singer has garnered seven total Grammy nominations, most notably for his hit single, Heartbreak Anniversary, which was nominated for Best R&B Song at the 2022 Grammy Awards.
His debut EP, Take Time, was also nominated for Best R&B Album in 2021. Additionally, he was nominated for his work on Justin Bieber's Peaches.
Source: Getty Images
Giveon’s songs
Here is a list of some of his hits:
- Heartbreak Anniversary
- Like I Want You
- Still Your Best
- Garden Kisses
- Lie Again
- Favorite Mistake
- Lost Me
- Make You Smile
- At Least We Tried
- Unholy Matrimony
- Another Heartbreak
- When It’s All Said And Done
- This Will Do
- All To Me
- Stuck On You
What is Giveon’s net worth?
The Heartbreak Anniversary singer’s net worth is alleged to be $1 million, according to Popular Networth. He has a thriving music career whose earnings are believed to be his primary income source.
Is Giveon married?
Since the singer is not married and has never been engaged, there are no confirmed reports of anyone being Giveon's wife as of April 2026. Nonetheless, the artist hopes to get married in the future.
While his grandparents' long marriage is his source of inspiration, the artist also recognizes that this is a difficult, complex commitment. He said in June 2025 on the Way Up With Angela Yee podcast;
In the future, I want to, I love marriage. My grandma and grandpa were married for like 40 years, 50 years, or something...I support anybody that wants to get married, but I'm not going to try to tell you what you need to do.
Is Giveon dating anyone?
The R&B singer is not in a relationship as of April 2026. He is focused on his career and personal growth following a past relationship with singer Justine Skye, which lasted about 14 months before it ended in October 2021.
Who is Giveons' ex-girlfriend?
In December 2021, singer Justine Skye publicly alleged that Giveon was unfaithful on Instagram Live, recounting how she discovered the infidelity. She later released a single titled, What a Lie, that seemingly addressed the relationship's end.
In December 2022, he was rumoured to be dating Maya Jama, a British TV presenter, after he accompanied the TV presenter to the British Fashion Awards in London. The two were later seen on a date at the Bacchanalia in Mayfair, but neither of them confirmed if they were romantically involved.
Source: UGC
Giveon’s social media presence
Giveon is fond of sharing his music updates and lifestyle pictures on social media. As of April 2026, he has:
- Around 3.5 million Instagram followers.
- Over 390,000 followers on X (Twitter)
- More than 240k Facebook followers
- About 4.4 million followers on TikTok
- Approximately 5.8 million followers on Spotify
Additionally, his self-titled YouTube channel has 3.4 million subscribers.
What is Giveon’s height and weight?
The American singer is 5 feet 9 inches (175 centimetres) tall and weighs approximately 150 pounds (68 kilograms).
What are some fun facts about Giveon?
- He refers to his mom as "Mr. Miyagi" because she tricked him into singing at birthday parties.
- He thought his voice was "ugly and awkward" when he was younger.
- He describes himself as a storyteller first. Before shortening his tales into 3-minute songs, he used to write 40-page stories.
- When her heard his own opening vocals on Drake's "Chicago Freestyle," he initially thought it was Sampha, as many listeners did.
- His favorite way to relax is to watch Pixar films or play video games with friends and family.
- He returned to his community to gift a recording studio at the legendary World Famous VIP Records.
Giveon has earned significant critical acclaim for his unique ability to blend modern R&B with classic, nostalgic influences. Fans and critics often note that he sounds as good as, or even better than, his studio recordings in live performances.
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