With startling emotional resonance, arena-ready vocals and a crowd-pleasing sound, it feels certain at this point that JERUB will be a feature in the charts for years to come. Born in Nigeria before moving to Nottingham at the age of 10, the singer-songwriter has shown himself to be an artistic protagonist, sharpening his craft over the past few years and finding a pocket, somewhere between pop, indie and soul, that does justice to his soaring vocals and introspective songwriting.

JERUB has today launched his eclectic and emotive new EP, Finding My Feet. A striking collection of tracks that flaunt the craft and charisma of the artist, the project’s title is a perfect representation of the content and intent of the EP itself. Released via independent label Elevate Music, the assured, nuanced and confident body of work will raise the profile of JERUB ever higher. The release follows the artist’s landmark appearance at The King’s Coronation Concert, which saw him open the show alongside Vula with a triumphant performance in accompaniment of Pete Tong’s Ibiza Classics orchestra. JERUB will next be seen headlining Gold Dust Presents at The Lower Third on Wednesday 7th June.

Wonderland connected with the rising singer-songwriter to discuss how he first found a love for music, finding his sonic pocket, performing live, and the newly released EP.

Listen to the EP…

Read the exclusive interview…

Who and what inspires you to create?
I’m inspired by life, love and everything in between. For me, the best songs I write are the ones that come from a real place, experiences or feelings that have left a mark.

How did you first discover your love of music?
My first instrument was my voice. I joined a choir when I was about 11 years old and I fell in love with singing. But I have always loved listening to music. I used to sneak into my Dad’s car and put on CDs just to listen to some of my favourite songs on his car CD player. However, it wasn’t till I was 19 that I started really writing songs and making music.

How did you find the sonic pocket that you now succinctly create within?
It’s taking some time and crafting to get there but I feel like that is part of the process. I aim to present powerful and poignant messages through the music I make and its sonic expression can look different from song to song. When I first started making music, most of my songs were ballad type and moody because of the depth conveyed in the songs and although this is still largely the case, some of the new songs retain the depth and meaning but feel light and major in it’s sonic identity which is a progression I’ve enjoyed.

You cross the generic boundaries lines with ease, how do you draw from sounds to concoct something that is unique to you?
I’m a big fan of so many types of music and artists, from indie to pop to afrobeat to folk and I feel like so many styles are represented in my songs but at the end of the day, it’s all about the message and the voice. Everything else is just a vehicle and it’s about choosing the right vehicle for the voice and for the message of the song. The aim is to connect with people at the heart level.

How would you define your essence as an artist?
For me it’s all about connection, authenticity and reflection. Through connection, I always want to create meaningful moments through the music I create. For me, my music needs to be genuine and carry a level of depth, making it authentic to me. That’s what makes it resonate. Reflection is about discovering and reflecting on the highs, low and in-betweens of life.

You recently appeared at The King’s Coronation Concert – how was that experience?
Playing at the Coronation Concert was a surreal experience. Lots of fun and special memories made. There was a real sense of honour to be a part of the event from everyone involved and I felt the same.

You’re playing an array of festivals in the coming months, how are you feeling about heading out on the road?
I love live music so I’m so excited to be playing at some iconic festivals in the next few months. It’s always a fun experience playing at a festival because you get to see new listeners fall in love with your music in real time. It’s so rewarding.

We love Finding My Feet! Talk us through the creative process?
I’m so glad the EP is out. This is my first project in a while. What I love about the EP is that it feels quite dynamic, there’s upbeat and anthemic moments and there are more intimate moments which I think reflect some of the themes of the EP. The songs on the EP came at different times, I didn’t sit down to write an EP on the topic Finding My Feet, they kinda came at random times over a period of time, in fact the song “Finding My Feet” which is the title track was one of the last songs written. It just so happened that all the songs seemed to be pointing out similar themes.

What are you trying to convey thematically on the EP?
When I sat down to write “Finding My Feet” which is now the EP title, I remember my friend who I wrote the song with asking something like “how are you right now, what’s going on in life” and I remembering responding with “I’m just finding my feet” and that was the core of the project. The fact that we are all in some ways finding our feet. At the time, a bunch of things were new in my life and I was just figuring it out. The EP journeys through themes of self doubt, relational woes, wholesome revelations and profound life discoveries. It reflects themes from my journey over the last few months.

What do you want listeners to take away for the project?
One of the things I love most about music is that by sharing a part of my journey, someone else can find themselves within my story. For this project I guess I want people to find resonance with the themes and realise that we’re all kinda finding our feet in some way.

Is there a song that stands out to you on the EP as the most special to you? If so, why?
It might be the most understated one but it’s “Chase Clouds”. It was the very first one written on the project and one that really helped me with the way I thought about life. The song centres around the idea that sometimes we spend so much time and energy thinking about the future, dreaming about the next thing that we miss what’s right in front of us. The simple and mundane moments can often be the most special ones.

Where do you want to take your artistry?
I know this EP is still new but I’m excited to release more music! I’ve been writing so much recently and there’s so much I wanna share! I’m also really looking forward to seeing how some of my new music translates in a live setting, creating special and memorable moments.

What else is to come from you this year?
I’ve got my first London headline coming up on the 7th of June!! I’m also gonna be playing at Barn On The Farm which is an amazing festival. AND I’m also excited for some more live music coming in the Autumn time, I can’t share too much about it but I’m very excited.