Born in Nigeria and now based in Nottingham, JERUB appears on our blog for the first time thanks to the release of his second EP, Carry The Load.

By Graeme Smith

One for fans of Ed Sheeran, Lewis Capaldi or Rachel Chinouriri, JERUB is a rising star in the world of pop. He’s been supported by the likes of MTV, BBC Radio 1, and KISS FM, and has even performed live of BBC One for Children in Need, The King’s Coronation, and as part of the D-Day commemorations in June.

His new EP Carry The Load looks back on the year, and what each new season brought to his life. It opens with a stripped-back vignette featuring the inspiring voice of his father. As its rousing electronica rises, it builds things up nicely for title track Carry The Load. A vibrant pop song, it beautifully showcases JERUB’s warm, soaring vocals, particularly during its powerful chorus where he throws off the weight of existence.

There are touches of Rag ‘n’ Bone man in the JERUB sound, so I wasn’t surprised to learn that he worked with the artist’s collaborator Troy Miller to write and produce Gonna Be Okay. The track simmers with an understated energy in the first verse before arriving at a driving chorus that demands you dance along.

Hometown explores JERUB’s experience of migration through a nostalgic, acoustic moment. You and I brings the heartbreak with a devastating piano-led ballad. Feel Alive is a vulnerable track where the introspective lyrics are nicely contrasted by the upbeat energy of the instrumental. The EP is rounded off by a bonus demo track, Soon, which gives us a final, intimate tale of love.

With his new EP, JERUB is ticking all the right pop boxes, yet he also brings plenty of himself to the record, and his personal story sets him out from the crowd. His new collection is a triumph.

Carry The Load is out now via Elevate Music. You can check it out below.