JERUB Tickets

From Nigeria to Nottingham, JERUB has collected an idiosyncratic blend of musical influences and indelible life experiences that inform the young artist’s rootsy, reflective brand of soulful indie pop. 

“I love writing songs about real, genuine and authentic things. They’re usually inspired by my world or the world around me,” the rising star admitted in a recent interview. And the world around Jerub has been transformed since his move from West Africa where he started his life. Born in Nigeria, JERUB – whose real name is Gideon Akpovi – was surrounded by music from a young age, absorbing various facets of Nigerian culture, Afrobeat and gospel music from the friends and family in his community growing up as a devout Christian. 

JERUB's own personal venture into music didn’t occur however until his family relocated to England (to the Apsley area in Nottingham), to the city he still resides today. At 11-years-old he chose to follow in his brother’s footsteps and joined a choir, though it was when he picked up the guitar at 15 when he tentatively began to write his own music in attempt to collate his worldliness and wide-spread influences – which range from Coldplay to Kirk Franklin, from Adele to Aretha Franklin, from Ed Sheeran to Otis Redding, and Jacob Banks to the Jonas Brothers.

The budding songwriter’s breakthrough came swiftly after in 2019 when he submitted his debut, self-released single ‘Paint Me In Gold’ to BBC Introducing which struck a chord with local DJ Dean Jackson. Local attention swelled as JERUB juggled his degree in social work with releasing intimate, raw, and rousing further singles in ‘No Good Alone’, ‘Feel It’, and ‘Trade It All’, all of which appeared on his 2021 debut EP. In his debut EP, Feel It, JERUB found fans in Arlo Parks and Tom Grennan who both picked him to be a finalist for BBC Radio 1’s Live Lounge Introducing talent search.

Crucially – as JERUB developed his warm, soaring sound and emotionally vulnerable lyricism to be arena-ready behind the scenes after a support slot with RHODES – he found another fan in DJ legend Pete Tong. It was this blossoming relationship that would provide JERUB his greatest stage to date and a genuine life-changing platform, when he was offered the opportunity to perform in front of King Charles III alongside Tong and singer Vula Malinga at The King’s Coronation Concert in 2023. 

Prior to singing live on BBC One to an audience of ten million people, JERUB was easing out singles from his sophomore EP like ‘Scared To Be Myself’ and ‘Cold’ whilst concurrently winning plaudits at The Great Escape Festival and Live At Leeds. Finding My Feet was eventually released later that month on Elevate Music Ltd, garnering acclaim for JERUB’s ability to effortlessly blend his relatable and revelatory songwriting with alluring, chart-ready production.

A London headline show beckoned, as did standout sets at Latitude Festival and Nottingham’s Dot To Dot Festival as JERUB found his feet en route to mainstream megastardom.