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SOURCE: independent.co.uk
Jalen Ngonda’s debut album, Come Around and Love Me, was released last year to rave reviews. Blending soul, R&B, rock, and doo-wop, the album showcases his extraordinary vocals, drawing comparisons to legends like Marvin Gaye and Smokey Robinson. Tracks like “If You Don’t Want My Love” feature jangly guitars and shuffling percussion, while “What a Difference She Made” offers a romantic tribute to “a girl with curly hair… and rainbow flares” set to celestial harmonies and bright piano notes.
His performance at Glastonbury this summer charmed the crowd despite the gloomy weather. Ngonda’s music, rooted in the sounds of the 1960s and 70s, carries a timeless quality due to its universal themes of love and romance. “I believe we’re all romantic – I guess some people hide it more,” he says. His new single, “Anyone in Love,” also taps into these universal emotions. “It wasn’t directly about my life… but it’s along the lines of what we all have gone through in life, and the things that keep us human.”
Born and raised in the Washington, DC suburb of Wheaton, Ngonda relocated to Liverpool in 2014 to study at the Institute for Performing Arts and has called the city home ever since. He praises the city’s vibrant music scene and its people: “I love the people, I love the Scouse-ness… it’s also the perfect-sized city.” He adds that Liverpool’s rich musical history has made it the ideal place for him.
Reflecting on his upbringing in Maryland, Ngonda fondly remembers discovering his love of Motown through his father’s record collection, especially The Temptations’ My Girl. “It revamped my mind, and I became an instant nerd,” he recalls. Although initially shy about singing, he found his voice in a school talent show, surprising his classmates by belting out Stevie Wonder and The Temptations songs.
Now working on the follow-up to Come Around and Love Me, Ngonda’s experiences continue to shape his music. Back in the U.S. to visit family, Ngonda is also observing the country’s political climate. While he acknowledges the importance of the national election, he emphasizes the need for local change: “People are so focused on what’s going on in DC, but they’re not worried about what’s going on in their local community. It starts there.”
