US soul singer Jalen Ngonda charts rise from Maryland to UK stages

American soul artist Jalen Ngonda left his Maryland home in 2014 to study at Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts, a school founded by Paul McCartney. After brief stopovers in Dublin and the Isle of Man, he settled in the UK and built a career that includes a record deal, headline shows at the 5,000‑capacity Hammersmith Apollo, two Glastonbury performances and a collaboration with Damon Albarn’s Gorillaz.

Ngonda’s 2024 releases – the single “Illusions” and the album Doctrine of Love – have drawn praise from musicians such as Paul Weller, Snoop Dogg, Elton John and others. Now based in Streatham, South London, he is touring internationally through November, with dates in Los Angeles, Lille, Leeds and a headline slot at Brixton Academy in October.