FOR JIDE KUTI, ROOFTOP IS ALL ABOUT BREAKING STEREOTYPES

Yinka Olatunbosun

Nigerian-born pop-soul musician, Jide Kuti has dared to break stereotypes with his debut single titled “Rooftop”. Unlike many newbies in the music scene making claims to the Afrobeats genre, Jide is continuing the tradition of pop and soul that was made popular by the likes of Nina Simone and Sam Cooke.

Based in the UK, Jide began his musical sojourn at 16, drawing influences from other vibrant UK singers, including Mahalia, Taylor Swift, Jon Bellion, Olivia Dean and Ed Sheeran, among others, ultimately creating his own vocal persona. With a boy-next-door demeanour, Jide delivers easy mid-tempo rhythms accompanied by acoustic guitar.

“My quirky pop/soul sound into something that represents me as not just as an artist, but as a person,” the singer intimates. “I am a fine blend of quirky lyricism, honest, soulful and charismatic vocals, catchy melodies, as well something profoundly inexplicable.”

Jidé is a self-taught guitarist with a love for the acoustic soul. Having performed at Roundhouse Rising Festival, Camberwell Fair, Lambeth Country Show, Gigs: Big Busk and many more, he launches forth a first EP “The Open-Heart EP”, which he describes as the culmination of his heart’s deepest desires. He dreams of appearing on Colours or NPR’s tiny desk one day, as well as featuring in a Disney film and an Anime one day. Safe to say, Jidé is excited to take what he feels is the next steps in his musical journey and has a lot of very big goals.

Before this EP, Jide had been performing in public spaces and other unconventional venues such as train stations, King’s Cross Square, Power station, amongst others.