Jalen Ngonda

Between Silver Spring, Maryland and the United Kingdom, Jalen Ngonda has forged a career defined by a steady commitment to soul. Born in the United States and later based in Liverpool to study at the Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts, he first gained experience onstage in clubs and small venues, refining a style that blends classic soul, rhythm and blues, and contemporary pop touches. His music draws on structures close to 1960s soul — pronounced bass lines, moderate tempos and forward vocals — while retaining a modern melodic approach focused on concise song formats. Working with the New York label Daptone Records, Jalen Ngonda recorded several singles and then the album “Come Around and Love Me,” released in 2023, which captures in the studio a sound already honed live, ranging from slow ballads to more danceable tracks. Active between London, Liverpool and European tours, he is part of a generation of soul musicians who revisit the genre’s codes without abandoning simple instrumentation led by voice, the rhythm section and occasional brass or string arrangements.