Joshua Idehen

On 16 November 2026, Joshua Idehen lands at La Belle Angele in Edinburgh with a live show that sits between spoken word, jazz and the club. British-Nigerian poet, vocalist and musician, he’s built a path that links the UK jazz vanguard and electronic production with the urgency of performance poetry. First heard with Benin City, he has since collaborated around the edges of those scenes, crossing paths with Sons of Kemet, The Comet Is Coming or Daedelus. His writing is percussive and clear, rooted in everyday detail, social thought and more private stories, carried by a spoken delivery that locks tightly to the groove.

On stage, Idehen lets text and rhythm drive the set, his voice working against supple electronics, house or broken-beat pulses, and arrangements shaded by jazz. Recent chapters like Learn To Swim with Ludvig Parment (2021) and the 2024 EP Mum Does The Washing feed into that blend, without drawing a line between the reading, the concert and the dancefloor. Special guests join to widen the palette and underline the collaborative spirit that runs through his work.