One of our former Music Tech students Gideon Akpovi (aka JERUB) opened the coronation concert at Windsor Castle on Sunday.
The Nottingham-based talent opened the concert, performing in front of millions around the world. Jerub has become one to watch over the last few years, and he joined some of the world’s best-known musicians on stage which shows the youngster has a promising future ahead.
Jerub is a singer from Nottingham, with a solid local following. The 24-year-old has a strong social media presence on Facebook and Instagram where he keeps fans updated on upcoming gigs, new music releases, and shares snippets of him performing.
He’s known off-stage as Gideon Akpovi, and was born in Nigeria but moved to Nottingham at the age of 10. Living around the Aspley area, the youngster decided to follow in his brother’s footsteps and join a choir, which ignited his passion for singing.
He then started playing guitar aged 15. After attending Bluecoat Wollaton Academy and Bilborough Sixth Form College, he got his first break at the age of 19 after sending one of his tracks to BBC Radio One DJ, Dean Jackson.
Jerub described his music as being filled with “intense, raw emotion” and blends a variety of genres of song, drawing on influences across gospel, pop, soul and indie.
The 24-year-old was a finalist in 2021’s BBC Radio 1 Live Lounge Introducing talent search, standing out from over 10,000 entries. Jerub released his debut EP ‘Feel It’ the same year, and has built a strong following, particularly in the city, since.
Other tracks released by the musician include ‘Scared to be myself’ and ‘Cold’. The singer, who now lives around the Carrington area, has become a familiar face to those into the independent music scene in the area.
Jerub took to the stage at the Nottinghamshire music festival, Splendour at Wollaton Park, to play his music to fans from across the UK, but the Coronation Concert on Sunday was his biggest performance to date.
He took to the stage alongside DJ Pete Tong and his Ibiza Classics orchestra and performed a duet with Vula Malinga, and opened to a historical spectacle. Other stars that took to the stage that evening included Take That, Katy Perry and Lionel Richie.
Speaking ahead of the performance, Jerub said: “It’s a historical momentous event that comes once in many people’s lifetimes, so I’m really honoured for the opportunity to be singing, to be opening the show.
“It’s still sinking in that I’ll be joining Pete Tong and Vula Malinga in performing at the Coronation Concert. I’m really looking forward to it. Such an honour to be involved especially with so many other incredible artists.”
Jerub will also be taking the stage at Nottingham’s Dot to Dot Festival taking place on May 28. The Coronation Concert aired on Sunday, May 7 at 8pm on BBC One, BBC iPlayer, BBC Radio 2 and BBC Sounds.
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https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-nottinghamshire-65526111