A few weeks ago, I was flipping through those little Instagram Stories you find near the top of the app, and viewed a clip from a recent Sofar Sounds NYC show that caught my attention. It was a short video showing a stunning acoustic performance from a musician named @jukeross. After a quick internet search, I discovered that this was Guayanese singer-songwriter Juke Ross performing his impressive debut single, "Colour Me."
What's there not to like about this song? It's really got everything - perfect, straightforward production, powerful and uplifting lyrics, catchy melody, and Juke's impressive, heartfelt vocals ("You colour me, you colour my soul | Paint me red in places once filled with gold | You colour me, you colour my soul | Make me dream of things I never did once before"). The elegant acoustic presentation, with addition of piano and subtle percussion, couldn't be a more appropriate accompaniment to this beautiful ballad. Juke's musical inspirations include singers the likes of Adele, Kygo, and Matt Corby.
The song itself was released almost a year ago, but is new to me - and definitely one worth sharing with you. Juke has recently been signed to major label Republic Records (Ariana Grande, The Weeknd, Drake), so you might be hearing a lot more very soon from this talented and emerging musician. Take a listen to "Colour Me" below - it may very well be the best musical three and a half minutes of your day.