We Speak Music
Bradley Jago Stakes His Claim On UK Soul With ‘My Inner Vitriol’ EP
Rising soul-pop artist Bradley Jago returns with EP ‘My Inner Vitriol’. Drawing parallels to Leon Bridges, Olivia Dean, and Joy Crookes, the striking EP sees Bradley Jago sitting at the intersection of contemporary soul and pop. Co-signed by BBC Music Introducing and Future Hits Radio, the project unpacks the destabilising force of love, tracing its spiral of self-doubt and acceptance. Landing at Number 1 on the iTunes R&B Album Chart on release day, the EP marks a defining moment in Bradley’s ascent, as ‘My Inner Vitriol’ showcases Bradley’s signature soul vocals in their most fully realised form yet.
Framed by Logan Apsin’s production, the project captures Bradley’s first experience of falling in love. As the EP evolves, Bradley traces his shifting emotional landscape, each track acting as a new iteration of his inner world as insecurity and uncertainty resurface in shifting, unexpected forms.
From the hazy textures of ‘I Forgot’ through to the R&B-leaning ‘You Let Go’, the six-track EP swims effortlessly between subtlety and scale. The lead single, ‘Killer Queen’, ignites the project with a hook-led pop lift, while ‘In The End’ is grounded by delicate piano from Joe Burnett, unfolding as a ballad that showcases Bradley’s standout vocal performance. At its heart, the title track ‘My Inner Vitriol’ anchors the EP, rising from restraint into widescreen, with strings that swell with the weight of thoughts that refuse to settle. As the title single, an accompanying music video is set to be released alongside. The final track ‘Burn’ arrives as the embers after impact, elevated again by Shirin Nisametdin’s intricate strings, as ‘My Inner Vitriol’ resolves with the unguarded ballad.
Speaking on the meaning of the EP, Bradley shares,
“My Inner Vitriol is about the daily fight within myself about which thoughts are mine and which are defence mechanisms. Experiencing love for the first time brought a lot to the surface, and after the honeymoon phase came a deeper realisation that I have to face my inner struggles on my own. That heaviness shaped the project into something darker, more dramatic, and more exposed than anything I’ve released before.”
Penning emotionally raw lyrics has always been central to Bradley Jago’s artistry, yet ‘My Inner Vitriol’ sees him stepping into a wider soundworld. A world where warm soul textures meet sweeping orchestral depth, endlessly orbiting the heart that Bradley Jago wears firmly on his sleeve.
About Bradley Jago
Bradley Jago is a London-based artist whose music blends the warmth of classic soul with the infectious hooks of modern pop. Proclaiming his music as ‘queer soul for queer souls’, Jago’s discography is routinely dark, vulnerable and cinematic, as he moves seamlessly between heartfelt ballads, sleek pop, and soaring neo-soul anthems. Having grown up and begun his early music career in Portsmouth, Jago’s discography is unwaveringly autobiographical, as he documents his journey from navigating queer identity in a conservative city to discovering freedom and self-expression within London’s creative landscape. Channelling influences from Adele and Amy Winehouse to Sam Smith and Leon Bridges, Jago is on a mission to centre queerness within the modern soul landscape, as he offers up intricate, nuanced stories that come with queer experiences.
Since debuting in 2021 with Moonstruck, Jago has built a rich and evolving body of work. His early singles Rain (2021) and Distractions (2021) established his place as a rising voice in UK soul, the latter breaking into the Local Music Chart Top 100. Later releases, including the Bradley Jago Live Sessions EP (2022), Girl Problems EP (2024), Keep On (2024), and Bound To You, (2024), have showcased his versatility and emotional depth, securing numerous BBC Music Introducing plays and amassed nearly one million streams on Spotify alone.
A captivating live performer, Jago has played extensively across London and South East England, with multiple sold-out headline shows to date. Jago has also cultivated a flourishing presence across TikTok, where his authenticity, charisma, and catchy hooks have fostered a growing community of deeply connected listeners.
Find Bradley Jago on INSTAGRAM | TIKTOK | FACEBOOK | YOUTUBE
Listen To Bradley Jago on SPOTIFY | APPLE MUSIC
We Speak Music
Christian Balvig releases gorgeous new album ‘Find And You Will Seek’ in collaboration with Ensemble Hermes.
Acclaimed composer and arranger Christian Balvig is known for his work with an array of artists and bands like Jade, Efterklang, Lowly, When Saints Go Machine and Mew, as well as his work with some of the most acclaimed orchestras like Royal Northern Sinfonia (BBC Proms), The Royal Danish Orchestra, Copenhagen Phil, London Contemporary Orchestra, The Danish Radio Broadcast Orchestra and The Norwegian Wind Ensemble.
The cinematic sound on his new album might echo Balvig’s work in the world of film and TV music. Scoring the 2025 Oscar shortlisted short movie ‘Eternal Father’ and the Danish hit series ‘Cry Wolf’ (Ulven Kommer), which has been shown on television in more than 30 countries around the globe, including Channel 4 in the UK. He was also nominated for a Harpa award for ‘Best score’ last year at the Berlinale for ‘The Son and the Moon (Min Arv Bor I Dig)’.
Balvig’s new album, ‘Find And You Will Seek’, backed by Danish string group Ensemble Hermes, grew organically out of this background of experiences and is music that appeals to listeners seeking original, immersive music with space for reflection and contemplation.
‘Find And You Will Seek’ is a collection of chamber works that explore the combination of piano and strings in new ways. Recent single ‘The BirdSuite II – Praesentia’ is part of a 3-part Suite running throughout the record, written and performed on a custom made “Keybird” piano, which is an una-corda (one string pr note) piano that gives a more subtle and intimate sound. On top of it is a lush and emotional string ensemble arrangement with Ensemble Hermes in multiple layers fluctuating in and out of the keybird piano.
Balvig’s second single from the record is ‘What Happened To The World’, an ultra transparent neo-classical inspired piece, with slow melodic structures, a simple chord progression and emotional performance starting with a floating viola solo. It is written from the feeling that the world sometimes goes backwards, and you feel left on the platform wanting to take the train in a different direction.
From film music inspired pieces to experimental chamber music over piano concerto inspired movements, to more neo-classical productions with almost orchestral sounding dubs of strings, ‘Find And You Will Seek’ flows with emotions and lush sound worlds, always with a tangible organic texture.
Find Christian Balvig and Ensemble Hermes on tour in Denmark:
27.5 Ansgars Kirke (Odense)
28.5 Folkegaarden Festival (Aalborg)
29.5 Gnisten (Ry)
30.5 Musikhuset (Aarhus)
1.6 Basement (Copenhagen)
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