If London's Jacob Banks feels like he's losing himself on stage, he is, but he's also finding himself. He's losing himself in the emotions that he was going through when he wrote his songs, just as much as he's been finding himself on the journey from Nigerian-born immigrant to performer on the world's biggest stages like Coachella, Lollapalooza, and Afropunk Festival. His gorgeous, husky baritone was on full display during his ‘Later...With Jools Holland' BBC Two television performance of "Unknown (to You)"; eyes closed, pensive, his voice ranging mightily. Backed by Jools himself on the grand piano, Banks was visibly digging deep to that original moment of heartache, longing, and self-discovery, while leaving it all out on the table. "My approach to being onstage is this: You've given me your time. Time is the only currency that matters to me. Money can be replaced, anything else can be replaced, but time, if you choose to come see me, if you choose to spend your 30 minutes or an hour or whatever it is, and you've given that time to me, I will put anything aside and give you a good show," Banks told NPR. While he has supported acts like Alicia Keys and Sam Smith in the past, his second headlining tour comes to the U.S. in 2019. Expect all the feels.

Jacob Banks Background

Born in Nigeria, Jacob Banks moved to Birmingham, England, when he was 13. He started making music at 20, and his dancehall-rhythm-tinged R&B bubbled up on three notable EPs, plus he was a featured singer on singles from Chase & Status and Wretch 32. In 2014, he became the first unsigned artist to appear on BBC Radio One's "Live Lounge," and he's an avant soul contemporary of acts like Seinabo Sey and Nao. He's claimed a number of placements on TV shows, and video games like FIFA 15 and Dirt 4. Banks signed to Interscope in 2018 and released his debut LP, ‘Village,' featuring the hit single "Chainsmoking" as well as tracks featuring Sey and Bibi Boureilly.