Joy Crookes’ ‘Juniper’ offers a particularly potent pleasure: letting time melt away while succumbing to her hypnotic voice. It’s a feeling that persists throughout a record that has a noticeably nostalgic pull, reminiscent of the British soul and R&B scenes that produced Amy Winehouse, Duffy and Adele in short order.
Her performances here suggest we might soon be adding Crookes’ name to those prestigious ranks — as flawless as the execution largely is on 'Juniper', had she opted to record these songs solely with herself and a piano, the outcome would be just as nuanced and inviting.
Crucially, Crookes refuses to be pigeonholed. By enlisting hip hop heavy hitters Vince Staples, on album highlight Pass the Salt, and Kano, on Mathematics, she infuses her soul roots with a modern energy, effortlessly shaking off the weight of retro stylings.
The only thing to compete with her voice is her dynamic raw lyrics. At times Crookes puffs out her chest and shows her fangs. “I’m a killer / bang bang / gun fingers in the mirror,” she spits on Perfect Crime. “I won’t get caught this time / commit the perfect crime.” Equally, she isn’t afraid to drop her guard on the heartbreaking Forever: “Forever was a thought with you / but you could convince me that my brown eyes had turned to blue.”
Rather than muddling the identity of the record, she masterfully paints a fully realised protagonist dipping her feet into complex and unpredictable waves of emotions. Crookes undoubtedly possesses one of the most soulful and mesmerising voices of her generation. If she found herself at a train station piano on a rainy Tuesday morning, no one’s getting to work on time.
Joy Crookes Upcoming Tour Dates are as follows:
Mon November 03 2025 - DUBLIN Olympia
Mon November 10 2025 - GLASGOW O2 Academy Glasgow
Tue November 11 2025 - LEEDS O2 Academy Leeds
Wed November 12 2025 - MANCHESTER Manchester Academy
Fri November 14 2025 - BIRMINGHAM O2 Academy Birmingham
Sat November 15 2025 - BOURNEMOUTH O2 Academy Bournemouth
Sun November 16 2025 - BRISTOL O2 Academy Bristol
Tue November 18 2025 - LONDON O2 Academy Brixton
Wed November 19 2025 - LONDON O2 Academy Brixton
We don't run any advertising! Our editorial content is solely funded by lovely people like yourself using Stereoboard's listings when buying tickets for live events. To keep supporting us, next time you're looking for concert, festival, sport or theatre tickets, please search for "Stereoboard". It costs you nothing, you may find a better price than the usual outlets, and save yourself from waiting in an endless queue on Friday mornings as we list ALL available sellers!
.jpg)
