Singer songwriter Ruby Jackson is like the ‘little black dress’ in your wardrobe, an instant classic. All glamour and grace, she’s your go-to artist to twirl your way through the night. Listening to her latest single ‘Get Around to it’ is like applying your creamiest crimson lipstick, leaving you feeling like a million bucks. Her voice is like the smoothest whiskey you’ve ever tasted: effortlessly smooth and effortlessly expressive. Fans of Olivia Dean and Otis Kane will adore the soft percussion and dreamy backup harmonies that seamlessly complement her magnetic voice.

Ruby Jackson’s mellifluous sound has evolved into an amalgamation of R&B, jazz, and neo-soul over time. From her jazz-centric debut single ‘Simplicities’ to the groovier sounds of her latest single ‘Get Around to It’, there’s a consistent line across Ruby’s genre blending sound: her alluring voice. And while she grew up around jazz music, and composing jazz was always an interest, it wasn’t until university that she began to see the beauty in R&B.

“Honestly, I didn’t grow up with R&B, I reckon with – so I studied with the [Sydney] Conservatorium of Music for about four years, doing composition, I think it was until being in that course, I was kind of seeing all these R&B gigs happening, kind of feeling like this is something I’m into. So, it didn’t really come about until I was about 18 – 19”

Ruby’s 2020 debut single ‘Simplicities’ was self-produced. Taking inspiration from her time in New York and her favourite artists such as Anderson Paak and Noname, Ruby let the lyrics take over, and created the rich honey tunes we hear across her tracks.

“Every song I write and want to release is always such a different form of inspiration. ‘Simplicities’ was super random; I was on the piano and writing the chorus, and I was like, ‘What sounds good? What can I imagine people singing?’ I just started jamming out to those lyrics, and was like okay yeah this feels like this has potential.”

“Lyrically, it happened in the moment of being in New York and sonically it was a mix of artists I am into.”

Her newest single ‘Get Around to it’, released in September of this year, shows off her velvety voice once again. Collaborating this time with Australian artist Sonny Grin, this is another syrupy, rhythmic, and deeply relatable track about breaking away from daily routines and escaping expectations.

“I’m sure covid played into it – a mix of being annoyed at things that needed to be done, that whole realm of wanting to step away.”

“Overall [Sonny] was amazing to work with, he was so good. And definitely a big part of that track.”

With just three singles released so far, we can’t wait to see what the future holds for Ruby Jackson. Her tranquil melodies, phenomenal harmonies, authentic lyrics and rich vocals will have you swaying along wherever you are. 

Want to hear what her voice sounds like when she speaks? Listen back to her full interview up top. You can also stream ‘Get Around to it’ here: