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Capable of lighting up a room, bringing energy to even the most defeated, Alfie Jukes is a medic pop lifeline to the late summer doldrums. You don’t have to sail far into his catalogue to realize, Alfie Jukes represents a lighthouse of talent and on his latest single of the same name, he does just that, guiding you back into the sweet embrace of pop. Calling to you on the dark ocean of bland bot-like renditions, Alfie’s brings an exuberance that guides you in from the deep, offering a safe cove of introspection as your mind storms with insecurities. Bringing his charisma, optimism and a profound understanding of good storytelling, we were delighted to have him in studio where he steered us into this bright conversation:

OnesToWatch: Who are you? 

Alfie Jukes: I'm Alfie. I am a musician from Brighton. I've been making music for 4 or 5 years now. I started off in theater, it’s what I thought I was going to do. I am a theater kid at heart. That's what I dreamt of when I was little, of being on the West End. I'd always written songs on the side, but it was lockdown time when I figured out that songwriting is more my thing. That was the pivot. So yeah, now I’m about 4 or 5 years into it. 

There's a lot to unpack there. I love when people have competing artistic outlets. It's always interesting how they divvy that up. Were you ever writing for theater? 


No, not at all. I started singing lessons when I was 6 or 7 years old and I never did anything else. I just sang and acted and danced and I never really considered whether it was for theater or a different kind of performance. I was in theatrical school and I always assumed that I'd go down that path, so I never really considered anything else. It wasn't until the theater industry completely shut down during COVID that I had nothing to do but write songs. I liked the control that I had over songwriting and that I could write a song or make a video or post a cover on TikTok without anyone giving me the go ahead. That was the start of the music journey. 

Beautiful. Such a great fork in the road. Do you think if the pandemic did not happen you would have still gone down this path? 

I always was interested in it, but I think the theater stuff was going well and I'd left school and I'd started working, and it sort of felt like, this is it. I'm on the path. I wasn't given the opportunity to really consider that I could do music as a job. It’s interesting though, because the theater seeps into the live part of what I do now – and that’s my favorite bit. Being on stage is the best. It's a healthy combination of both. 


In terms of songwriting, obviously your theater background had to influence it in some respects, but it's definitely a muscle that needs to be exercised. What was your process of exploring songwriting? 

I was always melody first. I still am that. My early songs started more from a place of finding cool melodies and fitting words to them, rather than telling a personal story like I do now. 

For you, does melody start on piano, guitar, humming? 

My voice memos are just filled with me humming. My iPhone storage is mental because it's filled to the brim of the most random recordings of me on a bus or a train. Because I'm a singer first, there’s always little bits popping into my head. I’ve tried a couple of times, but I've always struggled to write lyrics first and match them to a sound. 

Sounds like a nice reprieve from your theatrical background where you can just write and flow with things as opposed to very choreographed stuff. 

As much as I love theater, there's something about singing my own song and hearing people sing those words back to you. There’s something so mind blowing about hearing a song come to life on stage that a few months ago didn't exist. That’s what I'm addicted to. 

Let's get into some of your recent and upcoming releases. Are these older songs? Is this something that you wrote many moons ago? 

It's definitely where I'm at right now. We've spent the last year really honing in on what I want this next thing to sound like and feel like. I'm a huge Coldplay fan and the main thing I've been going back to this past year is that Coldplay, band-like feel. 

Like the first Coldplay record? 

Yes, Parachutes. That's my favorite album of all time, probably. I just keep coming back to that. A lot has changed in my life in the last year. I've moved out. My sister's gone to uni. I'm more in love than ever, all these coming of age things are happening in my life. That's what this next project has become. It's change and it's heartbreaking, it's love and it's coming of age. That's the best way to describe it. I'm just super excited. I think also because I've spent such a decent amount of time trying to figure out the music, it feels more me than ever. I just think it's the most accurate representation of who I am as an artist that I've ever put out. It's fun as well. In London, I've found my core group of collaborators and writers now and that means that every room is a familiar space. We're just in that room having a laugh and making music. That comes through in the music. There's energy and it's running through fields and it's Brighton, it's where I'm from, it's coastal. It's just everything that means a lot to me. 

Brighton seems to be so rich in athletes, culture, musicians, everything. 

Oh, it's the best. I love it so much. I'm so lucky to have been brought up in Brighton, by the sea. The music scene is amazing, it’s got a nice artsy edge. I live in London now, but I wasn't in a rush to get out of Brighton by any means, because I think it's such a creative, inspiring place to live. 

I think we've gotten a good handle on how you feel about these songs, but when you release music, and especially since you have a theatrical background in it, I imagine audience input or expectations are part of that process. Do you release songs and just hope audiences take them as they will? Or do you have your own understanding you’d like to incorporate? 

These songs obviously mean something to me and I've written them for me, but actually the last few years of touring has been such a huge part of the writing process now. I'm going in these rooms with the live stuff in mind and creating moments to connect with people and songs that work with a band. So naturally that's seeped its way into the writing, is that, if anything has changed in my process, it's, how is this going to feel on stage? These songs are me and they are for me, but they're also for an audience that are going to resonate with it and sing with me in a room. That's the most important part. 

Love it. I'm going to pivot to some more fun questions. If you could conceive a dream festival lineup, curated by you, who would be on your billing? 

I'm going to have to go Coldplay. What's mental is that I've never seen Coldplay live. So that's got to happen. I am going to go ambitious and I'm going to get the Beatles playing a lovely little sunset set. Maybe even a smaller stage. Get those tavern club vibes back. I'd be lying if I said I didn't want Harry Styles in the lineup.
I saw him for the first time last week and I'm still buzzing from it. Also, what's so amazing about Harry's show is the people as well. I saw him at Wembley and everyone's just there to have the best time. I'd also add Sabrina, but then Nick Drake as well. 

Incredible lineup. If your mates ambush you and you're forced to whip up a meal. What would you make? And can you cook? 

I love cooking. It's perfect because my girlfriend doesn't like cooking, but she loves cleaning, which is pretty perfect. So I'm able to cook, have a great time. 

What's your go-to? 

For my mates, I'm doing a rice bowl thing. I've got some miso chicken thighs. I've got rice, obviously. I've got some nice fresh veg in there. I've got carrot. I've got sweet corn. I've got avocado. Maybe some seaweed. That would be my go to for a big group.
And this, again, is another easy thing, but I make a good spag bowl. Spaghetti Bolognese goes down a treat. I love cooking, it’s therapeutic. I've just started doing a thing called Green Chef, where I get sent a box every week with fresh ingredients. They give me 3 recipes and so every week I'm cooking and learning 3 new meals. I'm loving it. It means I don't have to think about shopping at all.

I sense cooking has a meditative quality, but for this question, I would love a different answer. If I could find you at your most relaxed, what would you be doing? 


I'd be at the cinema. I'm an avid cinema goer. I think once a week.

Is theater not as relaxing?
Is it too active? 

Maybe, but I also just don't go to the theater as much as I probably would like to. It's a rarer occasion. I could switch off and get lost in theater, but I go every week to see a film and that's my favorite place in the world. 

Any any recent standouts? 

I saw Obsession the other day and I thought that was so good. Obviously it's a horror film, which isn't always my thing, but it's done so well.
It's so clever. The acting is amazing, the editing's amazing. And it's been done with such a low budget, it's so impressive.

If someone were to visit Brighton, what's a must do? 

You've got all the touristy stuff, like going on the pier, but it's one of those things where the actual tourist sights are not as fun. You want to be in Brighton in the summer. You honestly want to just have a day on the beach. It's a proper British seaside town. It's pebbles and stones instead of sand. Go and sit on the beach. Go to Hove, where it's not as busy. There's some great pubs, you've got to do your fish and chips, you've got to have your ice cream and all this stuff, but you can go to the pier if you want. 

Last couple of questions. I'd love a non-music recommendation. 


Go and watch Sing Street. Which is the movie that's influenced me the most in terms of what I'm doing in my music and aesthetics and general feelings. I saw that movie and it honestly changed my life – as both an artist and a person. It’s a beautiful, Irish, coming-of-age movie.

Second one, I would love a music recommendation. 

My recommendation is going to be my best mate, Asher Banks, who is an unbelievable artist, beautiful person. I'm also going on tour with her in October. It’s just gonna be the best. It's just going to be a bunch of mates in a van around America. 

Lastly, anything you want to end in? 

Life's too short not to wear funky, colorful socks. 


Love it. 

Listen to Alfie Jukes below: