21-year-old post-soul artist Talulah Ruby was raised on a Spanish island by British parents before relocating to Dalston a year ago to learn production and immerse herself in the east London live music scene.  Talulah Ruby blends live instruments and analog electronic equipment as a backdrop for classic soul songwriting. Her debut track, Hot Water, is out on 12 April on Platoon, with a stunning video to follow on 19 April.

Speaking about Hot Water, Talulah Ruby says, “Hot Water came together really quickly. I wrote it at a friend’s house and the flow came naturally – I wanted to combine minimalism with traditional soul tones. I love how Rosalía bridges flamenco and electronic music. The chorus melody was a complete bathroom moment and it just sort of made itself.

“The song is written in third person and essentially, is talking about Mother Nature. Coming from a small island, the ocean surrounds us, literally and metaphorically, so I wanted to instigate a conversation about climate change in a subtle way – it’s a song that considers the public’s mentality and urges a change in attitude.

“I choose to write in a fairly ambiguous way, so it’s up for interpretation and can be adapted to anyone’s experience of climate change or something entirely different. I enjoy mapping out my thought process and making more of a visual storyboard.”

A headline show at Dalston’s Servant’s Jazz Quarters will be announced on Hot Water’s release, which promises to be a special moment. Speaking of her live set-up, Talulah Ruby says, “I’ve been working with my band properly for over a year now – most of us know each other from uni. We all bring something different to the table – and have a nice mix of taste – so our rehearsals definitely have more of a jam feel and SZA-like flow. We have influences in common but while some of us totally rate James Blake and Cinematic Orchestra, others bring in old school hip-hop references or a Radiohead-type groove.

“The band is quite resonant of where London’s music scene is at today – there’s no limits to what we can do sonically anymore, especially on a live scale where you can completely feed off each other and plan a whole show based on a feeling that you get from a room or take inspiration from an artist such as St Vincent and create an engaging, visual show. There’s a very high standard of musicianship in east London and it’s not time for competition, it’s time for collaboration.”