R&B Soul 15/02/2021

Ruby Jackson

This week, we’re introducing you to Ruby Jackson - a Sydney artist that’s mixed her soulful vocals and jazz influences into a polished R’n’B debut.

ARTIST | Ruby Jackson

This week, we’re introducing you to Ruby Jackson – a Sydney artist that’s mixed her soulful vocals and jazz influences into a polished R’n’B debut. Performing alongside her band, Ruby got us swaying with her debut single, “Simplicities”, live on Mood on the Roof.

When you watch this refined performance, it’s hard to believe that this is the first song Ruby ever wrote and produced. Raised by performing artists and studying at Sydney’s Conservatorium of Music, she says she’s been surrounded by music her entire life.

“I didn’t do my first proper gig until I think it was towards the end of 2018 with my dad in New Zealand. We booked out a theater and just played us two, for two nights, so that was really good. But before then I was so shy. I just did not perform at all. I hated the pressure,” she says.

Since then, Ruby’s been honing her performance skills amongst Sydney’s Inner West jazz scene. Around the same time she started performing, she started pushing out track after track, and her artist project quickly begun to take shape.

“In terms of songwriting, I only wrote my first song in 2018. So before that, no lyrics came to me, at all. And then 2018 was the year for it,” says Ruby.

With Ruby’s impressive musical skills, collaboration just wasn’t necessary. For “Simplicities”, (and all upcoming releases, she says) Ruby built the entire track herself, from writing, to recording, to production, before mixing alongside Sydney’s Phil Punch. When asked if there were any collaborations on the horizon, she said, “Time will tell! Maybe I’ll find someone who is keen on what I’m doing.”

With this stand-out debut, we have no doubt that there’ll be plenty of them.

Ruby Jackson delivering soulful vocals into microphone under warm rooftop lighting
Ruby Jackson seated, eyes closed, singing with deep focus and emotional intensity.
Trumpet player performing alongside Ruby Jackson during live rooftop session.
Saxophonist playing under red stage lights during Ruby Jackson live set.
Horn section performing together under warm red lighting during the rooftop live set
Saxophonist and trumpeter performing together during Ruby Jackson rooftop set.