- This event has passed.
Ruti isn’t content with building a fanbase – she’s building a community. A songwriter with a unique ability to connect, she paints a picture of her soul with each release. A stunning vocalist, her commitment to honesty is completely unforced. New EP ‘Lungs’ is her finest moment yet, but she’s only just getting started. With Ruti, what she see, is what you get – and she’s determined to make her voice heard.
Ironically, the idea of actually singing came relatively late in her life. The 24-year-old was brought up in Thurrock, with a mother from Essex and a father from Nigeria. Raised around the church, her first love was actually dance. Dutifully heading to lessons from the age of three, she would soak up tunes from her parents’ stereo system – post-disco like Kool & The Gang and George Benson – before dancing her heart out. “I’ve been dancing a lot longer than I’ve been singing,” she laughs. “But that’s what brought me into music.”
Winning a competition at a holiday camp when she was a child, Ruti knocked the crowd into silence with her acapella version of Adele’s powerhouse ‘Rolling In The Deep’. It was the start of a deep shift in her life – everyone in the room knew the precocious youngster was special. “When we got home my mum was like, oh maybe we could do more singing stuff?”
Studying music at school, Ruti would write songs in her notebooks, but was terrified to share them. “I’ve always been really nervous about writing,” she admits. “I’d write a little bit.. and then just leave it, throw it away. But when I got to sixth form, they pushed you to actually write songs – so I had no choice.”
Life took her in different paths. A glimpse of the spotlight’s intense glare pushed Ruti towards the major label system, but deep down she knew something wasn’t right. Later signing to PMR Records, she was given time and space to build something unique to her from the ground up. “I want to be independent. Deep down, I’ve always known that. I want the people around me to care about what I’m doing.”
2023 project ‘MixTea_Mixtape!’ was the turning point. An elegant song cycle that fused her core influences – a thirst for pop, a passion for R&B, and a touch of gospel – it found Ruti speaking her truth. Gathering like-minds around her in the studio, the singer hit on a formula that was truly her own. “All the music on the mixtape came out of the pandemic. A lot of music, a lot of feelings, and a lot of vulnerability came out of that. I was as honest as I could be. But also sonically, it was where I met a lot of new musicians, new producers, and developed a lot of meaningful music relationships.”
Songs such as ‘Nothing’s Easy’ and ‘DON’T WAIT’ resonated deeply with fans, listeners struck by the purity of Ruti’s soulful honesty. “There’s a lot of songs about feeling a bit lost, and feeling as though I was dying. I was stuck in a weird headspace,” she notes. “I grew so much during that time. But at times, I felt stuck.”
Incoming EP ‘Lungs’ takes her to the next level. Pushing ahead with daring alacrity and a palpable degree of newfound confidence, it’s a riveting document, blessed with pop finesse and an incredible desire for communication. Picking up from where her mixtape left off, Ruti uses the EP to explore the end of a relationship, her need for independence, and the balance in her life. “That’s where my new songs pick up,” she says. “It’s about moving out of denial and ignorance.”
Constructed alongside Emily Philips and Wayne Wilkins aka Croydon Boy, the title song benefits with input from Dave collaborator Jo Caleb. The lyrics go deep into Ruti’s feelings, conjuring memories of a failed relationship from her youth. “A belter of a tune,” she says. “It’s a heartbreak song. I was really insecure at that time, and I was looking for something to validate me. And I chose this random person who wasn’t very nice to me. I just didn’t know what to do with those feelings.”
The song itself became a breakthrough moment for the EP as a whole, propelling Ruti to new creative achievements and unlocking different feelings within her. ‘Don’t Make A Sound’ is potent and direct, while the fun, frothy ‘Bubblehouse Bounce (move as one)’ is a dose of unrelenting energy. The sessions were quick and exciting, Ruti working with purpose alongside the cast of musicians she’s assembled around her. “There’s a certain intuition when I meet someone. A good collaborator will listen to me and give me the space to experiment.”
Completed by a riveting cover of Tears For Fears’ synth classic ‘Everybody Wants To Rule The World’, the upcoming EP is just one part of Ruti’s plan. An artist who admires the staunch femme independence of Laura Mvula or Bjork, she’s also fascinated by the modern soul of Gabriels, for example, or Moses Sumney. If Ruti is hard to pin down, then that’s just the way she wants it. “I’ve been thinking about an album for ages,” she says. “And it changes all the time! My ideas for it change constantly.”
“It’s taken my time to build a safe environment. I’ve been able to create a safe space to open up about my deepest feelings, my deepest feelings, my deepest anxieties. But I’ve grown in myself. This is who I am, and that’s it. I can only be honest – I can’t do anything else, really.”
The rest of the year will bring more releases, more music, and more shows. It’s the latter that particularly lights a fire in Ruti’s heart, with concerts bringing a sense of connection between the singer and her fans. “Performing is my favourite part,” Ruti says. “Being in the moment when I’m performing, it’s just sheer relief. It’s pure expression, you have one moment to put your heart into everything.”
It’s act of healing, one that helps bring Ruti’s emotions into focus. With the community she’s built around her, the vocalist is ready for whatever life throws at her. “I’m constantly battling self-doubt,” she says. “I always wonder if I’m good enough. It’s a constant battle. But I’ve been lucky, in a way, due to the people I’ve met along the way. It’s never been easy, but it’s been a slow burn. I’m ready now, to face whatever is coming after this.”
Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/rutiiiiiiiiiiii ?
Spotify – https://open.spotify.com/artist/5vQr71zjhOUi0RPPeQE6bE?si=IVw0nUE0SQGsv01XVItX1A
Apple Music – https://music.apple.com/us/artist/ruti/743009305
X –https://x.com/rutimusic?lang=en
TikTok – https://www.tiktok.com/@rutiiiiiiiiiiiiii?_t=8qvIFUmOWMC&_r=1
Please Note: Tickets purchased on this site are for the mentioned artist only. If an artists name is not listed in the details, then tickets for that artists show are being sold separately, or at the door.
Please purchase tickets accordingly for the artist you would like to support.
One ticket is usually good to stay the entire evening, unless otherwise noted.
Thank you.
Ages: 21 and up
Items Not Allowed: NO VIDEO OR FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY