Jalen Ngonda has spoken to NME about his love of Arctic Monkeys, which began with their classic 2013 album ‘AM’. Watch the full interview above.
The 32-year-old soul singer was speaking backstage at Mad Cool 2026, ahead of him opening the main stage on the final day of the Madrid festival. He noted that ‘AM’ was released around the time that he moved to Liverpool from his hometown of Wheaton, Maryland.
Although he’s often associated with soul influences, including artists signed to the seminal ‘60s and ‘70s labels Stax and Motown, ‘AM’ had a big impact upon him too. “It did [influence me],” he told NME. “I hadn’t heard about the Arctic Monkeys at all, growing up in Maryland. When I moved over to the UK, I just instantly seeped myself into what was going on musically. I was going to a music school, so you couldn’t get away from it.”]
Jalen Ngonda at Mad Cool 2026. CREDIT: Javier Bragado
Ngonda explained that he was in bands who would take part in regular music nights. When he would suggest the likes of ‘You Can’t Hurry Love’ by The Supremes, his bandmates would put forward ‘R U Mine?’ by the Sheffield indie giants.
“As I got to know Alex Turner as a musician,” he said, “and got deep into his music – especially via The Last Shadow Puppets – that’s when I really got turned on to this music. I love the stuff he worked on in Submarine. It was very influential in the songs I was writing at at time.”
Ngonda pointed out that his 2017 track ‘I Need You’ was influenced by ‘AM’, “even if you don’t hear it”. He also picked out the Sheffield group’s divisive 2018 album ‘Tranquility Base Hotel & Casino’: “That’s the album I like.”
Elsewhere in the interview, Ngonda reflected on his support slot on Olivia Dean’s 2026 European tour. The two singers were previously neighbours in south London, where Ngonda still lives: “We’re both into soul and all sorts of music, really. And we’re both on the road – you know how that goes.”
Asked if we need soul music during tumultuous cultural and political climates, Ngonda replied: “I think any music that’s based off of feeling and reflective of real-life situations or emotions is always gonna be important. Since the ‘50s up until now, soul music’s always been around. People found jazz in a soulful way and they did [the same] with the blues, so as long as people have feeling, I think what we call ‘soul music’ will be important – even especially.”
Jalen Ngonda at Mad Cool 2026. CREDIT: Javier Bragado
Ngonda released his second album, ‘Doctrine of Love’, on the legendary Daptone Records earlier this year. He is set to tour the record throughout the UK and Ireland from next month, including a date at London’s O2 Academy Brixton.
He told NME of playing the iconic venue: “I’m looking forward to it! I lived around Brixton since I’ve been in London, so I’ve always walked past the place but I’ve never been in. I’m excited to see what it looks like inside.”
You can revisit all of NME’s coverage from Mad Cool 2026 here.
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