With a global record deal and a sold-out headline show at Brixton Academy under his belt, South African singer, songwriter and producer Jeremy Loops shares his uplifting new single ‘By The Way’, featuring longtime collaborator Motheo Moleko, out now on Decca Records.
Raised in a surfing village on the outskirts of Cape Town by his South African father and Swiss-born mother, Jeremy came to music late. A self-taught musician, he picked up the guitar for the very first time at university and practiced to Bob Dylan alone in his bedroom. Since then, his musical journey has been defined by a series of spontaneous, life-changing moments.
A decade ago, just before his career exploded at home, Jeremy co-founded the eco-initiative Greenpop, inspired by the waste and excess he had seen at sea working as a deckhand on superyachts for two years. Organising a fundraising gig in a Cape Town club with some big local bands, he put himself on the bill as the opening act. From there, things moved fast: live agents and festivals came calling, which led to Jeremy’s single ‘Gold’ being heavily championed by BBC Radio 2. His high energy live shows, captivating personality and irresistible passion for life has earned him a legion of dedicated fans all over the world, who just can’t get enough of his take on feel-good folk-pop.
Additionally, he has pocketed the respect of the industry and collaborated with the likes of Ed Sheeran, Simone Felice (The Lumineers, Bat For Lashes), and Cam Blackwood (Bastille, George Ezra). Recently, Jeremy also founded The Big Food Drive; a crowd-funded campaign to send food to some of the poorest communities in South Africa during the coronavirus crisis. After launching in April, the campaign raised over $50,000, more than five times the initial target.
Featuring Jeremy’s distinctive vocals, breezy melodies and sunshine-soaked hooks, ‘By The Way’ is inspired by the complex and challenging times we currently face. It brings the listener to a space of reflection by making a strong statement in a seemingly casual way touching on the idea that people have the potential to overcome challenges as a collective.
As he explains, “The song chooses to see the hopeful side of things. It is not a question of whether we are better than this, I believe we are all trying to be better, we are all trying to tap into that potential to change”.
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