Josh Kumra at the Borderline

Josh Kumra is a perfect pop product: he is young, charming, handsome, and he writes decent soulful pop songs. At Sony/RCA, someone must be very happy about Kumra. Inside the Borderline in Soho, a real temple in terms of folk and rock music, this young English artist played in front of a small but lovely crowd. Despite his young age, Kumra sure knows how to be catchy onstage, how to flirt with the audience and how to behave in front of a crowd; he is very magnetic and certainly this is the right job for him, as this guy is naturally comfortable onstage, like a proper rock star. He will be someone famous long-term, you can bet.

Kumra has recently published his long playing record debut, entitled Good Things Come to Those Who Don’t Wait, a mix of soulful pop “inspired by” the rock of Rolling Stones and by the blues of Jimi Hendrix. Unfortunately, and to be honest, if Rolling Stones and Hendrix are the inspiration, it is actually impossible to find them as the record sounds more like a cheesy pop than damned bluesy rock music in the shade of those dinosaurs. Where is the anger of Hendrix? The damnation of the Experience? And what about the rock n roll of the Stones? Please.

Kumra came onstage alone with his guitar and presented the songs from his debut solo album, plus a cover and a couple of new songs (special mention: Renegade). After a few songs on his own, Kumra called a drummer, and after few songs à la (unplugged) The White Stripes, a keyboardist/ukulele player and a bass player came onstage, filling up the sounds with a twist of gospel-esque allure. It has to be said that Kumra gave 100% of his energies and his love for what he is doing, chapeau.

Because of his passion, his physique du role and his perseverance, this guy will be the idol of many teenagers and will become a real icon in the music business, but should check his influences better, as he’s more like Mumford & Sons or Jack Johnson than Hendrix.

Lorenzo Cibrario
  Photos: Lorenzo Cibrario

For further information and future events visit Josh Kumra’s website here.

Watch the video for The Answer here: