We’ve been following singer/songwriter Kuill and his career for a little while now – from winning BBC talent show Let It Shine and landing a spot in West End musical The Band, through to his recent stint on The Voice UK, being a part of Team Tom Jones and having Hannah Waddingham as a guest mentor. He released debut album Changing Faces in 2022 and recently launched the follow up, Fragile Creatures, at a sold-out concert at Leeds Conservatoire. We headed up to Leeds last weekend to check the night out.
The stage is set with a space theme – which runs through his music – featuring planets, neon lights and an astronaut. Kuill puts on an impressive live show: his band is extensive, with saxophone, violin, and a whole host of backing singers. Star of the show, of course, is his voice – with immense power, range and control comes an impressive versatility. He’s able to turn his hand to a range of styles and genres, in a set drawing songs from his two albums and a handful of queer-friendly covers (think George Michael, Gabrielle, Leona Lewis).
From his latest album, we’re particular fans of the title track, Fragile Creatures – an ’80s-inspired synth-laden bop, it has an infectious groove and is full of little catchy hooks. It sounds great on record and is given an additional lift with the live band. The lead single Get What You Want is also a highlight – the gradual build is even more effective in a live setting, and it has a huge chorus big enough to fill any stadium.
We had a really great night with Kuill – he puts on a thoroughly enjoyable show, full of warmth and humour, as he regales us with stories from his past and how he met the various members of his backing band. There’s a heartwarming moment where he is reunited with singer A.J. Bentley, one of his co-stars of The Band, as they duet on a medley of George Michael covers. It’s an entertaining evening, demonstrating impressive stagecraft – very much one to watch right now.
You can find Kuill on Instagram and listen to his music on Spotify.
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