Joy Crookes Finds Freedom in Imperfection withJuniper
Joy Crookes has returned with her second album, Juniper , and it’s a project that feels both deeply personal and surprisingly liberating. Known for her soulful, sharp storytelling and a voice often compared to Amy Winehouse or Ella Fitzgerald, Crookes has already earned Mercury Prize and Brit Award nominations. But this time around, she’s embracing a new perspective—one that comes from letting go of perfectionism and allowing her art to breathe.
Her relationship with music started young. Growing up with an Irish-Bangladeshi background, she was introduced to a wide spectrum of sounds—everything from Nick Cave and King Tubby to Pakistani classics—by her father. By her teens, she was posting covers on YouTube, strumming a bargain guitar, and slowly shaping her identity as an artist. That journey culminated in her debut album, Skin , released in 2021, which gained critical acclaim and even landed her on Glastonbury’s Pyramid Stage. For many artists, the second album is where doubts creep in. But for Crookes, the challenge wasn’t writing—words and stories have never been a problem—it was about allowing the songs to be imperfect and real.
That shift didn’t come easily. After Skin , Crookes battled an intense period of anxiety and poor mental health, worsened by a toxic relationship and a heavy lifestyle. She described panic attacks so severe they became physical, leaving her unable to keep food down. Therapy helped her face that anxiety head-on, but the healing process was slow and grueling. In First Last Dance , she addresses that struggle directly, pairing the painful subject with a danceable beat—a moment of lightness drawn out of something dark.
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Juniper reflects that journey toward acceptance. Songs like Mother and Mathematics carry raw vulnerability, while tracks such as Perfect Crime show her playful, witty side. Some recordings were painstakingly refined over dozens of takes, while others were captured in a single session—complete with off-key vocals left intentionally intact. For Crookes, it’s about honesty, not polish. She draws inspiration from artists like Van Morrison, who allowed his music to live in the raw and unpredictable moments.
The album also carries glimpses of strength and gratitude. In I Know You’d Kill , she honors her manager for standing fiercely by her side, while in Somebody to You , she reclaims her independence, questioning how much of her identity is shaped by others’ expectations. These themes extend beyond relationships, reaching into her career and how she wants to define herself as more than just a musician.
Crookes is also stepping into acting, debuting in the award-winning film Ish and eyeing future roles, including Gurinder Chadha’s planned Bend It Like Beckham sequel. But for now, her focus is on sharing Juniper . Releasing it has been both euphoric and bittersweet—a celebration of survival mixed with the sadness of what it took to get here. Yet today, she describes herself as freer, funnier, and more alive than ever. And that’s what Juniper captures: an artist who has faced down her struggles and come out with music that feels vibrant, streetwise, and defiantly human.
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