Jungle Artistfacts

2013-
Josh Lloyd-WatsonVocals, keyboards, piano, guitar, bass, synths, samplers2013-
Tom McFarlandVocals, keyboards, piano, guitar, bass, synths, samplers2013-
Lydia Kitto vocals, keyboards, flute, guitar, synths, samplers2023-
Jungle are a London soul and dance collective built around Josh "J" Lloyd-Watson and Tom "T" McFarland, childhood friends who grew up next door to each other in Shepherd's Bush. Starting in the 2010s, the pair crafted a signature sound out of vintage soul, funk, and hip-hop rhythms that made them one of London's most distinctive live acts. Lloyd-Watson's wife, vocalist, multi-instrumentalist, and producer Lydia Kitto, became the band's third member in 2023.
Before Jungle, Lloyd-Watson and McFarland played together in an indie band called Born Blonde, which released one album in 2012 before breaking up. The duo grew up near Town House Post Production Studios in Shepherd's Bush, a legendary facility used by The Who for rehearsals; it's also where Blur recorded The Great Escape and Coldplay recorded X&Y. McFarland has credited that creative environment with shaping their early musical tastes.
When Jungle's initial singles, "Platoon" and "The Heat," went viral in 2013, Lloyd-Watson and McFarland kept their identities completely hidden. The mystery led fans to guess they were anyone from secret members of Gorillaz to a major-label marketing stunt. The real motivation was far more painful: Tom McFarland's previous band had been signed to a major label only to be dropped before their album ever came out.

"That was quite a scarring experience," he recalled to Far Out Magazine. "We didn't want to be tarnished with the same brush that band had been painted with."
During a 2013 phone interview with The Guardian, J Lloyd accidentally blew his own cover mid-conversation. When asked who was on the line, he unthinkingly blurted out, "Hi, it's Josh," despite all their efforts to be known strictly as "J" and "T."
Jungle's self-titled 2014 debut album reached #7 in the UK and earned them a prestigious Mercury Prize nomination, landing on a shortlist alongside FKA Twigs, Royal Blood, and Damon Albarn. The nod came despite, or perhaps thanks to, their strict refusal to do traditional press photos or show their faces.
Jungle's percussion setup isn't always what it sounds like. The group told Rolling Stone the rhythm tracks on "Drops" include the sound of Lloyd-Watson's bedroom door creaking open and shut, alongside rhythms made with car keys, a Coke can pull-tab, and the crunch of Pringles chips. McFarland added that on "Son of a Gun," he slapped himself in the face to generate a snare-like snap, joking, "That's hilarious."
Before joining Jungle, Lydia Kitto performed with the psychedelic group Club Kuru. J Lloyd first caught wind of her talent when he heard her vocals on a playlist curated by Danger Mouse. Club Kuru eventually supported Jungle on European tour dates, and Kitto's formal introduction came when touring drummer George Day suggested they try out a studio session together.
Kitto co-wrote every track on Jungle's 2023 album Volcano, including the UK Top 20 smash "Back On 74." Although she joined the band's core lineup in 2023 and was key to Volcano winning the BRIT Award for Group of the Year in 2024, 2026's Sunshine is the first Jungle album where she is officially credited as a full member.
Jungle approach their music videos more like television episodes than standard music clips. "We see it like Netflix episodes in some way," J Lloyd told Whynow, explaining that each video acts as a self-contained visual narrative. That cinematic philosophy is why the group assembled a recurring ensemble of dancers and directors to star in their videos rather than putting their own faces front and center.

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