Jacob Alon - 'In Limerence' • DIY Magazine

When Jacob Alon released their debut single ‘Fairy In A Bottle’ at the end of last year, it was immediately clear that they were something very special indeed. Intimate, arresting, and unflinchingly honest, their marriage of angelic vocals and intricate guitar work has quickly made them one of folk’s most essential modern voices - and earned their stunning debut LP, ‘In Limerence’, a Mercury Prize nod to boot.

To be still at the start of your artistic journey and have your debut album recognised in this way is a huge achievement - how has that make you feel?
It’s been really affirming. When the album came out, I really struggled to… come to terms with it and big it up. [Making the shortlist] has given me a second wind; I know it isn’t healthy to put your self-worth in the hands of external validation, and I’m not doing that, but now I feel a little bit more sure that I can actually do this, and that’s nice

Over the course of writing, recording, and releasing ‘In Limerence’, you’ve built a really solid support network around you. How has this helped you navigate the madness?
I think maybe because where I grew up, there wasn’t a straightforward path into [music] - as opposed to growing up in London, where it feels more like creativity is in the air - it didn’t really feel like I could [become an artist], so I’ve never really been used to asking people for advice. But the lovely Katy J Pearson has been so, so supportive, as has Kae [Tempest] and Dan [Carey]. They’ve just reminded me that it’s not a normal experience as a human being to go from 0 to 100 like this, and that it’s okay to have wobbles!

“That’s the real magic of art: that it isn’t one thing, even to the person who made it.”

Part of what makes ‘In Limerence’ so powerful is that its tracks are deeply personal and incredibly vulnerable, and people have really connected to the stories and experiences they depict. What’s that been like for you?
It’s been so precious; it’s such a privilege for people to share their relationship to something that means something very particular to you. That’s the real magic of art: that it isn’t one thing, even to the person who made it, and your relationship [to it] can evolve too - it can mean something totally different down the line to [what it did] when you wrote it.

‘In Limerence’ is a record of boundary- blurring, and is rooted in ideas of folklore, storytelling, and the oral tradition. Why were you so drawn to these concepts?
I find [mythology] deeply interesting; I’m Scottish and Irish, so there’s so much rich folklore to discover. Stories are such a beautiful human way to transfer lessons - whether that’s about nature and ecosystems, or people and morality, or just because they’re f**king weird and cool - and that feels very innate to who we are. There’s been a lot of fun parallels between certain mythological stories and things that I’ve encountered, and I think that’s because they’re so fundamentally human. That’s a really comforting thing [as an artist]: you might not say anything new, because humans have been around for a while - we’re doing the same old s**t, learning the same old lessons - but it feels so valuable to feel part of something that kind of connects us all. I think that’s really cool; that makes me feel less alone.

DIY has teamed up with LNER - the Official Travel Partner of the 2025 Mercury Prize Newcastle - to celebrate the power of journeys, both musical and literal. Read our full 2025 Mercury Prize Newcastle special edition below.

Tags: Features, Jacob Alon