Biography

Ruby Wood is a professional vocalist and songwriter hailing from Huddersfield, West Yorkshire. Best known as part of the critically acclaimed band – Submotion Orchestra, Ruby has also toured as the lead vocalist for Bonobo and Nubiyan Twist, with hugely successful 1940’s-esque vocal trio, The Sugar Sisters, as well as writing and performing for a host of artists across the Jazz, Soul and Dance music worlds.

With over 20 years in the music industry, Ruby is the voice and credited co-writer of Bryson Tiller’s 4× Platinum hit “Right My Wrongs” from his debut Sony RCA album Trapsoul — and joined him live at Wireless Festival and a sold out show at Wembley Arena.

As lead vocalist with Submotion Orchestra since 2009, Ruby has released 5 studio albums and 6 EPs, and toured worldwide. She has also written and performed on Krept & Konan’s debut album (The Long Way Home, Virgin EMI) and was a featured artist on Franky Wah’s debut album (The Revival – Vol. 1, Ministry of Sound).

Ruby was born in Huddersfield, West Yorkshire. Her parents’ love Jazz music inspired them to chose her name from the Thelonius Monk classic ‘Ruby, My Dear’, and so she was exposed to a wide variety of different musical styles from an early age.

Ruby’s interest in music developed much earlier when she took up the steel pan at just seven years old. she joined a steel band from Huddersfield called North Stars Steel Orchestra, one of Europe’s oldest steel bands, learning to play a variety of different music ranging from traditional West Indian Soca to Classical music through to Jazz.

Playing with the band exposed her to a great number of opportunities, playing events such as the Trinidad and Notting Hill Carnivals as well as a UK tour with Dennis Rollins, taking in sellouts at the Brecon and Cheltenham Jazz Festivals.

Ruby studied music at GCSE level at school, and then went on to study music at A Level. “This is when my interest in jazz became more noticeable. I started to buy jazz CDs and go to jazz gigs. I attended a few summer jazz workshops held at the oldest jazz conservatoire in the country, Leeds College of Music, where we were taught by the fabulous Tina May, Lee Gibson and Nicky Allen, and I knew then that I would love to go on and read Jazz Studies there.”

Ruby graduated from Leeds College of Music in 2008 with a BA degree, studying singing under Louise Gibbs and Kari Bleivik.

Although still touring and writing with Submotion Orchestra, Ruby is venturing into her solo career with her debut Release “Sincerely”, out on First Word Records receiving praise and support from Jamie Cullum on BBC Radio 2 and Craig Charles on Radio 6 Music for it’s intimate look into her life and showing diversity in her singing style, venturing into the world of RnB/Neo-soul and Hip Hop.