Protoje brought ‘The Art of Acceptance’ to life at O2 Forum Kentish Town
It was nothing short of special.
Photo: Johnny Guardiani
Protoje brought an infectious energy to the legendary O2 Forum Kentish Town — the final stop on his UK tour, which took in Manchester, Bristol and Birmingham before closing out in London. He arrived on stage looking effortlessly himself: donning a black rasta hat that has become something of a signature, baggy jeans, black boots and a black bomber-style jacket. Understated but iconic.
One thing I always respect about Protoje is how intentional he is when it comes to creating space for women in the industry. The night opened with Becca Dudley — a personal friend of his — who absolutely shelled it with a dancehall and reggae set, followed by Izzy Bossy. Izzy's set leaned into old-school reggae, and I really loved that. It felt nostalgic and grounding — and set the tone perfectly for the night.
I have seen Protoje about three or four times now, and it is always a great experience. His music carries something deeper — whether you are spiritual, religious or neither, it has a healing and comforting quality that connects. It is powerful in a way that feels both personal and collective.
There is also a real sweetness to him as a performer. I loved the moments of dub scattered throughout the set, and the times he would just rock out — dancing on stage, vibing with that beautiful, almost spiritual background sound his band creates. Those moments had a flowing, transportive quality to them, and watching him move with such ease and joy was infectious. His band and backing singers joined in too, which made it feel communal rather than performative.
Speaking of the band — all men with dreads, anchored by keys, three guitarists, and a drummer. There is a precision and a rootedness to them that gives Protoje’s music room to breathe when performed live. The two incredible backing singers brought amazing energy and vocals throughout the night, adding to the overall vibe of the performance.
He took time to shout out artists he clearly holds close — Jesse Royal and Lila Iké — sharing that if Lila was not on tour, she would have been there with him. That moment felt really genuine and spoke to something bigger: community. Protoje has always been about that — showing up for people, being authentic, and uplifting those around him, especially women in reggae. Ben Ryan from Citysplash was also in the room, and Protoje’s entourage — people who have been with him for years — gave the whole night a sense of real loyalty and family.
Another important moment was when he spoke directly to the crowd about supporting Caribbean music — not just reggae, but dancehall, soca and bouyon. It was a reminder that, while Jamaica has such a strong global presence, there is so much more across the Caribbean that deserves recognition and support.
In terms of the music, the setlist was strong. From his new album The Art of Acceptance, he performed Big 45, Feel It — which has honestly been on repeat for me for months and was my personal highlight of the night — Ting Loud, and even an unreleased track called In Your Corner, which was a really special moment.
From Third Time’s The Charm (2022), Hills got such a strong reaction that it had to be wheeled up — a proper reggae moment. He also dipped into In Search of Lost Time (2020) with Switch It Up, Weed & Ting and Like Royalty, and you could tell how much he enjoys performing those tracks live.
Of course, he performed Rasta Love — a track he spoke about as the song that brought more people to his music and got more people coming to his shows. And, looking around the room, you could feel it. The crowd was a real reflection of that reach — white men in their twenties, thirties and forties-plus, black women across the same age ranges, white women too, and Rastas well into their forties and beyond. All of it woven together. He closed with Who Knows, which felt like the perfect ending.
That diversity in the audience is one of the most fascinating things about watching Protoje grow. You find yourself wondering what version of him brought each person into the room — was it 2010 Protoje? 2020? The music he is making now, in 2026? There is a real familiarity with his catalogue that unites people across all of that, and you can feel it in the room when a track lands and everyone — regardless of background or age — is singing every word.
What I personally love most about his performances is the feeling. The small dance breaks, the dub influences, the intentionality behind the music — it all feels very grounding. His music reminds me to slow down, to be present, to love more and to move through life with purpose.
Every time I see him, I leave feeling lighter. And that, to me, is what makes his music so special.
The Art of Acceptance is out on April 17th via Ineffable Records. Pre-save here.
All photos by Johnny Guardiani.
