Dijon live in London: eclectic delights from a new R&B hero
Dijon Duenas is a movie star, Grammy-nominated producer for Justin Bieber and – at the first of two Brixton Academy gigs – a glorious and experimental bandleader on the cusp of true stardom
Few creatives in the world had a better or more varied 2025 than Dijon Duenas. As well as releasing one of the best albums of the year with second LP Baby, he led production on a pair of new Justin Bieber albums, and made his acting debut with a memorable cameo in Paul Thomas Anderson’s Oscar winner-in-waiting, One Battle After Another.
He begins 2026 at the tipping point between critics’ darling and genuine superstar, making the first of his two gigs at Brixton Academy all the more tantalising. It feels like the last time fans will be able to see Dijon in a venue like this, and with his brilliance kept – at least to some extent – under wraps.
Baby is an album written in the thrall of love, marriage and new fatherhood. On opening track ‘Baby’, he tells his child the story of how he met his mother and welcomed the baby into the world. One song later, on ‘Another Baby!’, he’s pleading with her to “expand the collection”. The album’s exuberance is summed up perfectly on its cover, picturing a beaming Dijon crowd surfing at his wedding.
His live show is attacked with the same giddy energy and fervour as the album. Joined by a seven-piece band, the songs from Baby and his debut album, 2021’s Absolutely, are deconstructed and built again from the ground up. Not a single band member plays their instrument in a traditional way – guitarist Mike Haldeman plays gorgeous, crunchy riffs written by Dijon’s bestie and creative partner Mk.gee with unique brilliance, while drummer Henry Kwapis and bassist Daniel Aged come together on window-wobbling levels of noise that burst out of otherwise pretty and calm R&B songs. Producer Jack Karaszewski, meanwhile, plays havoc with the swarm of noise being created, attacking an on-stage mixing desk throughout as if it were its own instrument.
Every show on the Baby tour features a different setlist and a vibe conjured in the moment. It highlights both the incredible dexterity and talent of Dijon and his band, but also the breadth of his ambition and taste. Here, the band are joined by violinist and banjo player Sam Amidon, who sings traditional folk tune ‘Cusseta’ alongside Dijon half way through the show. A travelling roadshow that picks up and drops off members as it goes, Dijon’s gig is one that incorporates new instruments and vibes at each show, no matter how seemingly incongruous with his music. All are welcome, as long as they contribute to the eclectic and triumphant energy of the singer as a bandleader.
Dijon himself has been compared to Frank Ocean, Prince and his close collaborator Bon Iver among others. The truth is that he’s somewhere in between all three and also totally incomparable. During the show, he’s a velvety R&B singer on ‘Kindalove’, a screaming and possessed demon during ‘(Referee)’ and an ‘80s arena star on the disco ball-aided ‘Yamaha’. On his next two trips to London, he will support country rock star Zach Bryan at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and then Tyler, the Creator at All Points East, accurately illustrating the cross section of his considerable appeal.
If Dijon entered 2026 as a cult hero and Bon Iver and Justin Bieber’s secret weapon, he will surely end the year as a true star. It makes tonight’s gig an ‘I was there’ moment that signals the ascendance of a generational talent.