Jake Isaac returns with his new single When The World’s On Fire, a soulful collaboration with Aaron Childs that considers the importance of human connection and community during increasingly uncertain times.
The new track arrives as the London-based singer, songwriter, producer and multi-instrumentalist continues a run of music centred on healing, hope and togetherness. Following the blissful nostalgia of A Summer Long Ago, which received Radio 2 support, When The World’s On Fire turns its attention towards the present, offering an understated but emotionally direct reminder of the importance of standing together when the world feels increasingly divided.
Jake Isaac
Built around a warm, restrained groove, Jake’s characteristically husky vocal gives the song its emotional weight, while the lyrics focus on the value of remaining close to the people who matter. Its message is encapsulated in the line: “If you want to go fast go alone, but if you want to go far stick together, don’t let go.”
For Isaac, the song is deliberately rooted in the realities of the world around him. “I wanted to touch on things in the present,” he explains. “It would be foolish to not give a nod to the temperature of the world because it feels like we’re on the brink of something, so highlighting human contact, human emotion, and championing it in the time of AI and hidden agendas coming to light felt important.”
Written and produced entirely by Isaac, When The World’s On Fire features Aaron Childs on vocals and guitar. Although the pair come from opposite sides of the Atlantic, their shared musical foundations make the collaboration a natural one. Both artists grew up surrounded by music. Isaac’s father is a renowned reverend, meaning gospel music was an integral part of his upbringing, while Childs is the son of acclaimed composer and musician Billy Childs. Both have subsequently developed contemporary approaches to soul while retaining a connection to its traditional emotional directness. They also share a key influence in Bill Withers, whose combination of understated grooves, conversational songwriting and profound emotional clarity can be felt in the track’s approach.
Childs takes the second verse, his lighter vocal tone providing a contrast to Isaac’s huskier delivery. His guitar work similarly avoids crowding the arrangement, instead adding spacious melodic touches that reinforce the song’s subtle groove. “When Jake sent me When The World’s On Fire and asked if I’d want to sing on it I felt my whole day get brighter,” says Childs. “There is a quiet urgency in both the music and Jake’s vocal delivery that I noticed when I first listened through.”
He adds: “The groove drives the song forward in a subtle way while the lyrics inspire positivity and highlight the importance of being there for someone even when times feel tough.”
For Childs, the appeal of the collaboration lies in the way Isaac manages to communicate vulnerability without losing the song’s sense of optimism. “I felt like Jake found a unique way of expressing vulnerability, kindness, and connectivity through this song and I couldn’t wait to align with those sentiments while singing verse two,” he says. “I’m grateful to be a part of such a wonderful release by him.”
The single arrives just days before Isaac takes to the stage for a special stripped-back headline performance at St. Pancras Old Church in London on 10th September. The show is already sold out, making it a particularly intimate setting for the new material. The London performance forms part of a short run of European dates, with Isaac also set to headline Zurich’s X-TRA Musikcafe on 8th September and Lucerne’s Konzerthaus Schüür on 9th September.
The shows come at an important point in Isaac’s career. Before establishing himself as a solo artist, he became an in-demand collaborator, working as a songwriter, drummer and musical director with artists including Duffy, Gabrielle and Cynthia Erivo. Those experiences helped shape his own approach to music, while a period working in record-label marketing gave him a different perspective on the industry.
Rather than chasing numbers, Isaac became increasingly determined to make music that could inspire genuine devotion by addressing subjects that mattered to him. Early milestones included the patronage of Sir Elton John and a memorable appearance on Glastonbury’s Other Stage. His music has since increasingly drawn on the gospel foundations of his upbringing, as well as his spirituality, family and personal experiences.
Those themes came together particularly strongly on his 2024 album Benjamin, which marked a deeper exploration of his roots and the values that continue to inform his songwriting. The record ushered in a new chapter for Isaac, earning widespread acclaim and multiple Radio 2 playlist appearances.
When The World’s On Fire continues that trajectory while bringing the focus firmly into the present. Its concerns may be serious, but Isaac resists the temptation to turn the song into a purely bleak reflection on the state of the world. Instead, he offers connection as an antidote — a reminder that compassion, vulnerability and simply being there for one another remain powerful acts in themselves.
With Aaron Childs adding another dimension to the song’s warm, understated sound, When The World’s On Fire finds Isaac using soul music for what it has always done best: taking complicated emotions and turning them into something immediate, human and shared.
Upcoming UK Tour Date:
SEPTEMBER
10th – London, St. Pancras Old Church
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