Looking back, what were some of your earliest entries into music appreciation? And music production?

Music appreciation is a fairly easy one, I was more than likely bouncing around to the Stones in my high chair. Pretty sure my parents wanted me to be a rockstar from day one. (I’m still working on it). In terms of making music not until my early twenties, I would say (I’m 24) so only a few years. I never really fancied myself as a songwriter until one day a close friend of mine instructed me to start recording the songs I would casually play around the house.

 

Take us through your songwriting process. Are there any particular steps you take when putting music together?

I know there’s an age-old debate between lyrics or melody first but for me, it’s 9/10 the melody…and I mean like every single syllable from start to finish. If you went through my voice memos on my phone you’d find roughly 278 recordings of me singing utter gibberish over the chords. It then becomes a fairly painful process of finding lyrics that fit almost like putting together a puzzle.

What gets your creative juices flowing?

Nothing will make you want to go home more and write something then going to see someone you admire life…just like in any other profession I suppose. For me, creativity comes and goes, sometimes you sit down and painfully try to find words that perfectly rhyme with your favourite cereal, and other times you sit down with something to stay, lift your head up and 5 mins later you have a complete song. Usually, these are your best work, well there for me anyway. Still waiting on that cheerios endorsement though…….

As a musician, it becomes apparent that there is a huge difference between the art and the business. Is there anything about the music scene that you would personally change?

How long have you got? There’s a lot I’d like to change but we’d be here all day. All I would say is I feel things are slightly changing. So many DIY musicians are absolutely killing it completely off their own backs. For someone like me, this is immensely encouraging. There is no longer the excuse that you can’t make it without a label. Also, I’m pretty sure this has always been the case but people seem to also be reacting to artists authenticity. Think about Instagram, we’re all slowly realising that everyone’s super glamorous/perfect life is BS and people would rather see you looking like shit in your pyjamas over breakfast rather than walking on a beach in the Bahamas.

Studio work and music creation or performing and interacting with a live audience, which do you prefer?

There’s nothing better than performing and interacting with an audience. it’s like no other buzz. However, when you manage to capture something in the studio that was once just a little melody in your head it’s pretty surreal. Both, can I have both?

What is the most memorable response you have had to your music?

I remember my first gig in America. I soon realised that the audience were getting just as much if not more joy of me talking between songs than the actual tunes themselves. I clocked this and it turned it to the audience shouting out words which I would then repeat in my finest Hugh Grant English accent. SAY ALUMINIUM! Remember that scene with Colin in Love Actually?

What’s on your current playlist?

Funny you ask. I’ve literally just curated my own playlist on Spotify titled “Songs That I Dig”. My drummer makes hilarious memes and designs and I highly recommend anyone to check it out for the artwork alone.

Breakdown the news for us: what can we expect from you in the near future?

Last year was all about playing, this year is all about recording and releasing music. ‘Hurt Me’ was recorded over in Nashville with Joel Levi and I’m flying out again at the end of this month to record the next few singles.

Famous last words?

What drinking problem?