Q: Can you tell us a bit about yourself and how your childhood impacted your musical direction?
A: I hail from Cornwall and spent my childhood there but have lived in London and Herts for my adult life. I’m not sure how much my childhood induction into 80’s music has impacted my musical direction now and it was now so long ago that other influences since will have impacted more.
Q: Can you describe the musical style of The Gleeman in three words?
A: Classic Singer-songwriter
Q: How do you stay connected with your fans, and what role do they play in shaping your musical journey?
A: When she was alive I called my mum at least once a week. She gave birth to me so played quite a critical role.
Q: You have just released your mini album, ‘You’ll Land Among The Stars’. Is there a story behind it?
A: Yes
Q: What is your favorite track from the album and why?
A: ‘My Final Song’, I seem to have a bit of thing for writing songs about mortality, but I think its healthy to confront it.
Q: Can you walk us through the creative process of producing the album, “You’ll Land Among The Stars”?
A: Apart from the track ‘For A Second Time’, which was produced with Will Hicks (Ed Sheeran), I produced the other tracks on the album myself. I played many of the instruments but there have been contributions from the likes of Fred Abbott (from Noah & The Whale) on guitar and Ash Soan (Snow Patrol) and Charles Paxon (James Blunt) on drums and of course BATA/MOBO/IVOR NOVELLO winning and two time BRIT nominee David Grant featuring on Gotta Get On! The songs will start with either a piano or guitar part and I will build them out from there.
Q: What has been the most memorable concert or performance for The Gleeman so far?
A: Playing ‘You Are Not Alone’ live on BBC One.
Q: Reflecting on your body of work, each song holding its unique significance, could you share a particular track that stands out to you personally? What makes that specific tune special, and why does it hold a place of pride in your musical journey?
A: That will be ‘You Are Not Alone’ mentioned above, it has the ability to connect with people in deep and profound ways and provide comfort on solace, it often also can move people to tears. If your songs connect with people on an emotional level in that way, then you are doing something right!
Q: Exploring the diverse creative processes within the music industry is always fascinating. Could you provide insight into The Gleeman’s unique approach to crafting music? From the initial spark of an idea to the finished song, how do you navigate the creative journey and bring its musical concepts to life?
A: I never pick up or sit down at an instrument with the intention of writing a song, they just happen. There are exceptions but they will usually start with some kind of musical structure or motif, I then will look to melodically and lyrically land on an aesthetically pleasing hook of the song and then back engineer a theme or story from that.
Q: As we wrap up our conversation, looking ahead, what aspirations or dreams do you have, and what message would you like to share with your fans as they continue to accompany you on this musical journey?
A: Musical world domination, why get out of bed for anything less. I told you above, my mum has passed.
LISTEN TO THE ARTIST:
Follow The Gleeman:
Spotify – SoundCloud – YouTube – Facebook – Instagram