Q: Hey, can you tell us a bit about where you come from, and what made you want to start a career in music?
A: I am from Crosby in Liverpool. It’s a great place with a big passion for music and with an ever growing music scene it has been a great place to be as a musician in the start of my career for me. I have had a passion for music for a long time and music has been of great importance to me through difficult times in my life and also never fails to excite me whether that is through playing different venues, the interaction from an audience or writing and releasing new material. I would love a career in music as I really love music and being an artist in an amazing industry and I couldn’t imagine myself doing anything else.
Q: And what other artists have you found yourself listening to lately?
A: Recently I have been listening to a lot of high energy songs as my own material has started to edge increasingly towards a heavier or more energetic sound. A few good examples of artists that have inspired this would be the likes of Royal Blood, Nothing But Thieves and Gang Of Youths.
Q: Who were your first and strongest musical influences?
A: My very first musical influence was most likely Ben Howard in terms of very early on my musical journey so I have early influences spanning from folk music to my guitar playing which is heavily inspired by artists such as David Gilmour and Johnny Buckland. From a song writing point of view though, one of my earliest musical memories was hearing ‘Adventure of a Lifetime’ by Coldplay and just being in awe of how big the song sounded and vividly made me imagine what it would sound like in a stadium listening to it.
Q: You have just released your new single, ‘You Are The One’. Is there a story behind it?
A: There is a story about ‘You Are The One’, it is about an ex relationship I was in and it was written at the time for and about one specific person but I think it is obviously applicable to lots of peoples life in many different ways and not just in the romantic sense. It could also be in other types of relationships such as anyone who is special to you and that you have a special connection with. So for me from writing the song to now my view of the song has definitely changed over time.
Q: Can we expect a new EP or even an album from you in the near future?
A: I have quite a lot of material that I need to record and release but yes an EP is a definite for the future as I definitely have enough material for one and am really looking forward to releasing one when I do. Hopefully an album will follow after in the next few years as that is definitely something I would love to do. So you can expect more material from me and certainly an EP when the time comes.
Q: What do you feel are the key elements in your music that should resonate with listeners, and how would you personally describe your sound?
A:
I think an element to my music that people should resonate with the most is the driving beat behind a lot of my songs, especially with the songs I am writing recently that are more energetic and quite upbeat and driven by drums and a driving guitar line accompanied by a powerful vocal melody. This should give me as an artist a big sound and I want people to imagine what the songs would sound like in a big stadium or venue because that is the eventual aim and I want people to be dancing and singing along to my music and genuinely enjoying it, getting a good vibe from the music.
My sound definitely has a Pop Rock/Alt Rock sound and I would describe it as energetic and overall high energy driven music that is relatable to a diverse multitude of people in lots of different ways.
Q: Do you feel that your music is giving you back just as much fulfillment as the amount of work you are putting into it, or are you expecting something more?
A:
Working in the music industry is very difficult and it takes a lot of work and a lot of effort however the fulfilment I get out of it is amazing, the comments I get off people and people genuinely enjoying and listening to my music, that means so much to me and you cant really put a price on that.
I think every artist always wants more, more views, bigger venues, more listens but so far releasing my debut single I can’t complain. The feedback I have been getting has just been amazing off a variety people, not just fans but venues and different people within the industry aswell.
Q: Could you describe your creative processes? How do usually start, and go about shaping ideas into a completed song?
A: So my creative process usually comes in different ways depending on what song I am writing, so sometimes I will start with a guitar line and then that will draw out a melody for the vocals and then from that I may get an idea for vocals and then every now and again I will take notes on phrases on things I see, like or hear. So for example ‘You Are The One’ was pretty clear cut what it was about for me at the time so, not that it was easy, but it was easier than some of the songs I have been recently writing that are more lyrically complex. After all this I just work at it so once I get a solid idea down I just work at it and try and stay consistent with the sound I am after and the vibe of the song and then mould it slowly into a finished product.
Q: What has been the most difficult thing you’ve had to endure in your life or music career so far?
A: I think loss is a key word in life, loss of people who you necessarily thought you were close to you or loss from a physical sense such as bereavement in the family and it makes u think, certainly made me think, about a lot of different aspects of my life. In my life I have experienced this a lot and that has been difficult to digest. But on the flip side of that it has fuelled a lot of emotion and inspiration in me and a lot of inspiration comes from emotion.
Q: On the contrary, what would you consider a successful, proud or significant point in your life or music career so far?
A: So far, in the early stages of my career, I would consider a successful moment to be releasing my debut single, having artwork completed for it, having CDs of it; that made me so proud to physically hold a tactile piece of my work in my hands and seeing people buying it too. That was a very significant part of my life and performing in Collect And Survive (a local record store) as a promotional event for my debut single, seeing myself advertised on posters, and people coming to watch me that was also a very proud moment. It also makes me so happy to hear audiences trying to sing along with the songs I write and also getting a great reaction from my music has definitely been an amazing part of my career so far.
