The artist has had a successful year touring with Catfish and the Bottlemen throughout America and the UK, playing to sold out crowds which helped raise their profile. They found out their album had reached number 1 in the UK charts while eating pasta before a show. The tour was an amazing experience and they became like a family with the band. The artist wrote their album "Up in the Clouds" while recording covers and singles in the studio, drawing inspiration from bands they grew up listening to. Playing major festivals like Glastonbury and Reading was a dream come true. The artist has spent 11 months of the year touring around the world and is ready for a break.
2. Question1: Tell us a bit about supporting Catfish and the
Bottlemen throughout America and the UK.
‘Well I have done a few shows here and there but nothing major, those little gigs were
to promote me more than anything. But these gigs…wooah, they were something
special. Mostly all the venues were sold out so performing to a sell out crowd each
night was amazing. Obviously touring with them helped me get recognised and my
album doing so well in the charts.’
3. Question 2: Where were you when you found out your album
had gone straight to number 1 in the UK album charts?
‘It’s a funny story really. We were eating pasta and genuinely relaxing before I went
on for the first of two sell out night at London’s O2 Brixton Academy and my
manager came in and told me that my album had gone straight to number 1. I didn’t
quite believe what I was hearing so my first reaction was to spit out my pasta (and it
went everywhere all over Van he wasn’t best pleased, lets put it that way) and got him
[the manager] to repeat it again. That night was the best show I had ever put on, the
crowd had obviously heard [the news] and were singing and jumping along with me.
It also helped because the adrenalin was flowing after the news I had just revieved.
4. Question 3: Are you relieved to have the tour over now or do
you miss everyone?
‘I have known the Catfish boys for a long time. I signed with Vrigin EMI Records when
they did so we’re both new to all of this. We always had the pack to tour together
when the time was right and that’s what we did. Obviously, we all know each other
really well so it was therefore easier to get along; we became this one big family and
that’s something that I’m definitely missing at the moment. All of us are on this 3
month break before we start touring again so we are all spending a lot of time
together. Touring with the guys were the best eight months of my life!’
5. Question 4: What inspired you to write ‘Up in the Clouds’ the
way you did?
‘I am quite a laid back person hence the title. I wrote most of the songs in the studio
while recording covers and singles which could get released and played on the radio.
My inspirations for the album are a range of artists that I grew up listening to: Bastille,
The 1975, Twenty One Pilots, Imagine Dragons, so each song has a bit of inspiration
from bands that I grew up listening to.’
6. Question 5: Playing at Glastonbury, T in the Park and Reading
and Leeds festivals must have been an amazing experiences…
‘The festival season is my favourite time of year. I have been going to festivals for as
long as I can remember so to actually perform at three of my favourite festivals was a
dream come true. At Glastonbury, I played on ‘The Other Stage’ on the Friday right
after Catfish and the Bottlemen, funnily enough! It was my first time playing at
Glastonbury I was nervous, it was raining and the crowd was massive. But it gave me
and my band a chance to play new material and see if the crowd liked it. They loved
it. Reading and Leeds was the festival I was most comfortable in. It felt like I was
coming home, I have been to Reading festival ever since I was 17. I got signed two
years ago and this was the first time I have been back since and I also got to go to
Leeds which was amazing!’
7. Question 6: How much of the year have you been touring?
‘Well I have been supporting the Catfish guys throughout most of the year. Having
said that, I have managed to go and perform in festivals in Europe, the UK and
America as well as touring in America with the guys. In total, I have spent most of my
year in America recording and performing all over the country, I spent the rest of that
performing festivals throughout Europe in the summer. Then I was back on the road
with the guys for the last few months. Our last show was on Saturday at Brixton
Academy in London which is the biggest venue I have ever played at. So that was
exactly 11 months I have been touring and playing gigs all over the world. I think I
deserve a well erned rest!’
8. Question 7: You’re touring from March to December next year.
Do you have any new material to show case?
‘Well, next year is my ‘Up in the Clouds’ world tour, so it’s only natural to have some
new material to show case isn’t it? [laughs]’
9. Question 8: Due to popular demand, you’ve added and extra
date at the UEA in Norwich and Sheppard’s Bush Empire in
London. Does this mess about with your schedule?
‘No, it doesn’t, me and my management team had already provisionally booked an
extra date in each of those venues as we knew they we’re going to sell out fast.
Especially Norwich which is my home city. Three nights in London is mad, because
this time last year, I was still doing the odd small gig here and there while still writing
my album. As we provisionally booked the extra night in each of the venues, we knew
that if they both didn’t sell out then me and my band would be able to treat those
days as my days off in between travelling so I wouldn’t end up suffering from
exhaustion especially as the tour kicks off in the UK and it is pretty full on travelling
from place to place each night.’
10. Question 9: Do you feel any pressure to get stylists to get you
ready for a performance?
‘No. The only time a stylist will help me prepare for a show is if I’m performing at an
awards ceremony like the European Music Awards in Milan during the summer.
However, the clothes must be what I feel comfortable in; nothing too raunchy and
revealing [laughs]. However, when I’m touring or playing a set at a festival, I choose
what I wear and do my own hair and make up as I feel more comfortable playing in
my own clothes. Also, I feel that if you get a stylist to get you ready, not only does it
cost a lot of money, you are also being styled for the male gaze, so that is why I
prefer to style myself. It also tells the audience that I’m not stuck up and it gives out
the message that dress what you’re comfortable in and you mustn’t don’t care what
any body else thinks.’
11. Question 10: What country are you looking forward to visiting
next year?
‘Well, I mostly looking forward to Japan as I am playing in Tokyo as it is a place I have
wanted to visit for a while but I have been so busy I haven’t had the chance to visit
there. Also, I’m looking forward to Australia and New Zealand as I have family over
there and I also spent quite a while over there when I was 18-19 so it’s like going
home especially as I still have my apartments over there.
