James Morrison talks about his music and tough past
Englishman James Morrison is in Manila for his concert tonight (October 9) at the Smart Araneta Coliseum. He was excited for the chance to promote his latest album "The Awakening" this side of the globe.
"I'm really pleased to be here. I'm excited for the gig," he told the pool of selected Filipino interviewers on Monday, October 8.
The 26-year old singer-songwriter admitted to a past toughened by poverty, though he liked putting it as his path to a solid foundation for his musical depth. His debut single "You Give Me Something" gave him instant fame the same year he released it in 2006.
He said, "We didn't have a lot of money then. But my upbringing made me strong and in my view, I think I'll have it hard than easy."
His first ‘proper’ album
Morrison's new album, his third and released by MCA Music, is being described as a "worthy platform for his extraordinary singing voice."
He said it was an album he enjoyed doing because he didn't need to be extra conscious and careful about making songs for the purpose of achieving mainstream success. Morrison simply "sang how I felt and it all just came flooding out."
He also called "The Awakening" as his "first proper album," with his first two being "practice shots."
Soul is music with ‘meaning and purpose’
Two of his biggest hits, however, came from those practices: "Wonderful World" and "The Pieces Don't Fit Anymore."
He mentioned Stevie Wonder as a distinctive voice that made real impression on him and the late Michael Jackson as one of his artistic inspirations, emphasizing that the King of Pop "wrote songs of depth."
He acknowledged his description as a white soul singer and simply categorized soul as "just music with meaning and purpose."
Cliché advice?
As for touring the world, he saw it as his way of "bridging the gap" among people. He said of the concert tonight, "This makes me feel like bringing the people together."
His piece of advice for aspiring musicians may sound cliché, but it rings true coming from a certified big seller. "The main thing is you just have to stay true to yourself. I'm conveying truth through music," he said.
As his way of standing out among tortured souls who keep on writing gloomy stuff, he assured, "I'm into good, old-fashioned music and I always wanna write positive songs about life."
