One of the most talented, sensitive and captivating artists to come along in decades, British born sensation Calum Scott has recently released his compelling full length album “Only Human” via Capital Records.
His sweet vulnerability is displayed within his decadent vocals and impressionable and inspirational songwriting as showcased in the leading single of the release entitled “You Are the Reason”, by far the most beautiful song I’ve ever encountered. Although the song began as “a mediation on anxiety and it’s triggers”, it metamorphisized into a celebration. “So instead of being a song about anxiety, the message became about how the love you feel for the people in your life is more powerful than anything else”…. from the artist. The song is also featured as a heavenly duet with the lovely Leona Lewis.
A finalist on “Britain’s Got Talent”, where he performed his version of Robyn’s hit “Dancing on my Own”, Scott will be embarking on a massive tour encompassing the U.K. and Ireland.
Adjusting to the limelight and coming to terms with his sexuality, Calum Scott is one the most humble, down to earth and candid people I’ve ever spoken to, as well as being a blast! Still possessing that industry innocence, he is still amazed at his newly found career and is still awed by other huge artists, not yet realizing he’s become huge himself….
Your single, “You Are The Reason”, is such a beautiful, heartfelt song,….what were you thinking when you wrote it?
I wished I could write a song that I realized could actually even though you have those complications with relationships, the love that you feel for them can do anything. It’s just such a beautiful, hopeful, and simple matter to explain…that love conquers all. It’s not just necessarily just a romantic relationship, but a relationship with family or friends or kids. My personal relationship was with my great grandmother…
I feel like you included every kind of relationship in the video known to man, multi-cultural, same sex, parent and child…you left no one out…
I think the video is one of those things where it actually explained the song perfectly. It just gives you all the different spot lights of love, the pregnant couple, a gay couple, a straight couple, and family. I definitely wanted that of the grandparent passing away. That was my tribute to my grandma. So the video speaks through the song. The reaction to the song and the video has just been beautiful.
The video brings people to tears in a hopeful and inspirational sense….Has there been one particular instance that has changed the trajectory of your life?
Yeah, definitely, there have been a couple of them. Obviously I have to recognize that “Britains’s Got Talent” had given me that platform. I worked a very normal 9 to 5 job, I came from a normal childhood, and that audition gave me the opportunity with social media and all that kind of stuff. It then traveled globally. But I think for me was when I put my single out, it got worldwide attention and at that point I was considered a music artist. I got the attention in America, and the attention of one of the biggest record labels in the world. I think moments like that will keep happening, these were my very first headline shows, and the shows have been sold out. Putting out the single and watching the reactions globally it really does make me feel very confident and excited. I think that signifies a complete trajectory of where my life is headed.
I think that sometimes I feel like growing up in the U.K. tends to be a little bit difficult. What was it like for you growing up?
I think for me it was kind of difficult. I obviously had issues with my sexuality, how to deal with it….there wasn’t that frame of awareness. That was tough. But even though it was rough growing up with my sexuality I wouldn’t change it if I could. It kind of makes us who we are. It helped me to write songs that will inspire people to be happy, to be who they are. So I wouldn’t change anything even though I had a hard time growing up, I wouldn’t change anything even if I could have changed it.
I love the gay night life in the U.K.
Oh my god yeah. I just came back from Sydney and it was Mardi Gras. I didn’t have the opportunity to stick around because I had to go to the Philippines. If I didn’t go to Asia I was kind of looking forward to staying there for Mardi Gras, especially now because I am confident of who I am. I did want to go there and experience that. I’m sure I will be able to in the future.
If you could have your ultimate stage fantasy, what would you need to happen?
Omg, I must admit that after working with Leona Lewis, that sort of opened up a whole world of opportunity in terms of being able to collaborate. It was amazing, so to be able to have the opportunity to maybe do that on stage …omg! Having my own super fantasy would be to do it with someone like Adele or Ed Sheeran, or Beyoncé, or one huge, huge artist, it would just be so amazing to collaborate with somebody live, so exciting. Just having an audience is so intimate. I was just talking to a lady who came over from Ireland. She said Ireland is one of the places to perform in because everybody is so vocal and visual and you really get into it. They dance with you, sing with you….and give a million percent more…So I suppose my fantasy would be to collaborate with someone on stage, and then just give people a show they will never forget. I’m going to be in Dublin in a couple of weeks actually.
So when you perform live do you still get nervous?
Yeah, I get nervous all the time. I get nervous performing in front of 10 people or 100 people, and I think it’s because I care so much about what I do. I really genuinely care, I want to give 1,000,000% every time. I just did a performance for a radio station. There wasn’t a ton of people there but I was still backstage pacing around. They said to me , “what’s wrong with you”? I said “I’m about to go on stage”. They said ” but there’s just a hand full of people”… like I said I think it’s just because I try to do everything in my performances. Emotionally I tried to do my best and physically, especially my voice… so I just want to do a really great job. I might as well say every time, every time before I do a performance I have to the back and perform, it’s absolutely necessary.
Now when you auditioned for “Britain’s Got Talent” your sister who went on stage directly before you didn’t go through, and then you were next to perform…what kind of emotions were going through your mind?
It was just one of those really surreal moments because my sister had auditioned and convinced me to as well in order to get some life experience. It was surreal to be there. You know the cameras were there, there was a theatre full of people….it’s a bit of a surreal moment to be back stage kind of waiting around…then when it actually comes up to be your turn, you’re nervous, excited…especially performing with my sister. We were trying to give 100%. So you get to a point where you’re sort of giving your heart and soul away, so to speak. Then my sister actually went on ….and what happened to her…so it was the best and worst day of my life. I watched my little sister kind of cruelly get turned down, and then I went on and got the seal of approval. So I was in such a mix of emotions and it’s nothing you can prepare for. You literally cannot. There’s nothing you can say, ” well if I do this I’ll be ok”. That just doesn’t happen.
If you could say anything to your fans and followers, what would that be?
I would just want to say thank you so much for your support. Like I said I’ve come from very humble beginning’s working a 9-to-5 job and what I do comes from a very sincere and genuine place. Always trying to do my best and I’m always grateful for everything that happens to me particularly with the fans because I wouldn’t be where I’m at if they didn’t support me. So I’m very much grateful, and I’m just so excited to see where this journey takes me and meet as many of these guys as possible.
You said before that your fantasy would be to perform with a huge artist, but I think that you already are there and I think it would be other artist’s fantasies to perform with you.
Thank you.
However, a lot of people here in the states tend to compare you to Sam Smith, what is your point of view on that?
You know what, it’s a huge complement. Sam is an incredible and gifted artist. I’ve met him and we’ve talked about the industry, and we have similar stories about our sexuality, both professionally and personally. So it’s a huge compliment. Obviously we have our differences, that’s why I want to get to America and perform live and show people that me and Sam are similar, but we are also very different. Sam is a beautiful singer and has wonderful songs. I think we all have our own different uniquenesses. So I am going to go over to America and show people what I’m made of and what I can do. As far as I’m concerned it’s a beautiful compliment.
Calum, you’re a new addition to a crayon box…what color are you?
My favorite color is probably green or khaki. I have to make a new color….You know what, if I could I would try and have like a rainbow colored crayon. Just because if what it represents, equality, …it’s only a part of me and my music. Like I said I want to inspire. I’ve never been quite happier..I’m proud of flying that flag so I might as well have it in a crayon. So there you go, a rainbow colored crayon.
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