spotlight CALUM SCOTT’S It’s a mad, mad, mad world. Only in today’s would always have on her favorite singers: Whitney risks we take in life we would take, if we actually fast-paced, digital, viral world can a small town kid Houston, Celine Dion, Tina Turner, Michael knew what it would end up being about. from the Northern England city of Kingston upon Jackson, Prince, Elton John and Shirley Bassey. Oh my god, yes absolutely! But, you know what? Hull go from a 9 to 5 job in human resources to the All the huge singers that spanned kind of the same I think if I went back in time, I wouldn’t do it any world stage, seemingly overnight. Especially for space who wrote a certain kind of music and sang differently. Even with the highs and lows and the someone who never considered himself a singer. with a certain kind of passion and emotion. I think unknown, I’d do it all over again. I think that’s kind Entered into a singing competition by his younger that’s generally where my influence for my singing of the magic of the adventure. The magic of the sister (without him knowing, no less) to rise to the style comes from…it definitely comes from my journey and not knowing what’s going to happen. dare and as a result of that experience, discover mom. I’ve always been a lover of music. When I This industry is a gamble, you literally don’t know a passion for music that would propel him on to was in school I was a drummer, so I used to trash what’s going to happen. Going back to what we said the stage for Britain’s Got Talent. A moment that the hell out of the drums at home and as you could at the beginning, this is why I want to stay as truthful would spurn a massive number one hit based on his imagine my mom absolutely loved. to myself as I possibly can. Because, if it all goes soulful cover of Robyn’s song, “Dancing On My That’s so funny, I love it. I’m laughing partially wrong, I can at least stand by what I’ve done and Own.” His heartfelt track about falling in love with because my father bought my sister a drum kit say, “I could have given no more. I’ve loved what a straight man that would go on to No. 1 on iTunes shortly after my parents divorced and I always I’ve done, I’ve loved the journey and I remained in 11 countries, becoming the best-selling U.K. said it was my father’s way of getting even with truthful to myself.” single by a British solo artist in 2016. Furthering his my mother. Good songwriting comes from a place of vulner- mad dash and offering Scott the chance to perform Yeah, I wasn’t her favorite person for a year and ability and when you run across it, it’s a true gift. on shows like, Late Night with Seth Meyers, The a half, but I got through my exam and I did pretty People crave that sort of deep honesty, recognize Ellen DeGeneres Show, Good Morning America well. It definitely drives a wedge between relation- the emotion of it and can relate to it. and more. Next came a tour of the U.S.—all while ships I can tell you that. (Laughs) But, you know as Obviously, the success I had with “Dancing On writing and recording songs for his upcoming debut a drummer, I was never really interested in being in My Own” was unprecedented and amazing and I album, Only Human—which he released in March. front of a stage. Never really interested in being in was over the moon with the kind of reaction I got. Oh, and one more small detail…he came out on the the spotlight. I was kind of quite happy being in the The beautiful thing about finally releasing my national stage as he did all of it. back. You know, being in the school orchestra for a album is that I’ve been writing this album for a year That in a nutshell is what has happened to Calum period of time and I was quite happy not being in the and a half and I’ve been putting my blood, sweat Scott over the course of the last three years. Through front and I never have really been a guy who loves and tears into it…My own very personal stories. it all, he’s managed to hang on to that “I’m just a being the center of attention and what have you. But, I did it with a view in mind to hopefully inspire. regular, normal guy” sensibility, though The Rage For me it wasn’t until my sister overheard me in my To actually put the album out and to see people Monthly thinks he’s anything but. His debut album bedroom and put me in a singing competition. relating these songs to their own lives and sound is a collection of deeply felt, vulnerable songs that Tell us that story. I read somewhere that she did it tracking it essentially to their lives—there’s actu- chronologically tell the story of his challenges, and didn’t tell you until you were at the karaoke ally something really beautiful in the fact that we’re successes and his career’s progression. Music that bar. Is that correct? sharing each other’s stories—sharing emotions and intimately lays bare the struggles he’s faced as he’s Yeah, she put me in a singing competition and I think it’s just really beautiful. I’ve already seen grown into himself as a singer, as a songwriter and didn’t bother telling me, so she actually forced me people dancing to “You Are The Reason” as their as an out, proud gay man. Eulogizing the experience against my will to take the stage. (Laughs) You wedding song and it just really does overwhelm me. through music and sharing it with anyone who know what though, it ignited a passion in me that I’d I’m like “Oh my god, my song…that is crazy.” might be facing the same challenges...making the never felt before. It was the most amazing feeling, I read that you put together something like burden of it all just a little easier to carry. it gave me a sense of achievement and of purpose. seventy songs for this album? Here’s what he had to say about the ride so far. It started the beginnings of a future career: Being Oh my god, yeah. I didn’t know what to do, so I signed and releasing my debut album and it all just wrote and wrote and wrote and the writing side Has music always been a part of your life? Were comes from that moment. I’ve worked incredibly of it become therapy for me. I didn’t really have the you a kid who grew up with it around you in your hard since and I’ve definitely always loved music, album in mind as a goal—of course I had it in mind home? but never would I have thought that it had the and I knew I was working towards it—but it was Yeah, for sure when I was young. My sister’s dad trajectory that it’s had…Absolutely never. me sort of learning my craft and trying to be honest used to take us on a lot of holidays and my mom It’s funny, I often say I wonder how many of the and relatable. I wanted to write songs that people

30 RAGE monthly | APRIL 2018 ONLY HUMAN A HEART LAID OPEN CALUM SCOTT’S by joel martens

To actually put the album out and to see people relating these songs to their own lives and sound tracking it essentially to their lives—there’s actually something really beautiful in the fact that we’re sharing each other’s stories—sharing emotions and I think it’s just really beautiful.”

APRIL 2018 | RAGE monthly 31 spotlight would go, “Oh my god, I know exactly how he feels because that happened to me.” That sort of reaction is what I’ve craved when writing. It wasn’t until the label was like “Calum, we need you to stop writing for a second.” (Laughs) If they hadn’t, it would’ve been like a hundred and forty songs deep. I’d be like, “Guys, I’ve got album two, three, four, five and six here as well.” (Laughs) I have to say though, it was really nice to just sit there and pour my heart out into song and pour my sorrows into lyrics. I can’t imagine how hard it must have been to try to pare all that down. How on earth did you choose which to include on the album? Oh my god yeah, to get those down to 12 now was so difficult. There’s a song that I wrote with a songwriter called Toby Gad, he’s an incredible songwriter. He’s written with John Legend, with The Script and he’s written with Gaga…incredible artists. We wrote a song just me and him—there’s very few songs where it’s just been me and somebody else—generally speaking in the industry I think…no. The reason I wanted to do it at the top of you have maybe a couple more songwriters in the album, was because I suppressed my sexuality there, as well. I love the process and people putting for so long and like you said, the album is a story. their ideas in and kind of creating a piece of magic There’s a song on it called “Only You” and it’s I had come out a little earlier. My friend Dan who that you wouldn’t have been able to do on your how when I was young I told my friend I didn’t I told you about earlier, he was open and out from own. Having that input from other people makes it know if I was gay or if it was a stage, then at quite the get-go really. I was always so envious at how special. a young age I was completely abandoned by my confident he was. How much freedom it gave him. Anyway, it was just me and Toby and he was friends. There was one guy that helped me out of But, I think things happen for a reason and back then playing some chords and I said I wanted to tell the that, his name was Dan and he is one of my best I wasn’t ready to come out. story of when I came out to my mom, because she friends, even to this day. For years after, I repressed I’ve answered a couple of questions from the had such a beautiful reaction. Then for so many my sexuality because I was terrified that if I told press, especially the LGBT community and it’s years, I hadn’t told my dad because my dad lived in people, I would lose them. All the way up until I like “What advice would you give to people going Canada, since I was two. It wasn’t until I was 27 that started writing songs, I repressed my sexuality—so through the same sort of thing?” One of the first I went to Canada and told him, and he had the same that’s a long time really—all of my teens, all of my things I’ve said is “You’ll do it when you’re ready.” reaction. Back then being a teenager and being 20’s. So, getting “If Our Love is Wrong” onto paper That’s what I wanted with this album, too, I tried to, terrified of what my mom was going to say, then and into music was such a turning point for me as a you know, obviously be open with my sexuality and fast forward to being almost a 30-year-old adult song writer, as a person… that I suppressed it. That was a significant part of and telling my dad and having the same reaction. And basically, as a human being. Only Human is my life, but then I’ve also been a lover and a bit of an That was a song I really wanted on the album, but it such a perfect choice for your album title and “If asshole to people I’ve dated…I’ve done the whole didn’t make it. I will perform that song live or have Our Love Is Wrong” is such a perfect first song. thing. I’ve been a human being and I think that’s it on the next album. It’s a wonderful way to share that part of your what best encapsulates the album, I’m human, I It’s interesting to me too, I mean correct me if I’m journey out of the closet. Thanks for that. make mistakes and I made the apologies and I’ve wrong, but it seems like you’re telling a story with Thank you. I wanted that at the top of the album had the highs and lows, I’ve had the heartbreaks how you’ve done the track listing. It’s sort of a and I’m so proud of it. It’s such a personal song and and the romance. That’s what I tried to offer with chronological life history, track by track. its seems to have moved people. People are quoting this album. Give people the diversity of me as an It is exactly that. The beginning, the top of the the lyrics back to me and saying how beautiful it individual, as an artist, as a gay man, as a happy man album is kind of a bit…I wouldn’t say controversial is and how they’ve been moved by it and have told and as a sensitive man. I tried to give everything that because I don’t want to put too much focus on it their family that they’re gay. It’s genuinely such a I’ve got to this album. So yeah, I’m very proud of it. being controversial, but coming out at the top of humbling feeling for me to sing about something so the record, it’s about pushing boundaries. The very personal and to know that’s helping other people. Only Human is available now. first song is an introduction to me as an artist and It makes everything so worthwhile. I feel like I’m I’m talking about coming out to the world as gay. I just at the right age and just at the right time in life to For more of this interview with Calum Scott, think some people may deem that controversial and do what I’ve done. I look back sometimes and wish go to ragemonthly.com.

32 RAGE monthly | APRIL 2018