ISSUE #32 MMUSICMAG.COM SPOTLIGHT scarlet Page
˘ james blunt a mega-selling artist recaptures his past to move forward
“What I’m about Is not tryIng at the start of his career in 2004—fresh to write songs that get played on the out of the british army, where he held the radio or become hit singles,” says rank of captain—blunt’s debut, Back to James blunt, “because that would be a Bedlam, was released on indie label Custard hollow inspiration for making music. a records. atlantic snapped him up, and by desperately hollow inspiration.” to most who 2005 he was a household name with the know his music or his name, blunt is the year’s biggest album (current worldwide pop star who sold around 20 million records sales for the record top 11 million). For Moon over the past decade, powered by the Landing, blunt decided to return to his roots. megahit “you’re beautiful.” “I went back to tom rothrock, who more hit singles followed that recorded my first album,” says blunt, 39. Issue #32 song, including the recent effervescent “I wanted to capture it like we did before ryan tedder co-write “bonfire heart,” there was an audience, before there was M MUSIC & MUSICIANS the lead single from his new album an expectation of an audience. so we MAGAZINE Moon Landing. however, as blunt sees recorded it in that indie way, like we recorded it, his work isn’t chart-topping pop, Back to Bedlam.” but deeper, soul-bearing music. “over as he speaks, a car whizzes the singer the past few years I’ve had experiences around L.a. to tape a performance on that are good and some really bad, The Ellen DeGeneres Show. blunt has a and I wanted to capture them for this large audience and is still signed to a major record,” he explains. label. For many artists in his position, it’s “When I write songs, it’s without you important to maintain relevance not only to in mind—that’s why it’s so naked and raw his audience, but also in the current music and personal to me. It’s someone exposing market climate. but blunt doesn’t seem their vulnerability in a world where people are concerned about popularity. posturing and posing, talking about what’s “to stay relevant to what?” blunt asks, cool or what car they drive. this isn’t an somewhat aghast. “as a musician, for me, album to keep up my image or a front. It I’m writing about personal experiences. I’m shows weaknesses and fallibility. that’s what not writing words that you need to hear, I’m I think is more important than pretending to writing words that I need to say.” be something I’m not.” –Linda Laban
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