Review Fix chats with singer/songwriter Liam Paul, who discusses his influences, origins in music and upcoming single.
Review Fix: How did you get involved in music?
Liam Paul: I had piano and trumpet lessons when I was in Primary School then moved onto the acoustic guitar in secondary school and started writing and learning my favourite songs at the time. When I went to uni over in Liverpool I did some open mics and got some interest from BBC Introducing Merseyside which gave me the push to carry on and keep gigging, that was back in 2013 and I’ve been writing and performing ever since.
Review Fix: What’s your creative process like?
Paul: Usually I’ll sit at the piano or with my acoustic and play some chord progressions that I like the sound of, then I’ll sing gibberish over the top to get a melody idea together usually for the verse or chorus. Once the theme of the song starts to take shape I’ll write the lyrics and usually the middle 8’s are the last part of the song that I write after playing through what I’ve written a few times. I usually play the finish product fairly often to get a feel for the song and whether and want to release it and the songs I play the most often or that I am drawn to are the ones I’ll release because I know I enjoy playing them and that’s something I’ll have to do more of once the song is out.
Review Fix: What inspires you?
Paul: Predominantly personal experiences but I’ve enjoyed challenging myself to write about a book I’ve recently read or a film/tv series that I have watched. Usually a theme will emerge from lots of things I have been into and I’ll write about that. With Trawler, the single I released earlier this year I was reading a book about Lighthouse keepers and saw a few films that had a maritime theme too. Also listening to great songs or poetry inspires me to write better lyrics or songs.
Review Fix: What does music mean to you?
Paul: It’s really cathartic and relaxing. When I’m sat at the piano or with my guitar playing and singing an idea I’ve come up with or a song I’ve written I feel really present and it feels like a great play to escape too. It helps me to process a lot of my emotions too, I can place them in a song and it helps me to resolve how I feel.
Review Fix: How would you describe your sound to someone who has never heard you?
Paul: It’s a mix, mainly acoustic pop songs. I’m inspired by The Beatles, Randy Newman, Nick Mulvey and Neil Young and my voice is quite distinct, I don’t have a belting voice but I think my tone is quite unique. The songs are honest and considered.
Review Fix: How are your live shows different from your studio work?
Paul: I’m more experienced in playing live than working in the studio, I like the freedom of playing live and being able to interact with audiences. The studio starts with a instrument and vocal and then builds from there. I’ve been lucky to work in some fantastic studios and collaborate with the producers there. Better Side was the first time I’d recorded my guitar and vocal and then left Paul Bytheway to have a play around with some ideas and come back to me and then we went back and forth to decide on the final arrangement for the track, it’s more electronic than my previous releases but that is what I like about it.
Review Fix: What inspired your latest single?
Paul: In a time when self improvement is bombarded at us daily I was reflecting on how I had acted in certain situations in my life and seeing how I could have done it ‘better’. I’m prone to perfectionist thinking so I’m sure I could find ways in which I could be better in everything, but this song is referencing how I could have been better as a partner and as a performer, a friend in all the things I was doing at the time.
Review Fix: What are your goals for the rest of 2020?
Paul: Survive?
Review Fix: What’s next?
Paul: I’ll be releasing a single in a few months time which is another side step to this record but one which I’m really proud of
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