Having spent the last few years churning out a fresh and enticing array of upbeat offerings, London-based singer and songwriter Martin Weston returns with his latest uplifting delight 'Loose Knit Heart'.
Channelling the same vibrant direction as acts like KAWALA and Nick Mulvey, 'Loose Knit Heart' makes for an incredibly warm return for the artist. Jam-packed with soaring textures, top-to-tapping hooks, and his own captivating voice at the helm, be prepared for this one to slap a smile on your face from start to finish.
So with the new single out now, we sat down with him to find out more about his background and what has inspired him most over the years.
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What was the first instrument you fell in love with?
The guitar. Seeing the the Johnny B. Good moment in Back To The Future as a kid is one of my strongest, earliest musical memories. I remember leaping up and rushing into the kitchen to tell my Dad about it and how amazing I thought it was.
What kind of music did you love when you were younger?
I didn’t have a TV as a kid, so I was actually a bit cutoff from the latest popular culture. So I actually ended up getting hooked first on the US folksinger Woody Guthrie and, after Back To The Future, Chuck Berry. I’ve always liked that because of this I ended up absorbing two of the artists that were the biggest influences of the Beatles and Bob Dylan respectively. Kinda cool.
What was the first album you remember owning?
The first one I asked my parents for was Blink-182’s self-titled album. I think by this point I’d twigged that it was very useful socially to know the songs my friends were into. It’s great music for a teenager too. So carefree but also very cynical and introspective.
What is the one song you wished you could have written yourself?
Of course I should say something masterful like It’s Alright Ma I’m Only Bleeding by Bob Dylan or Case of You by Joni Mitchell, but I’d actually go for Dakota by Stereophonics because how fun would that be to scream that live to 50,000 people?
Do you have any habits or rituals you go through when trying to write new music?
Write something. Think it’s the best thing ever. Come back to it later. Think it’s awful. Finally play it to someone. Hopefully they like it. Decide it’s amazing again. Work on it some more. Come back to it later. Hate it. Repeat.
Who are your favourite artists you have found yourself listening to at the moment?
I have been listening to a lot of pop for the past year or so, so all of the Swifts, Grandes, Eilishs etc. But I also went back to JJ Cale recently. Noone creates an atmosphere like him.
If you could open a show for anyone in the world, who would it be?
Opening for Bruce Springsteen would be amazing, but also scary because his shows are less concerts and more significant natural events like earthquakes or meteors.
What do you find is the most rewarding part about being a musician?
Playing music to other people. Sometimes I overthink music and second guess myself. When you play to other people you get a kick of adrenaline that allows you to cut through that for however long the song lasts.
And what is the most frustrating part?
The second guessing. The doubting. The fact you have to do something is quite silly and strange when you think about it. You make up these phrases that capture ideas and give them melodies and accompaniment and then hope people listen and enjoy. So best to not think about it because it’s actually very natural.
And what is the best piece of advice you have received as a musician?
Anything along the lines of enjoy it, keep going, and don’t overthink it.
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Martin Weston's new single 'Loose Knit Heart' is available to stream now. Check it out in the player below.