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 Capitol Records.
His sweet vulnerability is displayed in his decadent vocals, and his inspirational songwriting is showcased in the leading single of the release, titled “You Are the Reason,” by far the most beautiful song I’ve ever encountered. Although the song began as “a meditation on anxiety and its triggers,” it metamorphosed 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,” Scott says. The song is also featured as a heavenly duet with the lovely Leona Lewis.
A finalist on “Britain’s Got Talent,” where he famously performed his version of Robyn’s hit “Dancing on My Own,” Scott will be embarking on a massive tour across Europe.
Adjusting to the limelight and coming to terms with his sexuality, 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 remains amazed at his newly found career and is still awed by other huge artists, not yet realizing he’s become huge artist 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 [about how] even though you have these 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 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: multicultural, 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 spotlights 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 “Britain’s Got Talent” has 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 nightlife 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.
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 [about how] even though you have these 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 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: multicultural, 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 spotlights 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 “Britain’s Got Talent” has 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 nightlife 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.
