Jamie Lawson Interview

Jamie Lawson has been a bit of a mystery to date. While his folk ballads and success in the Emerald Isle led everyone to believe he’s Irish, he’s suddenly on everyone’s lips as the first signing on Gingerbread Man Records, owned by a little-known singer-songwriter who goes by the name of Ed Sheeran. With his heart-breaking single, ‘Wasn’t Expecting That’ making waves in Australia, and his self-titled record out in October, we decided to find out a bit more about this star in the making…
Hi Jamie, how are you?
Yeah, good thanks. How are you?
Very well! Where in the world are you at the moment?
Sydney!
Ah, you’re already in Sydney!
Yeah, I was on breakfast TV bright and early! We got here Saturday night, so I’ve had one day to try and get over jetlag, which I’ve not managed to do!
So, you broke everyone’s hearts with ‘Wasn’t Expecting That’… Did you expect such a reaction?
No, would be the answer to that! You can’t really write a song and then expect something like that. It’s weird because it’s been a universal reaction. A lot of people know someone who’s been through similar situations and so it affects us all quite personally.

What inspired such song writing?
It came out of a conversation in Dublin with some friends and someone said, “Ah, I wasn’t expecting that.” And for some reason the phrase stuck in my head. The next day, I was playing around with it, and the second line, which is “Just a delicate kiss, anyone could have missed”, that came first. I had to work out what came before it. It wrote itself in a way. The only lines that were difficult were the last two where I argued with myself over how it should end. When it came out, I thought, “Well, you can’t do that to people…” but I realised that you could and that’s exactly how the song should go. You’re not expecting it, even thought it says you are the whole way through the song.
Who are your musical influences?
I grew up listening to The Jackson 5 and The Smiths, and then through that I got into REM, Radiohead and Jeff Buckley, James Taylor, Carole King and Bob Dylan. Mainly, people with great lyrics and brilliant melodies.
You caught the attention of Ed Sheeran, who subsequently invited you to tour with him and make you his first signing on Gingerbread Man Records; but your history with him doesn’t start there, does it?
No, we’d met once before in London in Balham. We did a gig there together about five years ago now, so just before he signed his record deal with Atlantic. We were mutual fans and then he became very famous and we lost touch. Then this time last year, I got a call out of the blue asking if I wanted to go and open up for Ed for this small gig in Dublin, and I jumped at the chance. We got on very well and he invited to UK and Europe and from that came the record deal. It’s been a big year for me, really!
Has it taken some getting used to?
It’s been a year of…going with it! Not thinking about it too much and just getting on with it and taking all the chances that come my way. I don’t think I’ve gotten used to it yet, but I try not to think about it at the same time.
The self-titled album that you’re releasing in October isn’t your first is it?
No, it will be my third!
So what have you stuck with and what’s changed in terms of material and the production process?
It’s odd because I wrote ‘Wasn’t Expecting That’ not long after releasing my second record, and in a way writing that song changed my writing in a sense that it was much more of a story-based song, whereas before all my songs were about certain moments. It broke through a barrier for me and opened up these other types of songs which are now a lot lighter and more people can relate to them. In terms of writing, everything got a bit easier. For the production, I just wanted to make a really warm record, something that was huggable, if that makes sense! I don’t know if I managed it, but that’s what I was going for!
So that one song was your breakthrough; it got you recognition around the world and changed the way you write?
It certainly has. It was the impetus for Ed to get involved and the song that he attached himself to. He told me that he listened to it a lot while producing ‘A Fire Love’ to get the tone of that song, which is a huge compliment. It’s odd, though, that it was a hit in Ireland but then it didn’t travel anywhere else, it just stayed there. It didn’t get across the UK or Europe or America. So I thought it was done. The fact that it has this second life is really beautiful.
Well, it’s huge in Australia now! Was the last time you were in Australia back in April supporting Ed?
Yeah, we did an arena tour and ‘Wasn’t Expecting That’ was released at the end and it went to Number 3 and it’s just gone double platinum over here, which is just incredible, and now I’m back doing my own tour.
What can ticket-holders expect from your own shows?
My shows are a bit more intimate and gentler. I try and bring people in close. Ed’s got a much more upbeat vibe than I do, like when he uses his raps, so mine’s a bit more intimate. This year, all the shows I’m doing are just going to be solo. Hopefully, next year I’m going to get a band together.
So you’ll be returning next year?
I am – I don’t know if anyone else is, but I am!
What will you be getting up to on your time off?
I don’t think I actually get one day off. Everything is promo. I had a day off yesterday and I went to see the Opera House close up because last time I was here I didn’t get the chance and I really wanted to see it. Apart from that, I’d like to get out to Manly Beach because I hear great things about it, but I don’t think I’ll get the chance!
Do you like to take advantage of the travel aspect of touring if you can?
Yes, if I can. More often than not, because of the way touring works, it’s expensive to get around so you’re in as late as you can possibly get in and you leave as soon as your possibly can because there are expenses, which is very boring. But it’s winter here anyway so… We had heavy rain yesterday – you can’t believe Neighbours or Home & Away where it never rains! I feel lied to.
Where else are you touring in the coming months?
Straight from Australia we go to New Zealand for one show in Auckland. And then I go straight to the US and I join Ed on eight or so arena dates with him, which will be great. Then I fly back to Dublin and then I have two shows on my own in New York and LA at the end of September, and then it’s the European tour throughout the whole of November, which starts in Dublin, goes through Glasgow, Manchester and London and then throughout Europe.
Jamie Lawson’s new album is out 9th October.
By Charlotte Mellor
@cmellor_03