Tinie Tempah Interview

The biggest Rap star in the UK, Tinie Tempah is returning to Australia for Future Music Festival from 1st – 10th March to perform hits from new album, ‘Demonstration’. Looking forward to heading out, we sat down with the man himself to talk about his knack for performing, that high five at the BAFTAs and who influences his impeccable style.

Hi Tinie, how are you?
I’m fine, thanks. How are you?

We’re really well, thanks! What were you up to this weekend?
Just taking it easy, having a chilled out one. I’m coming over for Future this time on Wednesday so thought I’d take out some time to catch up with everyone.

Your second album, ‘Demonstration’ has pleased critics and fans; did you fear the dreaded second album syndrome after the success of ‘Disc-Overy’?
Not really while I was making it. It was more probably while I was getting ready to release it, to be honest. While I was making the record, I had a lot of fun creating it and it felt good and it felt right. When I was getting ready to release it and doing interviews, I was like, “the classic daunting second album…” You start to think about it a little bit more and whether anyone’s gonna go out and get it. I’m pretty happy with it.

With the title ‘Demonstration’ and the red stripe over your eyes on the cover, was this album a form of protest or expression?
I think it was more so expression. I wanted to copy the theme of something that felt quite protest-y and I wanted to give it that mood of art direction, but it’s definitely a form of expression. I definitely wanted to make a record that was slightly more mature, talked about a few different things as well as all the stuff that people know me for. As much as I like to make songs about having a good time and going out, letting go, escapism – I wanted to tackle a few other issues and make something that had a bit more of a positive undertone. There’s a few other songs on there like ‘Heroes’ that I performed at the BAFTAs with Laura Mvula and ‘A Heart Can Save The World’ with Emeli Sande, which are really about the people and fulfilling your full potential. Musically – a lot of different expression – and I wanted to demonstrate the fact that I can make music that wasn’t necessarily genre specific. Ok, it sounds like a Rap song, but I wanted to show that I could do things beyond that.

You mentioned working with Emeli Sande and you also have the fabulous Paloma Faith and rising stars Ella Eyre and Laura Mvula; are you a champion of female vocalists?
I’d say more of British talent, to be fair. I’m always trying my best to find out who the hottest, newest, up-and-coming artist is from Britain, whether they’re male or female. I knew it was gonna be a big year for the females and there’s a few songs and a few messages that I needed a different voice to help me get it out even more and those artists like Paloma Faith, Laura Mvula, Ella Eyre, Emeli Sande, these are people that I’m huge fans of and I think they’re gonna have really great careers.

Talking of the BAFTAs, you, Laura and rather unexpectedly, Prince William, were the highlight; what made you go for that high five?
It was just mid-performance and spur of the moment. I didn’t necessarily have anything on my mind, I was just in mid flow of the performance and I started in the crowd so I was walking through and I saw all these incredible faces of all these men and women of whom most I’ve grown up watching in films and TV and playing on computer games. When I got to the front row, I saw His Royal Highness, and to be fair, he’s the person that I knew the most out of everybody. I’ve done a few things for him in the past; I performed at his Winter White Gala so I thought “Why not?” and I was feeling it.

So you just went for it?
Yeah!

You’re a hit at festivals and I have a great memory of you at V Festival drinking shots of JD on stage with your band and turning the whole crowd into a moshpit. Is performing and working the crowd and the camera something that comes naturally to you or have you grown more comfortable with it over time?
I think I’ve always had a knack for it, but the more you get these opportunities to perform, you become a little bit more comfortable within your space. From when I first started out to the venues I’m doing now, the size is so different. That’s probably the thing that, over time, I’ve got a bit better at – how to work bigger stages and work bigger crowds. However, from the times of doing intimate gigs, I always had quite a knack for it, it kind of came naturally.

Can we expect the same from your set at Future Music Festival in just a few days?
Absolutely – no different. The only difference is we have a lot more music and we’re gonna bring the set to life with a live band. It’s gonna be great. We’ve been working on it for a long time and the show’s really exciting so I can’t wait to come out and perform it. It’s gonna be fun.

How does performing in Australia compare to the UK?
I definitely feel that there’s a British spirit in some of the Aussies, which is always cool. They’re very much in touch with what’s going on on the other side of the world, which is great. A lot of Australian people are chilled out and good-time people, they know how to have a good time and I definitely get that. Whenever I’ve performed for them and get to go across the whole of Australia is always great because you get to meet so many people. This will be my fourth time performing in Australia and it’s always the highlight of the year.

You’re impeccably dressed at events like the BAFTAs, Brit Awards and London Fashion Week and you always feature on Best Dressed lists; have you always had an eye for fashion or is that something that’s come with your career?
A bit of both. I’ve always liked expressing myself through what I wear. Ever since I had to start thinking about it a little bit more – doing a video shoot and thinking about the set design, doing a live show and thinking about the costume, and even just travelling – I’ve definitely got into it more, but I’ve always had a knack for fashion. I think it’s important as an artist; most artists think about their image and the way that they can separate themselves from the rest and stand out, and I’m happy that people have clocked onto what I’m trying to do in terms of fashion.

Who is your fashion inspiration?
I’ve always been a massive fan on Kanye (West) and Pharrell (Williams). I think they express themselves very well through fashion. Over here I like George Lamb, and then my manager, Dumi Oburota, he’s actually 38 in GQ’s best dressed, so he’s one of my inspirations as well.

You mentioned Pharrell, are you going to be able to see him at Future?
Yeah, of course! I’ll be watching his set all the time; I can’t wait.

What’s the worst crime you’ve committed towards fashion?
[Laughs] When I was a little bit younger my mum bought me a cream Sean John velour tracksuit. I wore that – I think because my mum got it from America – but it was definitely a crime towards fashion!

The British summer and festival period will soon be upon us; do you have plans already?
Absolutely. I’m gonna be doing most of the major festivals in the UK and a few in Europe. I’m just waiting to be announced, really.

What do you have planned for the rest of the year?
Touring and the studio. I’m coming over to Australia and then we’ll do the UK and hopefully a few days in Europe. Around that – just recording.

Thanks Tinie! We’ll see you at Future!

By Charlotte Mellor