Lewis Watson (05/01/2014)
Taking some time out from his busy year, Lewis Watson shared with me his thoughts on the new EP. Throughout our time together, nothing but legitimate gratitude was expressed for the people he has worked with and for the fans that have elevated him to the position he is now.
Congrats on the third release of the year, with all the work you’ve done it must be tiring to pump out three EPs in one year
Yeah, it is a bit tiring but a lot of fun though you know I’ve done a lot of touring this year and a lot of writing, so it is great in the spaces in between to be in the studio and create. I’m really glad we’ve gone down this EP route and constantly released music, just because if I were a fan of somebody I’d want them to constantly release music rather than just give me twelve songs to live with in the year.
Now compared to your previous work, this EP is really collaborative based, any particular reason why you went in this direction?
I’ve kinda always wanted to collaborate with other people and to be able to do it with people who I’m personally a big fan of is something I am grateful for. It was great to go into the studio and pick their brain and create something. I am really glad that I got to do it, it’s just a shame that it’s taken this long and I do look forward to doing it again.
Let’s talk about Even If, did you have any particular reasons picking this single to revamp on the EP?
It seemed that after the EP, while on the road a lot of people connected to Even If and so it was something I wanted to re-record and try and make it more in the now.
Great, now the artists who are featured on the EP, how exactly did you meet them? And any more Australian tour plans?
I’m friends with all of them, I supported Gabbie on tour, I brought Kimbee on tour with me and the Hudson Taylor guys I know through Gabbie. It was cool just to be in the studio with mates and I’m a big fan of all their music, so it was great to be in the studio.
I love Australia and have been twice now and think that both trips have been really successful, we were meant to come back this year but with the schedule and the new record, we had to take something out. I’d love to bring the band back, with a headline tour in small venues to do a conventional tour.
A majority of your work was done through YouTube. What role did that have in exposing yourself to your fans?
I think all of the internet has been great, not only to me but a load of other artists. It was something I really just did to teach myself guitar but then when I noticed people were watching it was that, oh okay I’ll keep doing this. For some reason people wanted to watch me do it. While that was happening, I was also doing gigs back from where I’m from and I kinda combined those two worlds in having a physical presence, however small it was. I think the internet is fantastic and there is no other way to get your music or art or anything out there to that many people that quickly.
To wrap up our time together, going with the theme of the EP, is there a particular artist you’d want to collaborate with one day?
I would... and I’m saying this because this is for Australia but I would absolutely love to work with Matt Corby. I have been a fan of his for four years now and he has really opened my eyes to an incredible vocal and insane musicianship. I’ve been lucky to see him a few times and have thoroughly enjoyed myself. I would love to be in a studio with him and pick his brains or I might completely embarrass myself when it comes to vocalising I know he would completely out class me. I absolutely love that guy’s music and would love to do something with him.
Scott Singh
Congrats on the third release of the year, with all the work you’ve done it must be tiring to pump out three EPs in one year
Yeah, it is a bit tiring but a lot of fun though you know I’ve done a lot of touring this year and a lot of writing, so it is great in the spaces in between to be in the studio and create. I’m really glad we’ve gone down this EP route and constantly released music, just because if I were a fan of somebody I’d want them to constantly release music rather than just give me twelve songs to live with in the year.
Now compared to your previous work, this EP is really collaborative based, any particular reason why you went in this direction?
I’ve kinda always wanted to collaborate with other people and to be able to do it with people who I’m personally a big fan of is something I am grateful for. It was great to go into the studio and pick their brain and create something. I am really glad that I got to do it, it’s just a shame that it’s taken this long and I do look forward to doing it again.
Let’s talk about Even If, did you have any particular reasons picking this single to revamp on the EP?
It seemed that after the EP, while on the road a lot of people connected to Even If and so it was something I wanted to re-record and try and make it more in the now.
Great, now the artists who are featured on the EP, how exactly did you meet them? And any more Australian tour plans?
I’m friends with all of them, I supported Gabbie on tour, I brought Kimbee on tour with me and the Hudson Taylor guys I know through Gabbie. It was cool just to be in the studio with mates and I’m a big fan of all their music, so it was great to be in the studio.
I love Australia and have been twice now and think that both trips have been really successful, we were meant to come back this year but with the schedule and the new record, we had to take something out. I’d love to bring the band back, with a headline tour in small venues to do a conventional tour.
A majority of your work was done through YouTube. What role did that have in exposing yourself to your fans?
I think all of the internet has been great, not only to me but a load of other artists. It was something I really just did to teach myself guitar but then when I noticed people were watching it was that, oh okay I’ll keep doing this. For some reason people wanted to watch me do it. While that was happening, I was also doing gigs back from where I’m from and I kinda combined those two worlds in having a physical presence, however small it was. I think the internet is fantastic and there is no other way to get your music or art or anything out there to that many people that quickly.
To wrap up our time together, going with the theme of the EP, is there a particular artist you’d want to collaborate with one day?
I would... and I’m saying this because this is for Australia but I would absolutely love to work with Matt Corby. I have been a fan of his for four years now and he has really opened my eyes to an incredible vocal and insane musicianship. I’ve been lucky to see him a few times and have thoroughly enjoyed myself. I would love to be in a studio with him and pick his brains or I might completely embarrass myself when it comes to vocalising I know he would completely out class me. I absolutely love that guy’s music and would love to do something with him.
Scott Singh