CALUM

It’s been nearly four years since we last caught up with Calum Scott, and a lot has happened since then! From selling out tours worldwide to releasing heartfelt anthems that continue to touch millions, Calum has solidified himself as one of the most soulful voices in pop music. But what’s next? As he gears up for an exciting 2025, we sit down to chat about his journey, his growth as an artist, and what fans can expect from his upcoming music. Plus, we get a little personal with fun stories from the road and his message to LGBTQ+ fans!

Mental that we last chatted in 2021! How has life changed for you over the past few years? I always say this in my interviews - it is very surreal for someone who for me comes from a working class family. I remember when I was at school I had to have like a little ‘top-up’ which is an educational allowance to buy books and stuff. I have come from not a lot, and to have a dream, but more so for that dream to have come true is quite a surreal experience for me. Every time I look back and reflect, I always get like a lump in my throat, because it is just little old Calum from Yorkshire, and that is how I still sort of see things. For me I am very humbled and grateful and for the last four years, when you think “OMG, how can it get better” - In the last four years I have been on tour with Ed Sheehan and he has also invited me to sing more of my songs with him which is just stupid. I have sang for His Majesty The King for the Coronation celebrations in his back garden which again is just mind-blowing, I have had my second studio album out, I have had a huge hit with ‘Where Are You Now’ and ‘Lost Frequencies’ and ’You Are The Reason’ continues to be listened to by people in their millions. You sit there and go “I don’t know if this could get any better”, but I am just one of those people that constantly pays my dues and respects the fact the only reason that I am in this position is because I have got incredible fans, incredible support and people like yourself who keep spreading the word about Calum Scott. It humbles me to my core, so every time I look back at the last four years, or even as far as 10 years, since the audition it’s like I have a huge amount of gratitude, but yes it is quite emotional.

You’ve travelled the world performing—have you had any unforgettable or bizarre experiences while on tour?

On tour, when I was with Ed, I always say this, it is very hard to be present and to perform at the same time if that makes sense. Because as you are performing, you are thinking about your lyrics, you’re thinking about your steps, about track listing and things that want to say to the audience so it is hard to then be present as well, to be in the moment. But one thing that Ed did which I loved and he sprung it on me by surprise, little bugger, but he invited me up to sing You Are The Reason with him on his set, so it was a stadium full of people and as were singing the song and got towards the end, I was just about to sing the end line, and Ed said “I am going to surprise Calum a little bit here, I want you take take your in-ears out and I want you to listen to the crowd singing it back”, and he counted them all back in and everybody in the stadium started singing You Are The Reason and I could not fathom it. I like tingled everywhere because it was the first time ever I witnessed people singing my song back. You know if I say “Sing it everyone” then that’s one thing but Ed telling me to take my ears out, I’ve got Ed Sheeran next to me playing guitar and the crowd was singing one of my songs back in their tens of thousands, honestly it was the most unbelievable ever. I will never forget it, I will never forgive. Lol.

Your music has such an emotional depth. Do you have a particular song that still hits you hard every time you perform it? Yes, there are certain songs that I sing that I always find quite difficult performing live. I guess No Matter What is quite profound for me because that was the song that helped me come out and accept myself. I think for me it is the responsibility that song holds for people - it has become a bit of a tool or medicinewhich is the highest honour for me as a songwriter to make something that people go to and say “Thats my story and that healed me”, that for me is a huge honour. I sing from the heart so for me I go to that place when I am singing the song and I want people to see the emotion that I carry in there. It can be quite difficult but all I have to do is look out and see people singing it back or in the front row some people are crying, mums and sons or daughters hugging, it makes it all worth while even though it’s difficult and it can be emotionally quite taxing it is worth every second, and I always have a little blue. My mates used to say to me “Do you put it on just for a little bit of show?”

And I was like “No”. Sometimes I have been hugging my cello player, absolutely sobbing and your stomach is going as well, because it is just very real. I take it really, really seriously.

You are no stranger to a collaboration Leona Lewis, Lost Frequencies, Darren Espanto to name a few - who is on your wish list to work with ? - I’d love a collaboration with Adele - that would be the ULTIMATE Ballad.

I mean yeah, there wouldn’t be a dry eye in the house would there? It would blow up I think. That’s my dream, is Adele. She is someone that I still do and always have idolised, especially at the start of my career when I was the bad guy, I was the guy that was going to make people cry, for me at that point it was all about Adele. It was about trying to be like Adele, and I obviously wanted to make people dance as well, but I have always idolised her. I think it was when I watched the Celine Dion documentary I thought I would love to do something with Celine because for me growing up all I listened to was my mum’s music tastes. People like Whitney, Tina Turner, Elton John, George Michael, Celine, you know these big voices, so I would love to do something with Celine or I would have loved the opportunity to do something with George Michael , I think it would have been so good, because I always come back to George Michael and David Bowie who did Under Pressure, and I just think two professional artists singing a song like that I would have jumped at that, I can dream.

We need to move on to new music...

I’ve been lucky enough to hear your new song ‘ God Knows’ , I’m not just saying this but it is absolutely beautiful. I’ve lost count of the amount of times I’ve listened to it, lol - The question iswho do you need, who is the song about ?

I think the thing about God Knows is it is another lived in experience. It’s that thing of, we have all made mistakes, we have all pushed somebody away that we love and we have said things out of anger, you know we take things out on the people closest to us. For me it is like that desperation that I know I have messed up, I know that I need to make this right and I don’t think anybody really understands how much I want to make this right. I always like to take simple things and bring out the power in them. For me it is trying to take out something small but bring out the power of it. God Knows for me is a big sing, especially if you have heard that last chorus, Christ!

Your voice is so on point, the last part of the song when you go up the octave is FIRE - as a thespian I listen to that and think ‘lord i would hate to be trying to do that live lol’ - do you ever get too brave in the recording studio creating perfection and then ask yourself later ‘why did I make it so hard’ ?

Even listening to it today, I was in Abbey Road Studios before I left to go back to Yorkshire and we were mixing the song in Atmos and hearing it in 7 different speakers all at one I was just like, I turned to the guy and I said “I don’t know how I am going to do this”. But do you know what, I think with anything I do, I do give it 110%, so I feel that the listener for me they are going to feel that as well. Even though it is difficult I feel like that is what my audience deserves, so I am just going to have to knuckle down with the vocal lessons.

I watched the video on your insta at Real World Studios, seeing the emotion and excitement in your face had me well up - it shows how you don’t rest on your laurels and love creating - how would you describe the experience? Especially when you are recording strings it is just the most amazing feeling ever, because at that point you have got all of these people there, for you and for your music. It is so heartwarming just to see people coming together for your project. The thing about music is it is quite magical in a way because it comes from idea to reality. Being there and watching strings being recorded, it is a real humbling feeling, I just stand and well up every time. I am such a sensitive boy! It’s unbelievable. I think in the process of making the album I have never felt more like Calum Scott until I do nowbecause of my route into the industry and it was a bit of a whirlwind and I have gone through periods where I did not have as much support - so I think I have had that imposter syndrome in my head where it is all going to come crashing down at some point. However, I feel like I really believe in myself these days and I think the music I am making now reflects that. I just feel more confident and all of the songs I am evolving and pushing boundaries as you heard at the end of God Knows, but

I also know what I want to do which is just be a positive influence on people and in people’s lives. Whether that is writing a song about living life to the fullest because life is fragile through some experiences that I have gone through life who are close to me. There is also a song on there that is a song to my future baby because I am thinking of a family in the future, so there’s all of these songs that speak to people on a very emotional level but then there’s also songs on there, but dare I say it Daniel, are a little bit sexy! This feels like the music that I have needed to make and so I am very confident and happy with that.

So in addition to a single we are finally getting your 3rd Album - entitled ‘Avenoir’, ive googled and read different meanings of the word - For our readers can you explain the title and why you chose it ?

Avenoir was something that I came across in a book from a gentleman called John and he is able to make words that we don’t have words for yet, if you know what I mean. It’s almost like redefining the English language. He had put this word called Avenoir and I thought I have never seen this word in my life. Basically Avenoir is the desire to want to see memories in reverse. He talks about how we move through life, always moving forward but always facing backwards and we can never see what’s coming next. It’s almost like a “What if” situation - I thought if I was able to see things coming, would I choose to have that vision and I thought it’s actually the surprises in life that make life worth living. All of the hope and the ambition that comes from not knowing what is around the corner, for better or for worse. To me Avenoir is a bit of a challenge really, to live life in the present. For me it is really cool, I really enjoy trying to challenge the perception of life. Also with the songs that I have made, I have written songs about regret and wanting to make things right,

Pre interview we asked CalumWould you rather!

Always have to speak in rhymes or sing instead of talking?

I think I would probably talk in rhymes then at least I would still be able to have a career.

Be able to teleport anywhere instantly or have the ability to pause time?

Teleport I think. It would save a fortune on flights.

Live in a world with no music or a world with no movies?

Oh my god! No movies. That pains me as well because I love movies.

Duet with your musical idol but mess up every note or nail a performance with a mystery guest?

It would have to be the latter. It has to be quality over quantity.

Swap lives with your best friend for a day or your favourite celebrity?

Probably be one of my best friends. Going back to a regular job and routine would be nice.

SNOG MARRY AVOID, SLAP

We have your 4 BGT judges, Simon, Amanda, Alicia and David I would marry Amanda, snog Alesha, avoid David because he makes me laugh so much that I want to wet myself, and then I would slap Simon - only because he was nasty to my sister - and then we would have a cuddle and make up. So I have got reasoning… but I have also written songs about hope and in the future and the love letter to my future child. So I think Avenoir to me is just a celebration of living in the present which feels very topical these days with what’s going on in the world, like social media and life as well because generally I think it’s a reflection of life. To celebrate the fact that we don’t know what is around the corner and just to celebrate that.

If you could describe your next era of music in three words, what would they be?

I would definitely say confident, I do feel like as a person I have grown, I wouldn’t say matured because that makes me feel. Like I am getting old, which I definitely am! I would definitely say confident because the work that I have done on myself and I still go to therapy and I still have my coach who helps me with the way that I am feeling - I am always going to be a sensitive boy and the industry, as amazing what it is, it is also a whirlwind of emotions and there is life as well. I would say purposeful as well, and the reason I say that is because I think you know my first album. I used to worry maybe I am going like a rabbit caught in headlights, just churning songs out not knowing which move to make next. However, I feel like on this third album, having been 10 years in the industry, this album feels very purposeful. The things that I have wanted to say are on there. The first album, like every artist will tell you, you have got your entire life to draw, the second one you have got the time in between your first and your second for inspiration. I think for me, this third album, I’d sung with Ed Sheehan, performed for the King, I had three songs with over 1 billion streams on Spotify which is absolutely mental, and I think that made me believe in myself a bit more. I thought, do you know what, I do deserve to be here and I do deserve the success that I have got and I do think that I am going to be here for a long time. I look at artists like Tom Jones or Cher and I’m like they’re careers have spanned over decades and that’s what I want to be. So I would say purposeful, confident and grateful. I am so grateful for not only the experiences that I go through but for the people I have around me. I am a very aware person and I know that I wouldn’t be here without the people that supported me both fans and people like yourself, the label, management, my PR team, everybody who joins in to help me make this project what it is, it just fills me with pride. I used to collect trolleys at Asda, I used to sit at a desk and dream of this and now I get to do it. I think that gratitude no matter what or how confident I become, no matter how much success there might be in the future, one thing that will always remain consistent is my gratitude. See what I mean I am a sensitive boy.

Fans Questions

If you weren’t a singer, what do you think you’d be doing right now?

Right now, I would probably be knee deep in course work. I used to want to be a councillor, like a therapist, and I looked on the university website to find out how many years you needed to study, and I was like “nope, not for me”. Now I can of have that I just do it to music instead.

What’s one random fun fact about you that most people don’t know?

In my end of year school pantomime I played Peter Pan. Green tights, I got right into character.

Spill the Tea on your relationship status?

I keep my cards quite close to my chest when it comes to that stuff because I share so much of myself on social media, my struggles and successes so sometimes I like to keep things a little close to my chest.

Any advice for those struggling with their identity?

First of all, please know that you are not alone. There are a lot of people who have gone through the same struggles and may never talk about it. So I think reaching out is beautiful in itself. There are amazing charities and organisations out there that can really help with these things. I am not an expert on pretty much anything but one thing I do know is how to speak from the heart. I think, if I can do something with my music to help people feel accepted, to help them feel themselves in their own skin. I have got a song called Flaws that speaks about how we are what we are made of and to practice a little bit more self love no matter what, acceptance. There are amazing charities and organisations out there so please use them because that is what they are there for.

Finally - you will be embarking on a tour, which will go on sale soon , can you spill about when it will kick off and are we going to get a Belfast or Dublin date ?

I think it is the end of this year, I know we haven’t released dates just yet, but I think that will be after the single and album will be released, so there are some dates coming. I have always said the Irish are an incredible audience to play to. The thing I love about an Irish audience is when you sing something personal and very emotional they are angel quiet. The second you want them all guns blazing they get involved, and by god do they let you know that they are involved and I love that. It gives you that extra percent just to create that little bit more magic. So yes, I have full intentions of going back to Ireland to perform. Long may it continue as there is a lot of talent in Ireland, so I just want to be there to add to that. So watch this space… it won’t be long before we are reunited.

Thanks for taking the time to chat Calum, pleasure as always

Interview with Daniel May

Check out his new single ‘God knows’ which is out NOW! And keep your eyes peeled for info ref his album release and tour dates