Known to the world as Rag’n’Bone Man, Rory Graham burst onto the music scene in 2016 with his breakthrough hit ‘Human’, a track that masterfully blended traditional blues with hip hop and introduced listeners to his powerful baritone voice.
The success of ‘Human’ was monumental, earning Graham widespread acclaim and propelling his debut album of the same name to 4x platinum status in the UK.
Since his debut, Graham has continued to build on his success with high-profile collaborations with artists such as Gorillaz, Logic, Calvin Harris, and Pink, who joined him on the emotive single ‘Anywhere Away From Here’.
His latest collaboration is an interview with The Echo’s entertainment editor which they did last week via Zoom:
When I’m a rich and famous rock star, I’m not going to do interviews. It must be awful having to say a lot of things over and over again?
Well, you know what? I actually quite enjoy it. Apart from there’s now and again, ones where it does seem like you are you answering age-old questions – but, you know, it keeps your mind active.
I can see you are in your music room, where is that and what time is it?
It is about 8.30am and yep, I am in my studio, in my garden, in Sussex.
This is your second Bluesfest – what did you like about the last one?
I think, meeting a lot of artists that have been going there for a long time.
You’re bringing us some new music?
Yes, a new album – new material to play in the set. Also some the old songs as well, because, I think you just feel a little bit like you’re doing something new and the old songs don’t feel kind of so stale anymore. There’s kind of a new sound that comes with a new album and I generally try and bring the old songs into that sound a little bit. So we just change the arrangement maybe a little bit so that it feels kind of glued together. It just makes it feel a little bit more exciting.
What’s your current ear worm?
Do you know what it is? There’s a new Linkin Park song. It’s very 2000s kind of emo – it’s Linkin Park, but there’s just some other melody that is very infectious.
What sort of things are inspiring your work at the moment?
I’ve just started kind of writing stuff in the mind for what I’m going to do next. I think kind of up until now, I’ve always written very personally, and I’ve written about my own situations – heart on the sleeve kind of stuff. And when I first started trying to write new songs, I was struggling a little bit to dig deep enough to find those subjects. So I feel like I’ve been people watching a bit more, listening to other people’s situations, and maybe just being a bit nosy and trying to figure out if I can write from that perspective – sometimes your own life is maybe not inspiring enough. So that’s what I’m going for at the moment.
Are you sick of doing ‘Human’? (Personally I love it).
I go through periods where I think ‘Oh God, not that again’, but in the next breath, when I play it and I see the reaction live and then I don’t feel that anymore. I kind of feel nothing but gratitude, really.
What’s great about Bluesfest?
Well, I think for me, from someone who has gone to a lot of festivals in my life, particularly in the UK, so many of the festivals here are so sort of based on chart success. Bluesfest is really open to everybody, yeah. And although it’s called ‘Bluesfest, it’s very eclectic. Hopefully I’ll get to spend more than one day, that’s always hard when it’s a festival that we actually really want to be at, from a fan of music’s perspective, you know? Hopefully we’ll get to see some people.
Are you having enough fun?
Yeah, 100 per cent. I love this as much as I did, if not more, than I did when I first started. I kind of thought I’d get tired of touring, but I just don’t, and I just I want to be on the road as much as possible. Obviously, I miss family when I’m away, but being on stage is still the thing that I love the most.
Are you getting any more ink?
It’s weird you say that because my missus has literally just gone down today to get a new tattoo. I’m a bit jealous.
See Rag’n’Bone Man and maybe some new ink on Easter Sunday at Bluesfest.
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