- Words Gabriel Mealor-Pritchard
Riding high off of the back of a European tour, James McVey returns to his home turf, reminiscing about what home means to him in his latest single 'All The Things'.
Along the coast of southern England sits the seaside town of Bournemouth: a location that embodies the phrase, ‘There’s no place like home.’ Going solo and releasing a slew of heartfelt singles, James McVey, known for his chart-topping success with The Vamps, has travelled back to where it all began and is ready to take the industry by storm.
Dropping his latest single, ‘All The Things’, the track is a poetic tale about missing home, putting you in your feels with a romantic touch and acoustic ambience. Excitingly, it’s taken from James’ highly anticipated new EP, Letters Home.
Distance makes the heart grow fonder, and ‘All The Things’ pertains to this sentiment, helping James to realise what he misses when separated from the ones he loves. Stretching the heartstrings with melodic instrumentation, ‘All The Things’ highlights the deep connections you share with someone or something dear to you.
After supporting Henry Moodie – a collaborator on this latest track – as his special guest on tour, James is kicking off his solo career strong, and there is so much more to come, including four other tracks set to be released alongside this hit new single. Here, the rising solo artist reveals all on his upcoming EP, Letters Home, inspirations from the tour bus and more.
Congratulations on your latest single, ‘All The Things’, how does it feel to have it out to the world?
Thanks! It feels great to start this next chapter. My first EP Manabi was ultimately me putting my flag in the sand as a solo singer-songwriter, which came with a lot of pressure. This chapter, especially stemming from an impromptu EP that was recorded on tour, feels a lot less intense, yet still exciting.
Throughout the song, guitar strings are plucked delicately to a beautiful melody while muted orchestral strings are bowed in the background. How do you believe these musical embellishments contribute to the overall essence of the track?
Since the beginning of my solo venture, I’ve been determined to ensure the production of my music reflects the themes I’m conveying in the music. Emotional vulnerability is the crux of each song and I tried to keep the production equally as raw and vulnerable. I hope people feel a sense of transparency whilst listening to ‘All The Things’, and the forthcoming releases; I want people to picture me playing the guitar and singing instead of a slick pop production smothered in reverb and auto-tune. There isn’t anything wrong with that, but it’s not a production style I feel complements the songs I’ve written.
‘All The Things’ expresses a sea of your emotions and introspective thoughts. How do you want this single to resonate with your audience?
I hope people will listen to ‘All The Things’ and think of a person. That person doesn’t necessarily need to be a partner, but instead someone close who they miss when they’re apart. I’d love for people to recognise the importance of being present whilst with their loved ones because, as the song expresses, we tend to take the little things for granted and only reflect on them when we leave.
After your recent debut solo EP, Manabi, what should we expect to hear from your new project, Letters Home?
Letters Home was written and mainly recorded on tour with Henry Moodie. Therefore the production is rough around the edges and extremely live sounding. I love this feeling as I feel the majority of music being released now is far from this. I wrote and produced this entirely with Alex Stacey, who is a musician in my live band, as opposed to a larger group of songwriters. I think the outcome is a more intimate-sounding collection of songs and I’m over the moon with how they turned out. The themes on the EP go from mental health, in the song ‘State Of Mine’, to childhood friendships in ‘Thick and Thin’, and grief in ‘Hold On To The Times’.
Having had such astronomical success with The Vamps, how does it feel breaking away from band life and starting solo for the first time?
It feels nice to truly lean into the inner workings of my mind whilst songwriting. I love the collaborative approach to writing with The Vamps and I’m excited to start that process again in the future, but I think it’s important to take time away and explore other avenues. There’s a degree of pressure that I’m not used to with my solo music but I’m enjoying tackling the new challenges this pressure brings.
You toured Europe with Henry Moodie this year. Were there any specific moments throughout that journey which deeply inspired the recording of Letters Home?
Every element of that tour inspired the EP. It was conceived and written on that month-long tour. Being on a bus for a month means there’s no real way to avoid how you’re feeling and ultimately you have to face things you’ve been running from. This EP was that for me.
As well as Henry Moodie, Alex Stacey also features on the project. What was the process like working with them?
Working with Henry was great. I’ve been a fan of him for years and it’s great to watch him grow and succeed as an artist. I’d love to work more with him. Meeting Alex a couple of years ago really helped curb my direction musically. He seems to understand the sort of artist I am and is willing to experiment in the ways I want to. He’s an incredibly talented producer who inspires me to work on my productions. Aside from that, he’s a great musician and adding him to my live set-up has really enhanced the show.
Your music touches upon a few genres, alternative, indie, and alt-pop. Who inspires you?
I try not to listen to too many other artists whilst writing, however lifelong inspirations are Damien Rice, Dermot Kennedy, Nina Nesbitt and Jeremy Zucker.
Last year you underwent a ‘career-saving’ surgery. How has this experience affected the way you make music now?
I look after my voice in a way I never had before. I warm up and down, which I’d not bothered to do before surgery. I also seem to find myself being more appreciative of every moment, whether that’s on stage or in the studio. I hadn’t understood the fragility of my vocal cords before that period, so now I’m a lot more in tune with my voice and constantly monitoring any changes. I’m oddly grateful for that procedure because it forced me to change my habits and work on techniques in a way I hadn’t before.
After the release of this EP, what else does 2024 have in store for the newly emerging solo artist James McVey?
This EP was never planned and came out of nowhere. Consequently, I have a lot more music lined up to release. I’d love to get back on the road too. Hopefully, I’ll be able to put on some more headline shows soon!