Having already established himself with a wealth of riveting releases over the years, renowned actor, singer, and musician Hadley Fraser has now returned to share his interpretation of 'World On A String'.
Lifted from his latest studio album 'Things That Come And Go', which is available to stream now, 'World On A String' sees the original revamped with a vibrant jazz-inspired groove. Coupling his smooth and silky vocals with a captivating production throughout, he is certainly looking to get us up and out of our seats with this one.
So with the new single available to stream now, we sat down with him to find out more about his origins and what has been inspiring him most over the years.
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What was the first instrument you fell in love with?
The guitar. I started playing it at primary school in about 1987 I would think. We had a great teacher there who just happened to play, and so a bunch of us signed up. I never looked back, and thank my stars I kept learning and playing. It’s so versatile, so portable and so perfect. I’ve played all sorts of guitars in all sorts of settings over the years: acoustic, classical, electric, bass. It’s the great leveller, the great ice breaker, the great collaborator. I’d love to be able to really play piano, but I’ll be thankful for what I can do and what the guitar affords me.
What kind of music did you love when you were younger?
I’ve always been something of a magpie when it comes to listening to music, even from a young age. My parents (although very supportive) didn’t listen to a lot of music, so I had no real set list or library to dig into a home. So hours spent in Our Price in Bracknell or HMV in Reading became very precious discovery moments. I listened to anything from jazz/soul/funk (Jason Rebello, Brad Mehldau, Marvin Gaye, Galliano, Tony Bennett, Stevie Wonder, Tower of Power), a lot of blues (BB King, Robert Cray), the guitar Gods (Clapton, SRV, Knopfler, Mayer, Hendrix), heavier listens (Metallica, Pantera), classical (Ravel, Debussy) and South American/Spanish guitar treasures (Cacho Tirao, Paco de Lucia, Tomatito).
What was the first album you remember owning?
My cousin Catherine fed me a pretty rich diet of cassettes for Christmas presents from a young age. I remember specifically being given Tears For Fears Songs From the Big Chair when I was about 6 or 7. The first cd I bought was Jamiroquai’s Emergency on Planet Earth. I think one has aged better than the other…
What is the one song you wished you could have written yourself?
There’s too many to settle on one. I like the simplicity of a lot of the great American Songbook - standards like Skylark, Lush Life, Young and Foolish. Then there’s a couple of Darrell Scott songs which I think I’d take to the grave - You’ll Never Leave Harlan Alive, River Take Me, Long Time Gone. And finally I guess, like a lot of people, I marvel at Stevie’s output in the 70s. To have written one of those songs, let alone a whole album, is something of a dark crystal to me.
Do you have any habits or rituals you go through when trying to write new music?
I don’t write a whole lot these days - preferring to explore the standards and classics a little more. Certainly when I was writing I think it just needed a spark of something - lyric, hook, chorus, feel, to get me going. Could have been anything. Maybe I’ll come back to it one day.
Who are your favourite artists you have found yourself listening to at the moment?
I’ve been listening to a lot of MARO recently - a great Portuguese singer-songwriter. Madison Cunningham is I think a real talent. Likewise Chris Thile. Jazzwise, I never stray for too long from Kurt Elling, Brad Mehldau, Bill Laurence. Those guys are always pushing themselves to explore new musical horizons.
If you could open a show for anyone in the world, who would it be?
Kurt Elling. He’s the best jazz singer on the planet. I’ve seen and heard him live more times than I can remember. Such an influence. Such an artist. Such a voice.
What do you find is the most rewarding part about being a musician?
I never fail to appreciate that I do what I love for a living. Combining music and acting as I do, it’s never one thing for too long. As a consequence I don’t tend to get sick of one or the other - and if I feel I am tiring of one, either consciously or unconsciously, I’ll seek out other projects (or start them myself) that fill up the empty vessel.
And what is the most frustrating part?
That you can’t be in the studio all the time. That’s the best bit. Creating. Like in acting - the best bit is rehearsing.
And what is the best piece of advice you have received as a musician?
That an audience will interpret a piece of music is infinite ways and therefore you can’t get too hung up on what the end product is/means. Sing/play/create/collaborate and the rest follows.
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Hadley Fraser's new single 'World On A String' is available to stream now. Check it out in the player below.