News EDitorial
The spirit of Bowie
The loss of David Bowie, tragically before his time and while still making brilliant music, inevitably cast a long shadow over everything else that happened this week. Attending the launch of the 2016 BRIT
Awards nominations, Bowie talk dominated every conversation. And, with the greatest respect to everyone nominated this year, it’s difficult to pick out anyone on the list who’s yet in a position to leave even a fraction of the Thin White Duke’s legacy behind. Bowie, of course, was a one-off but, while it’s tempting to think of him as some sort of alien super-being, his musical beginnings were actually reassuringly hesitant. Bowie got to where he did because of his talent and his ability to change the way people thought, but also because the music industry stuck with him beyond his faltering first steps.
Island Records: ‘Jack Garratt is going to be around for a long time’ LABEL PREPARING “LONG ALBUM CAMPAIGN,” SAYS JON TURNER
TALENT ■ BY MURRAY STASSEN
B
RITs Critics’ Choice Award winner Jack Garratt is “going to be around for a long time,” ccording to Islands Record MD John Turner, speaking to Music Week ahead of the release of Garratt’s debut album, Phase, on February 19.
Last year saw Garratt win the BBC Introducing Award, then this year the BBC Sound of 2016 Poll, and Turner said that the “pressure is naturally there” following the awards, but that “the album more than matches” it. Garratt beat other Critics’ Choice nominees Izzy Bizu (Epic/Sony Music) Frances (Capitol/Universal Music). Previous winners include Adele, Sam Smith and James Bay.
“ [The album] obviously comes with expectation. With everything he’s won, it comes with expectation from the industry. It will be a long campaign,” said Turner. “For him to be lavished ith such accolades is absolutely amazing,” he added. “I think Jack was surprised and we were surprised to a degree. He’s a guy that makes complex, multi-layered, impassioned music. He’s an alternative act at heart, but his songs are resonating with a wider audience and especially within the media and that’s really heartening and gratifying.”
Maybe somewhere out there, there’s a modern star capable of shifting the world on its axis just like Bowie did
Garratt’s last single, Breathe Life, remained on the Radio 1 A-List for seven weeks, and new single Worry has also already had a strong start. “The kid is undeniably, hugely talented,” said Sam Faulkner, Garratt’s manager at Turn First Artists. “But it’s all about keeping going. That’s the nature of
this business. When you get these accolades, you have to just go, Oh well, now the even harder work starts. It’s like when you sign a record deal. The impression is that’s when the work is over, but you haven’t even started to work.” Garratt’s live business has also become something of a phenomenon, selling out his forthcoming April Brixton Academy date three months in advance and without having released his debut album yet.
“He’s naturally come from live area where he’s built up a great audience,” added Turner. “There’s not many people who can say they’ve sold out Brixton Academy before the album has come out and he’s one of them.” His US tours also continue to sell well, and he’s already performed on Conan O’Brien with an appearance on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert confirmed. “The US is obviously a very key market,” added Turner. “We’re partnered with Interscope there for Jack. The task in hand is making sure he’s going to be managing his time correctly and he manages to get everywhere.”
Nominations for BRIT Awards 2016 - In full
BRITISH MALE SOLO ARTIST Aphex Twin (Warp)
Even when he was up and running, there
were executives who backed him every step of the way. Someone greenlit his every dizzying image change, musical gear shift and ambitious use of technology. Somebody had his back when he nearly went off the rails. And someone bankrolled that incredible surge of creativity he underwent in the 1970s, when he released 11 brilliant albums in nine years – the sort of workload that would make today’s kale-munching, smoothie-slurping rock stars contemplate early retirement. Maybe somewhere out there, there’s a modern star capable of shifting the world on its axis just like Bowie did. The music business’ challenge is not just to find them, but to stand by them and help them to the top. I’m not sure I’ve ever heard anyone described as “the new David Bowie”. But maybe it’s about time we did.
Mark Sutherland, Editor
Calvin Harris (Columbia/Sony Music) James Bay (Republic Records/Virgin EMI/ Universal Music) Jamie XX (Young Turks Recordings/XL Beggars) Mark Ronson (Columbia/Sony Music)
BRITISH FEMALE SOLO ARTIST Adele (XL/Beggars) Amy Winehouse (Island/Universal Music) Florence + the Machine (Island/Universal Music) Jess Glynne (Atlantic/Warner Music) Laura Marling (Virgin/Universal Music)
BRITISH GROUP Blur (Parlophone/Warner Music) Coldplay (Parlophone/Warner Music) Foals (Warner Bros/Warner Music) One Direction (Syco Music/Sony Music) Years & Years (Polydor/Universal Music)
BRITISH BREAKTHROUGH ACT Catfish And The Bottlemen (Island/Universal Music)
James Bay (Republic Records/Virgin EMI/ Universal Music) Jess Glynne (Atlantic/Warner Music) Wolf Alice (Dirty Hit) Years & Years (Polydor/Universal Music)
BRITISH SINGLE Adele, Hello (XL/Beggars)
Calvin Harris & Disciples, How Deep Is Your Love (Columbia/Sony Music) Ed Sheeran & Rudimental, Bloodstream (Asylum/Atlantic/Warner Music)
January 18 02
Ellie Goulding, Love Me Like You Do (Polydor, Universal Music) James Bay, Hold Back The River (Republic Records/Virgin EMI/Universal Music) Jess Glynne, Hold My Hand (Atlantic/Warner Music)
Little Mix, Black Magic (Syco Music/Sony Music) Olly Murs ft. Demi Lovato, Up (Epic/Sony Music) Philip George, Wish You Were Mine (3 Beat Productions) Years & Years, King (Polydor/ Universal Music)
BRITISH ALBUM OF THE YEAR Adele, 25 (XL/Beggars) Coldplay, A Head Full of Dreams (Parlophone/ Warner Music) Florence + the Machine, How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful (Island/Universal Music) James Bay, Chaos and the Calm (Republic Records/Virgin EMI/Universal Music) Jamie XX, In Colour (Young Turks Recordings/ XL Beggars)
BRITISH PRODUCER OF THE YEAR Charlie Andrew Mark Ronson Mike Crossey Tom Dalgety
BRITISH ARTIST VIDEO OF THE YEAR Adele, Hello (XL/Beggars)
Calvin Harris & Disciples, How Deep Is Your Love (Columbia/Sony Music) Ed Sheeran, Photograph (Asylum/Atlantic/ Warner Music)
Ellie Goulding, Love Me Like You Do (Polydor/ Universal Music)
Jessie J, Flashlight (Republic/Island/Universal Music)
Little Mix, Black Magic (Syco Music/Sony Music)
Naughty Boy ft. Beyonce & Arrow Benjamin, Runnin’ (Lose It All) (Virgin Records/Universal Music) One Direction, Drag Me Down (Syco Music/ Sony Music) Sam Smith, Writing’s On The Wall (Capitol/ Universal Music) Years & Years, King (Polydor/Universal Music)
INTERNATIONAL MALE SOLO ARTIST Drake (Cash Money/Island/Universal Music) Father John Misty, (Bella Union/PIAS) Justin Bieber (Def Jam/VirginEMI/Universal Music) Kendrick Lamar (Aftermath/Interscope/ Universal Music) The Weeknd (XO/Island/Universal Music)
INTERNATIONAL FEMALE SOLO ARTIST Ariana Grande (Republic/Island/Universal Music) Björk (One Little Indian)
Courtney Barnett (House Anxiety/Marathon Artists)
Lana Del Rey (Polydor, Universal Music) Meghan Trainor (RCA, Sony Music)
INTERNATIONAL GROUP Alabama Shakes (Rough Trade) Eagles of Death Metal (Caroline/ Universal Music) Major Lazer (Because Music) Tame Impala (Fiction/Universal Music) U2 (Island/Universal Music)
MUSIC Week
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