Bradley Simpson Unplugged: A Deep Dive into His Solo Journey
Written by: Keyali Mikaela
Bradley Simpson, the charismatic frontman of The Vamps, has been captivating audiences with his dynamic performances and infectious energy for over a decade. Now, as he embarks on a solo journey, Bradley invites us to explore a more intimate and introspective side of his artistry. With a new album that has been two years in the making, he's ready to share stories and songs that are deeply personal and reflective of his experiences and growth as an artist.
In this exclusive interview, Bradley opens up about the creative process behind his solo work, the inspirations that have shaped his new sound, and the lessons he's learned along the way. From the organic evolution of his songwriting to the challenges of co-producing his album, Bradley provides a candid look into his journey. He also discusses the significance of his debut single "Cry At The Moon" and the groovy vibes of "Picasso," offering insights into the production techniques and emotional connections that define these tracks.
Join us as we delve into the heart and soul of Bradley Simpson's solo ventures, exploring how he's navigating this exciting chapter of his career, balancing personal expression with fan engagement, and setting his sights on future ambitions. Whether you're a longtime fan or new to his music, this interview promises to reveal the depth and dedication of an artist committed to his craft.
Next Wave: You’ve mentioned that your upcoming album is something that’s been 2 years in the making. How did this venture come to be and what do you think you’ve learned from the 2 years you’ve been working on it?
Bradley Simpson: A couple of years ago I found myself in a space where I was writing songs that felt a little too personal to give away. In the past I’ve shied away from writing songs about my personal experiences, but this just felt like the right time and I was really enjoying doing it. Before I knew it, the writing process had snowballed into this album.
It came around very organically. I knew I wanted to dive into a lot of the influences that I've grown up on to develop my sound and that came around through trial and error. Songwriting wise I learnt so much through working with Boots and Ina Wroldsen and also having the time to write by myself and really think about what I want to say and how I want to present myself meant I could build on those skills even more. I co-produced the album so my production skills came a long way too. I’ve been able to be a lot more introspective in these two years since starting to write the album than I have previously.
Next Wave: What was it about your initial release, Cry At The Moon, that felt it was the right track to debut as “Bradley Simpson”?
Bradley: “Cry At The Moon” was the first song that I wrote, it was like the catalyst for the rest of the album. It felt like the perfect song to start the live set. The drums and production kick in in a way that you don’t expect and that's what I wanted to do with the whole project. Create something that people didn't expect. It felt like the perfect song to introduce people to this world with.
“Cry At The Moon” and my second single “Picasso” are both reflective of the rest of the album's sound. So yeah, it was nice to start with these, they’ve been very fun to play live.
Next Wave: Your most recent release, Picasso, has a groovy, cool vibe. How did you approach the production to achieve this sound? How did "Picasso" evolve from the initial idea to the final recorded version? Were there any major changes along the way?
Bradley: I think a lot of “Picasso's” feel comes leaning into the wonkiness of the chords, culminating with how the instruments are produced. The song feels like it's constantly developing throughout the chorus because the chords change throughout each section. So I think part of it's due to that. The production leans into the wonkiness too, here's a lot of elements that give it a warped feel and we got some great players in to add that slightly more human element. We got a guy called Randy to play the drums in New York and he was great!
Next Wave: What have you learned about yourself as an artist through your solo ventures?
Bradley: It's been a learning curve in terms of songwriting. The album's been a reflection on the past 10 years of my life. I've kind of learned a bit more about how to process stuff than I would have done if I was writing for other projects, because I've never had the opportunity to write solely for myself. I think writing for yourself gives you the opportunity to really deep dive into certain subjects, be it love or friendships or whatever you've been through. I think I've learned a bit more about how to process stuff and that's been one of the best things about the album.
Next Wave: How do you connect emotionally with your solo music compared to your work with the band?
Bradley: They both resonate massively for me, especially the later albums with the band. Those came from stories we brought in individually but then came together over.
The tracks for my solo project are the most recently written, so they feel slightly more relevant to where I am now.
Next Wave: Do you have any plans for a larger US tour and if so, what are some dream cities or venues that you’d like to play?
Bradley: I'd love to do Troubadour in LA. We've never played there, that would be fun. Radio City Music Hall would be amazing. I love Chicago. I bloody love it. I'd love to come back and play Chicago. We played there years ago at House of Blues and that was really cool. And then we also played a gig in Banff in Canada and it was lovely. I definitely plan to do a bigger US tour at some point.
Next Wave: How do you incorporate fan feedback into your music, if at all?
Bradley: It’s been interesting the way we’ve done this album. I’ve only got two songs out but we’ve been playing probably 70% of the album at live shows. We get to see the raw fan reaction to songs they haven’t heard before so it can influence which song we release next.
I think so often these days we’re used to teasing songs online and gauging the reaction, so to be able to see it in person first hand is really cool. We’re even taking it into consideration for the album tracklist. Like there was a way that I thought the album was going to flow. And then the way that we set it up live has made me kind of think, oh, I wonder if a similar flow would work better on the album. So it's definitely having an impact.
Next Wave: Do you have a favorite song from your upcoming album? Why does it stand out to you?
Bradley: I like a song called “Carpet Burn”. Because it was the first song that I wrote when I got to New York and wrote it by myself in the hotel room on the first night. It's a really personal song. It was the first song that I worked on with Boots and then he obviously went on to kind of executive produce the album with me. It felt like the beginning of a really good relationship between me and him. But then also it felt like that was me in the middle of the album writing process and I really found what I wanted to say and how I wanted to say it and how I wanted it to be produced so it felt like a real sweet spot and the fans have reacted really well to it as well so I would say “Carpet Burn”.
Next Wave: Do you have any creative rituals or habits that help you get into the right mindset for your writing?
Bradley: I always like to buy a new instrument before I go into an album writing process. So either a new guitar or the keyboard. I think it's nice, especially because a lot of the stuff that I buy is vintage stuff. I bought an acoustic guitar a couple of years ago before I started writing the album. It's like a 60s guitar. And it's nice because I think the vintage instruments hold songs in them. And especially if they've had people playing them for years…all of that life goes into them. It's like when you get a new instrument, it's like, oh, I wonder how it's going to influence my writing then like that guitar, for example, the acoustic guitar that I bought was played on throughout a lot of the albums. So it definitely had an impact.
Next Wave: Have you tried any unconventional techniques or styles in your work that surprised you?
Bradley: I hadn't written for a long period of time outside of the UK. I was writing in the UK predominantly for the past six to seven years. I think the big difference was committing to a bulk of time in New York and fully changing my surroundings. I think really influence. I don't know, it puts you in, like, a frame of mind because you're over there and you're like, right, I've got two months here and you've got no distractions and you just sit and you focus on the album.
Stream Picasso on all available streaming platforms and follow Bradley Simpson on Instagram, TikTok and Twitter
