Latest / On Point With Jaclyn Jeffrey / On Point With MT Jones
Transcript
- 0:24SPEAKER_01: MT, I am so grateful to have you here on our interview today.
- 0:29SPEAKER_01: Really, really excited.
- 0:30SPEAKER_01: Uh, just by way of introduction, you are a soul singer and songwriter from Liverpool.
- 0:36SPEAKER_01: Your music is being shared now across Europe and as well in the United States.
- 0:41SPEAKER_01: And people draw comparisons to you, to uh to Donnie Hathaway, to Carol King, and from myself as well to uh to Sam Smith.
- 0:50SPEAKER_01: So today we're gonna talk to you, of course, about your music, obviously, but also about other things that I think you can comment on about creativity, resilience, entrepreneurship, and you know, what does it really take to build something from the ground up?
- 1:04SPEAKER_01: And we'll talk about this more at the end of the interview, but also excited to find out quite accidentally uh that you are going to be here in Westport in July at the Levit.
- 1:14SPEAKER_01: So we'll mention that again at the at the end of the interview.
- 1:18SPEAKER_01: So the first thing I wanted to ask is when you look back at the version of yourself when you first started taking music seriously and where you are today, what do you think would most surprise that person back then about where things are for you today?
- 1:36SPEAKER_02: I think uh I don't know, I think there'd be like a sense of pride in the sense that I've like always wanted to be doing my own music at some point and playing around the world and getting to do things.
- 1:47SPEAKER_02: And I'm currently doing that, so I'd probably be very like very pleased, you know.
- 1:51SPEAKER_02: I think, and that's that's sometimes I think when you're in that moment, you've got to kind of take stock, you know, as well, and sort of be, you know, if you're ever in a situation where I don't know, you're feeling a bit tired or down and out or something, you remember that you if you told the kid version of yourself you were doing this, they wouldn't be in a bad mood, you know.
- 2:11SPEAKER_02: So so you've always got to it's like a good reminder sometimes, you know.
- 2:16SPEAKER_01: Okay.
- 2:17SPEAKER_01: Now, uh a member of your team sent me some information about yourself, and uh one of the things they said, I'm just gonna read exactly what they said.
- 2:25SPEAKER_01: Uh, they described your journey as being shaped by both graft and soul.
- 2:30SPEAKER_01: So one was what what does that mean?
- 2:32SPEAKER_01: And uh how did this all start for you?
- 2:35SPEAKER_01: I mean, how how did it begin?
- 2:37SPEAKER_02: Yeah, I think well, graft it was just uh I think I don't know, I think like I've always been doing music for like my whole life, really.
- 2:45SPEAKER_02: Um, well, not my whole life, you know.
- 2:46SPEAKER_02: I started playing when I was about eight, eight years old, but just piano and um learned like classical piano.
- 2:52SPEAKER_02: I had uh lessons doing that, but then I got into playing music at school with like you know, fellow other musicians.
- 3:00SPEAKER_02: I was very lucky, like at high school, it just happened to be our year happened to be a part of like musicians that like playing.
- 3:07SPEAKER_02: So we all sort of started, you know, high school bands and uh started going busking and things like that.
- 3:13SPEAKER_02: Um, so I used to do a lot of playing on the streets, uh just playing, you know, covers and doing stuff like that.
- 3:18SPEAKER_02: And then it kind of snowballed just getting into music and getting into that.
- 3:22SPEAKER_02: Was when I kind of departed from playing.
- 3:25SPEAKER_02: Uh I was always like playing.
- 3:27SPEAKER_02: I love classical music, you know, and I love I love all music, but uh that was when I started to get into songwriting basically quite early on.
- 3:35SPEAKER_02: Um there was like there was some manager-ish type person at the time when I was about 13, but that didn't work out, but it was kind of uh yeah, you it that was a weird experience, but at the same time it was like good because it started me writing songs like quite early.
- 3:52SPEAKER_01: What was weird about it?
- 3:54SPEAKER_02: Uh it was just uh it was one of those, it was like you were you were kind of sold a pipe dream at like 13 and it wasn't a thing, you know.
- 4:01SPEAKER_01: Oh, I see.
- 4:02SPEAKER_02: So, but it was like, but when you're 13, you you take that's like you know, the most serious thing in the world.
- 4:09SPEAKER_02: You're like gonna be.
- 4:11SPEAKER_02: Um but it's obviously the rap, and I'm glad it didn't happen then as well, because the songs were awful, you know.
- 4:16SPEAKER_02: So it was um, but it's like the first couple of songs, you know, but the main thing it did, it kind of got me writing at an early age, which and then I got super into that and then started following that.
- 4:27SPEAKER_02: And then um, yeah, I've been playing, I was doing some like session musician stuff for a while, playing with other artists, writing for other artists.
- 4:34SPEAKER_02: And I wasn't, I was I've always sort of had in the back of my mind that I wanted to do my own stuff, but I kind of like needed to feel in myself that it was the right thing, it was the right direction.
- 4:46SPEAKER_02: And then yeah, sort of during lockdown and um, you know, COVID and things like that, I had a bit of time where I had no gigs and like, you know, no gigs, no other commitments.
- 4:57SPEAKER_02: So I decided to sort of pour everything into my own music and um I sort of, yeah, and it it it was for the first time it felt like the stuff I was making felt right for me um as an artist.
- 5:09SPEAKER_02: And then um, and then yeah, and then I started releasing things and you know, because I think because it was honest and it was sort of felt like it was from me.
- 5:16SPEAKER_02: I feel like I noticed a connect more than anything else I'd ever done, you know.
- 5:20SPEAKER_01: So you know, I have to say on a on a personal note, when I say, you know, how different your music is, especially for someone like me who's not certainly a music connoisseur, you from you feel that it's honest, that it's real, that that it's not performative.
- 5:34SPEAKER_01: I mean, this really is you and what you think and what you feel.
- 5:38SPEAKER_01: And so as a listener, I can tell you that that that really comes through and I'm sure has uh is a key contributor to the success that that you're seeing.
- 5:47SPEAKER_01: When you were going through all of this, I mean every artistic journey has its ups and its downs, but was there ever a moment in going through this process where you thought, I don't know, maybe maybe this isn't right, maybe I shouldn't continue?
- 6:00SPEAKER_02: Yeah, I mean, uh as a creative person, you probably have that like twice a day.
- 6:06SPEAKER_02: Or like um, or maybe you know, um, but no, no, you definitely have moments where you think, no, this is terrible, I'm terrible.
- 6:13SPEAKER_02: Um, but then uh but it's it's not that, but then you have you always have highs and lows, I think.
- 6:19SPEAKER_02: Um but yeah, I think as a creative, that that's part of the that's part of it, you know.
- 6:26SPEAKER_01: What about the flip side of that though?
- 6:28SPEAKER_01: Has has there been a moment or moments where you stop and go, I think this is going to work?
- 6:33SPEAKER_01: This this is going to work.
- 6:35SPEAKER_02: Oh, for sure.
- 6:35SPEAKER_02: I mean, there's there's moments in the studio, there's moments where you write in where things are just flowing.
- 6:40SPEAKER_02: It's kind of like you you can't explain the the state, you just some things just fall out of you a little bit, you know, which it which is when that happens, that's great, you know.
- 6:51SPEAKER_02: And that's usually the best stuff when that happens.
- 6:54SPEAKER_01: When you think back to the people who you met along the way who've helped, or in some cases, you know, didn't help.
- 7:01SPEAKER_01: Uh, was there anyone who comes to mind for you who you think really believed in you before maybe there was any evidence that they should?
- 7:11SPEAKER_02: Yeah, there's uh there's a producer I work with on the first couple of records, Callum Cowie, who did um he uh uh well way did he sort of took a you know out on a limb to sort of you know let me try and pursue and record some stuff.
- 7:27SPEAKER_02: And I think that really helped me.
- 7:29SPEAKER_02: And there was a bit there was a fair bit of guidance there.
- 7:32SPEAKER_02: And I think I was recording, yeah, and I think all my all my friends, close band mates, I think they've always kind of pushed to do things.
- 7:39SPEAKER_01: Um what's what's been the reaction of your friends and your family to um certainly not overnight success, but to all the the things that are happening for you right now?
- 7:49SPEAKER_02: Well, it's great, you know, like everyone's I think I think yeah, in Liverpool is a very like supportive community of of musicians and people, and there's lots of bands, you know, fellow bandmates and stuff, and other artists that I've worked with over the years, and everyone's just encouraging each other, you know.
- 8:06SPEAKER_02: And I think it's nice that people are doing different bits of different genres, some are doing similar genres, and it's like everyone's just pushing to the same thing, you know.
- 8:14SPEAKER_01: Yeah, actually, I was going to ask you about that in in a little later, but since you mentioned it, let me ask you now, you know, a lot of people talk about just talk about being supportive of other musicians or other people in their field.
- 8:26SPEAKER_01: You talk about it, but you do it.
- 8:28SPEAKER_01: I mean, I've seen you do it in interviews, I've seen you do it on social media, you did it when I saw you in Brooklyn, where you seem to make an active effort to support your opening act or to support other musicians.
- 8:40SPEAKER_01: Uh, and it's a really nice thing to see.
- 8:41SPEAKER_01: And I wonder not why you do it, but why it's important to you to do it.
- 8:46SPEAKER_02: Uh well, firstly, it's it's not a competitive sport, you know.
- 8:50SPEAKER_02: It's like, and everyone's own version of something can appeal to anyone.
- 8:55SPEAKER_02: So it's like, why it's a it's an open playing field, you know.
- 8:59SPEAKER_02: So it's like, and it's always good that why why punch down when you can punch up, you know.
- 9:04SPEAKER_01: Oh, I love that.
- 9:05SPEAKER_01: Okay.
- 9:06SPEAKER_01: All right.
- 9:07SPEAKER_01: Um, so for someone like me or your average listener, there's you you write a song, then there's a performance, and we get to hear it.
- 9:14SPEAKER_01: But there's a whole lot, obviously, that goes, you know, in between.
- 9:18SPEAKER_01: And to the extent that you can sort of bring it to life, I mean, how does that work?
- 9:22SPEAKER_01: You have an idea in your head, and then voila, it's a song.
- 9:25SPEAKER_01: I mean, what's that process like for you?
- 9:27SPEAKER_02: I mean, it's it's it's very different every time.
- 9:30SPEAKER_02: So it's like sometimes you can just pick up a guitar and you can be in your living room or something, or I'm in like a little home studio analysis, keyboards and things and drums over there somewhere.
- 9:39SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
- 9:40SPEAKER_02: So you you kind of can just lay things down and and you might get inspired by a beat or a bass line, or you want to sometimes I start with drums a lot because I want to kind of get a certain feel, and then I'll just play something out, and then I'll sort of mumble melodies until a lyric of worth comes out, and then I'll kind of follow that.
- 9:58SPEAKER_02: But it tends to be more melody first, you know.
- 10:01SPEAKER_01: Okay, all right.
- 10:02SPEAKER_01: Um, you know, one of the things you see today is artists are expected to be a lot of different things, obviously the musician, but a marketer, a content creator, an entrepreneur.
- 10:12SPEAKER_01: I mean, how do you balance the artistic part of what you're doing and the promoting of it?
- 10:18SPEAKER_02: I think the main the main thing, I think like promoting it is a is a it's a necessary thing.
- 10:25SPEAKER_02: It's part of it, and it's not like uh the music part is my favorite part of it, creating and doing that part, but it also to get it out there you have to you have to give it its chance, you know.
- 10:39SPEAKER_02: So I think doing you know the social media, all that stuff, it is important to do.
- 10:43SPEAKER_02: So it's like you've got to do it, but you can make it work for you in a way as well.
- 10:49SPEAKER_02: I tend to do a lot of performance stuff, like live performance stuff and things that um and yeah, conversations like this, this is great, you know, it's just fine.
- 10:58SPEAKER_02: And it's just talking about um, but yeah, I think I think it's just do what works for you in that's in that setting, you know.
- 11:06SPEAKER_02: There's a few things which took me a long a little longer to get used to, but it's fine.
- 11:11SPEAKER_02: You mean on the promoting side?
- 11:12SPEAKER_02: Yeah, no, I think there's just yeah, definitely just doing, you know, little like videos and things.
- 11:17SPEAKER_02: I'm not as used to doing that.
- 11:19SPEAKER_02: I'm much more comfortable on stage than doing a video or something, but at the same time, I've enjoyed the creative process of doing both.
- 11:27SPEAKER_01: But yeah, well, actually, you answered my next question, which was going to be, you know, how naturally I mean, obviously the artistic part comes naturally to you, but the whole promoting part, the entrepreneurship part, uh, is that something that's getting easier for you?
- 11:42SPEAKER_02: I think it gets easier as you become more sure of yourself and as you do it more.
- 11:47SPEAKER_02: And it's the same, it's the same with music.
- 11:49SPEAKER_02: It's just the same, it's the same thing.
- 11:52SPEAKER_02: I think you just get more confident as you feel more sure in yourself and like the way you want to convey that.
- 11:57SPEAKER_02: I think it comes just with doing it often, you know.
- 12:02SPEAKER_02: And I think it's uh it's easier as well, I think, when you're a little bit busier, you know.
- 12:06SPEAKER_02: I've noticed it's easier for me when I'm busier because I'm like in a place, it's much easier to be like, oh, I'm here, you know.
- 12:12SPEAKER_01: Right, I got that.
- 12:14SPEAKER_02: My typical thing is to do, yeah.
- 12:16SPEAKER_02: I'm not very when I'm in the studio, I don't tend to, you know, I'm not very good at documenting that, but that's because I'm in the studio working.
- 12:23SPEAKER_01: Right, and I got it.
- 12:24SPEAKER_01: Um, so now that you've had time and then you're getting more and more successful and more known here, both here in the States as well as across Europe, um, how do you think your definition of success for you has changed from over time?
- 12:41SPEAKER_02: I think uh I think well I'm sort of like I tend not to think about it too much, you know.
- 12:48SPEAKER_02: It's like uh I just feel very lucky to be doing music and playing and singing and getting to make stuff, you know.
- 12:57SPEAKER_02: That's that's I'm like pretty content doing that as much as possible, you know.
- 13:02SPEAKER_02: So it's like um I tend not to think too much about I'm sort of just on to the next thing, you know, and working through and it feels great to be promoting this record, but um, I'm still I'm always writing, so I'm like also thinking about what's next as well, musically, creatively.
- 13:20SPEAKER_01: Well, and it sounds like success in some degree means being for you.
- 13:23SPEAKER_01: Correct me if I'm wrong, but it means being content and doing your thing and doing what you do.
- 13:29SPEAKER_02: Yeah, I mean it's getting to create.
- 13:30SPEAKER_02: I feel you know, feel very lucky to be doing this as a as a career, you know, and it's uh and it's yeah, it's taking it's and it's I love it, you know.
- 13:41SPEAKER_02: And it's I've never, you know, I've never been to the States before.
- 13:45SPEAKER_02: Uh well, I have been a couple of times now, but it was like getting to do something like that for work, and it doesn't really feel like work, you know, it feels great to do.
- 13:54SPEAKER_01: One of the things that I loved seeing, I I was at your concert in Brooklyn the last time when you were there a few weeks ago.
- 14:00SPEAKER_01: And I mean, you put on a great show and it was long and it was uh, I mean, it took a lot of energy and effort, and then just so effortlessly, I recall you going to the bar and just saying, Hey, I'm here.
- 14:12SPEAKER_01: If you want to talk with me, come talk.
- 14:14SPEAKER_01: You weren't selling anything or anything like that.
- 14:16SPEAKER_01: You were just I'm I'm here.
- 14:18SPEAKER_02: Yeah, yeah.
- 14:19SPEAKER_02: Well, we had I had merchandise and stuff as well, and but and it was and also it was just um, I think it's good.
- 14:25SPEAKER_02: I think, especially, you know, it's a new audience, it's like a lot of new people, and it's like I think they've come out to come and see you play.
- 14:32SPEAKER_01: I think it's important to do have that FaceTime with people and say thank you and do, you know, yeah, and have that FaceTime and chat with people and well, it was a really nice thing to see, and the way it looked, I mean, I didn't have a chance because there was a bit of a crowd there, but it was nice to see the genuineness of that.
- 14:50SPEAKER_01: That's also in your music.
- 14:51SPEAKER_01: I mean, what you were saying before, it's kind of like what you see is what you get, which is really charming and nice and and genuine.
- 14:58SPEAKER_01: So when people leave one of your concerts uh or they finish listening to one of your songs, uh, what what do you hope, not just what they feel, but what what really stays with them after listening to you?
- 15:10SPEAKER_02: I think like you can't you can't like after a whole set, it's hard to I think the main thing is you just hope that they connect with it in some way and relate to it in some way and feel something, you know.
- 15:21SPEAKER_02: That's that's like as a songwriter, that's the main kind of goal, I think.
- 15:25SPEAKER_02: If you want to, you know, it's it's also like you know, you write it but you express how you want to feel, but at the same time, you want someone to pull something from relate to it in some way.
- 15:36SPEAKER_02: It's about it's about them as as much as about yourself, you know.
- 15:40SPEAKER_01: So it's and right now are you I know you've done a few covers, but are you doing mostly your own writing, all original writing and music?
- 15:47SPEAKER_02: Yeah, it's all my own stuff, yeah.
- 15:48SPEAKER_02: Yeah, yeah.
- 15:49SPEAKER_02: So I don't, yeah, don't tend to it's all originals in the in the gig, yeah.
- 15:54unknown: Okay.
- 15:54SPEAKER_01: Um might be a cover for a laugh, you know, but um, you know, there have been people listening to this who have dreams.
- 16:02SPEAKER_01: Uh also it may be to be a musician, to write a book, to create art, you know, whatever it is.
- 16:07SPEAKER_01: But um what would you say can keep someone going or has kept yourself going uh when dreams start taking a little bit longer than expected to to happen or to come to fruition?
- 16:22SPEAKER_02: Uh main thing is just persevere, like uh persevere, doing as much stuff and and also like collaborate and connect with people who are doing stuff.
- 16:32SPEAKER_02: And I think there's so many people as well who want to achieve similar things or the same thing, so it's like finding like-minded people and encouraging people rather than you don't people putting you down, like there's obviously there's things as well, there's like there's delusionment as well being deluded as well, which is a certain thing, you know, you've got to spend a lot of time working on your craft and doing all that.
- 16:55SPEAKER_02: What do you mean by being deluded?
- 16:57SPEAKER_02: What do you mean?
- 16:58SPEAKER_02: Well, you don't want to be, you know, it's like you want to check, you know, you can play and sing and tune and do all those things.
- 17:04SPEAKER_02: That's that stuff goes without saying, like work that stuff out as much as you can.
- 17:10SPEAKER_02: Um, and then I think, yeah, it's just finding like-minded people and collaborate and uh find what makes you inspired, you know.
- 17:17SPEAKER_02: And what inspires you?
- 17:19SPEAKER_02: Everything um in life, uh uh lots of things.
- 17:23SPEAKER_02: Uh it's different every day, you know.
- 17:25SPEAKER_02: Um might be a recorder here, there might be a it might be someone's something setting a conversation, might be someone on television, might be someone on uh a film, you know.
- 17:36SPEAKER_02: There's there's so much.
- 17:38SPEAKER_02: It's it comes in a different you get inspired different times all the time.
- 17:42SPEAKER_02: Or it might be a new place, it might be a new place, a new set.
- 17:46unknown: Okay.
- 17:46SPEAKER_01: So you have a new album that just came out, Joy.
- 17:50SPEAKER_01: Uh two questions about that.
- 17:52SPEAKER_01: One, uh, well, actually a few.
- 17:53SPEAKER_01: What are you most excited about with that album?
- 17:56SPEAKER_01: Why that title?
- 17:57SPEAKER_01: And also when you think about where you are right now in your life and career, uh, what brings you joy?
- 18:04SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
- 18:05SPEAKER_02: Um, well, I think uh yeah, well, the initial the the title joy is from the the last track, uh A Name is Joy, which is basically it's kind of I felt like it personified like a lot.
- 18:17SPEAKER_02: You get joy from a lot of things, you you know, it's like love, um, life in general.
- 18:24SPEAKER_02: I think and it sort of had that vibe and it sort of, but I feel like it can't joy can be used as a metaphor for like a lot of things, and I feel like it kind of felt all-encompassing.
- 18:34SPEAKER_02: It was just when I looked at the titles, it wasn't a massive overthought.
- 18:37SPEAKER_02: I think it just went massaw it out of a list of titles that we're thinking about, it felt like it it personified most things, you know.
- 18:46SPEAKER_01: I was just about to say that's exact that's the exact word I was going to use.
- 18:49SPEAKER_01: It sounds like it just personifies where things are at this moment for you.
- 18:54SPEAKER_02: Yeah, that's that's it.
- 18:55SPEAKER_02: So it's like that felt like the obvious title.
- 18:58SPEAKER_01: And then um, yeah, sorry, the the other questions were um uh well actually I was just gonna ask about the album or just in general, you have so much going on right now.
- 19:08SPEAKER_01: Um, can you pinpoint what's coming up for you that you're most excited about?
- 19:12SPEAKER_02: I think yeah, well, there's lots of lots of shows are happening, um, doing lots of going back, come back to America in in July and um also in September as well.
- 19:22SPEAKER_02: Um and then I've got some I'm just doing a lot of shows this year.
- 19:27SPEAKER_02: So it's like a lot of shows, and I'm doing I'm I'm always writing.
- 19:30SPEAKER_02: So when I've got days off, I'm I'm writing and then I'm very excited, yeah, just to travel, see new places, meet new, meet new people, do more shows basically.
- 19:39SPEAKER_01: Um, you've got a lot coming up, and I wanted to mention again, uh, you are going to be in Westport at the Levit Pavilion this summer on July 19th, which would be great.
- 19:48SPEAKER_01: You've got your tour coming up, well, actually throughout the world and certainly here in the States um in the fall.
- 19:54SPEAKER_01: Uh, if people want more to know more about you, where to find you, what would be the best thing for them to do?
- 20:00SPEAKER_02: I think you know, all everything's online.
- 20:02SPEAKER_02: So it's like uh Instagram, um, uh I've got a website, I've got uh Spotify, you can listen to the record.
- 20:10SPEAKER_02: I think the best way to find anything is is yeah, either the website if you want to know about live dates or or Spotify if you want to listen to the music, or you can just buy a record.
- 20:19SPEAKER_02: There's there's a few yeah, all right.
- 20:22SPEAKER_01: Uh well, a couple of things.
- 20:23SPEAKER_01: One, uh after we end, we are going to pay play a clip of a live uh recording you did of one of my favorite songs, easy, that you do.
- 20:31SPEAKER_01: Uh, number one.
- 20:32SPEAKER_01: Number two, as I said at the beginning, I'm just such a huge fan.
- 20:35SPEAKER_01: Uh, you're amazing, and I wish you the absolute best success.
- 20:39SPEAKER_01: And I will see you there in July.
- 20:41SPEAKER_01: And is there anything uh that you wanted to add or say before we sign off?
- 20:46SPEAKER_02: Oh, just just thank you.
- 20:47SPEAKER_02: And uh yeah, go and listen to the record if you haven't, and uh hope you like it.
- 21:14SPEAKER_00: Thinking back, what we had has changed me.
- 21:19SPEAKER_00: Remember funny things like how we used to be, get a mast on the grass, just you and me I wonder how you do not have it changed.
- 21:37SPEAKER_00: If it's on I could call you baby, it's funny how I miss killing I hope you take it easy.
- 22:02SPEAKER_00: When you move on when you wake up the light the same day to the spinna come in the morning, or now do you have it in a When we went away with so many things we wanna get everything?
- 22:35SPEAKER_00: I hope we get all the taking it in the stone because the live fist and east when you move on I hope you take it east on Cut Fist and East When you move on when you move on When you move when you move an opponent taking it easy, I hope you're doing the strong Cause living life is an Easter when you move and you move and all when you move and all thank you to the brass chingus bross team for sponsoring this episode.