More about: Tom Grennan

Since the release of his debut album Lighting Matches in 2018, Tom Grennan’s mighty croons have captured our hearts. From the tender 'Something in the Water' to the anthemic 'Found What I’ve Been Looking For', Grennan has proven he’s a force to be reckoned with. With the new release of his sophomore album Evering Road, we caught up with him to discuss new music and life in lockdown.

Starting out, Tom explains how songwriting became a natural extension of his emotional process. “For me, it was just an outlet… It was something that really helped me to get all of my emotions onto paper… I used to write a diary and stuff, just about how I was feeling and what I was going through. When I picked up a guitar I went back through the diary, and I kind of just used all of these things that I was writing about to make songs - and for me, it was just a really big release. It was just something that made me happy, and I just wanted to make other people happy [too]."

“I was learning on the job with the first album,” reminisces Tom. Now three years on from the release of his debut, he comments, “I really feel that I have come into the artist that I want to be. I’m older, I’m more mature - and it feels like that. It feels like the songs are bigger and better and have a story and a meaning behind them.”

“Evering Road is all about a past breakup, but it’s not like a breakup album where it’s kind of like, ‘Aw, feel sorry for me because she did this and she did that’. Actually, it’s all about how I really didn’t love myself, and I couldn’t love someone else before loving myself… It’s me saying sorry, [and] it’s me saying thank you to her too. Evering Road is a road in East London which I lived on, and that’s where the story happened - and it’s love, heartbreak, and redemption - it’s got all of that in it.”

While recording the new album, Tom made the decision to give up drinking and smoking. “I was battling with a lot of things going on in my head, and when drinking I was kind of just coating the demons. I was just sinking deeper into a hole - not because of alcohol but because of my mental state - and I needed a clear head. For me, it was cutting out the alcohol that really gave me time to kind of re-evaluate and really reset - and kind of take the cloud away from my head.”

Like many events for the past year, the release date for Evering Road was pushed back due to the ongoing pandemic. However, with a release date finally set, Tom explains “It’s going to be a weight lifted off my shoulders… I can kinda move on and get on with the rest of my life - and also just get on with making another record.”

“To be able to release new music, especially in this climate as well is like – I think we all need new music now - we all need some sort of lift up, we all need that kind of release... I can’t wait for people to hear this record, and I just hope that it’s gonna make people happy and that people will love it.”

With lockdown defining our lives for the past year, Tom comments, “The main thing for me has just been keeping healthy and keeping my family safe. But also, I picked up the piano - I’m learning how to play the piano, and I’m really into my fitness now. So I’ve been working out loads, and yeah just keeping myself busy as much as I can, and just keeping myself grounded and just in a good frame of mind basically. I think mindset for this lockdown stuff has been my most important thing. Kind of always hoping and always looking forwards and not backwards - and just keep myself positive, and just be grateful for each day.”

Evering Road is out now via Insanity Records.

More about: Tom Grennan