More about: Collard
'Deliver Me' is out now
Neo-soul smoothie Collard has done what he does best today and shared the devastatingly good standalone single 'Deliver Me'. Following 'Supercharged' from earlier in the year, it continues an impressive streak showing off a fount of inspiration that never seems to run dry.
We can never say enough about his 2019 debut album Unholy, and yes: the singles beyond it continue to set the bar just as we hoped. Today, 'Deliver Me' explores more of a lo-fi technique, combining those skyscraping, sensual guitars and Prince-like falsetto with a new, electronic beat.
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Here, Collard takes us through the songs that inspired his newest single - and his craft in general:
Janis Joplin - 'Summertime'
I first heard her voice when I was around 9/10-ish, I remember hearing 'Ball & Chain' and being in awe and seeing what she looked like was even more astonishing. She looked like my nan: small, pale, thin but with one of the most captivating, powerful voices I’ve seen or heard come out of a face.
From her I learnt that when songwriting, sometimes you don’t need to use a lot of words sometimes you just need to drill the meaning into people’s minds whether that be through wailing it or screaming it.
Bob Marley - 'Easy Skanking'
Any kid with Jamaican roots knows that Bob Marley is a house hold placement. Grandma in the kitchen by the dutchy singing along to 'Waiting in Vain'. Bob is the epitome of timelessness which is my main objective when creating music: will what I’m saying translate for decades to come? What Bob sang then can still perfectly narrate the lives of people today.
The Rolling Stones - 'Worried About You'
It’s usually impossible to describe what a perfect song is but not for me because I heard 'Worried About You'. That song changed my outlook on songwriting completely, the freeness of structure, the instrumentation, the howling vocals. Jagger went absolutely god-tier on that song as he does with most… But that one, chills every time, and to my ears, the single greatest song ever made.
Sampha - 'Indecision'
I think Sampha is so important for young black singer/songwriters worldwide. Listening to Sampha’s music was instrumental for me to understand mindfulness in songwriting, to have a no bounds approach when describing inner feelings. If you’re going to go to that place then you must be willing to completely expose yourself no matter how uncomfortable it makes you.
James Brown - 'The Payback'
Every session with Zach [Nahome, Collard’s producer] starts with a James Brown vocal warm up. Mr please please please aka soul brother number one aka Mr Dynamite. Greatest to ever do it, the coldest and baddest man to ever walk on God’s green earth. James Brown had it all and is the benchmark for musical excellence. His impact and influence on me is so powerful that I find myself subconsciously scoring a dog walk to the sound of 'Stone To The Bone'. He had everything I strive to learn.
D’Angelo - 'When We Get By'
Another household icon. Being welcomed into the world of D’angelo’s genius was momentous. From a wild falsetto to a controlled melodic murmur I often find myself bewitched by his voice. D’angelo influences me a lot musically, Voodoo being one of my favourite albums ever. I think the thing I take away most from his music and try to incorporate in my own is creating music that sounds like an era in culture. When I listen to Voodoo I can hear what I imagine to be early 2000’s New York in the music, it’s in his chaotic melodies, scattering percussion and perfectly busy keys.
Daniel Johnston - 'True Love Will Find You In The End'
I was pretty late when it came to this man, I first listened to him in January 2019. I remember when, because it was the first time in a long time a song made me cry. I heard 'The Story Of An Artist' and it just struck me so hard man. It’s not fancy, it’s not busy, it’s not complex - it’s just pure and honest pieces of music. I am incredibly envious of his ability to turn an interaction or insecurity into the most heartfelt and beautiful song all while retaining the folky acoustic grain & grit. He inspired me to have a holistic and deeply personal connection with my own creations.
Read our 2019 interview with Collard here.
More about: Collard
Photo: Press
