Growing up in Northern Ireland, Jamie Sloan had a passion for music but never a desire to make his own. Once he picked up his guitar at the age of 16 and self-taught himself from Youtube and old chord books, music just became something he fell into.
Jamie Sloan is a riveting vocalist that you will find yourself obsessing over. He released the single “New Orleans Queen” and we couldn’t help but love his rasp and grit to his vocal texture while still sounding sweet with a rough delivery. This odd fusion helped create a more individual characteristic to his artistry. “New Orleans Queen” was a blissfully delivered record. The breathtaking melodies and brilliant production to complement it was just smooth as a baby’s bottom. The lyrics were still catchy with a poetically created storyline that wrapped us into this song. Jamie Sloan is a catchy vocalist who we won’t be able to get anough of! His voice is timeless. It’s one of those sounds that will touch you and keep you moving with every note he makes. Jamie Sloan is a phenomenal singer-songwriter, crafting original music that’s atmospheric, catchy, and from the heart. Eschewing one genre, Jamie’s music draws influence from soul, hiphop, and blues, fused together with a pop feel. Somehow both soft and gravelly at the same time, Jamie’s vocals perfectly convey his lyrics – which are full of emotion, telling stories of “the trials and tribulations we face as humans”. This cleverly-written piece was a nice offering from an amazing artist like Jamie Sloan and leading by example, Jamie is living proof that it’s possible to “overcome any odds and live your dreams as long as you have the courage to never give in”.
Check out "New Orleans Queen" and read more below in our exclusive interview!
Thank you for sharing your music with us Jamie Sloan! In what ways are you and your music influenced today by your upbringing as a child?
First of all thanks for having me, really appreciate it. Music was a huge part of my childhood, my mum had me in her late teens. So having a young mother who was into Guns'n'Rose's, AC/DC etc I grew up with a love for, what we'd now call 'classic rock'. Though there was no shortage of Soul,Motown, Pop, Country and the list goes on. So i had a varied diet of music as a child, as i grew older i gravitated towards Singer-songwriters,Soul,Motown,Blues, R'n'B & Hip-hop. I don't know why exactly, but these genres of music just speak to me in a way others cant. I didn't have the easiest of upbringing but in no way was it the worst either. I do think because of this, i grew up fast and always held a conversation with adults better than i could with kids my age. People would often say i was 'An old head, On young shoulders' and id probably agree. i was always observing life, people, different situations & more curious about serious stuff than i was with playing about. I think that it has served me well in being a songwriter and maybe set me on this path.
“New Orleans Queen” was a beautiful song. What inspired you to write this?
Honestly, The first thing people ask you after you release any music is, "whats next?" so that definitely set the wheels in motion. At the time i wrote it, i was single. Endlessly swiping left and right on dating apps trying to find a match (oh millennials). You get tired of that pretty quickly and always being out trying to find love, searching for it and I thought "someone has to be out there for me, where are they?" there's a certain frustration that comes with that too. Next thing you know BOOM!, Light bulb,4 hours later you have a song.
What was the major theme behind “New Orleans Queen”?
Longing to find, someone that you sincerely want to keep forever and the frustration that comes with trying to find them. I've never been to New Orleans but for all i knew, it's where they could be. It's about the searching we do for love and the hope that we might have that cinematic meet cute, one day. Regardless of whether that's in Paris, Rome, New York or The French Quarter's of New Orleans.
You have an exciting EP coming up in September titled “No Fairytale Stories”. What can we expect from this project?
No Fairytale Stories mostly covers the parts of love we don't see in technicolor rom-com films, the heartbreak and the searching. It momentarily touches on my personal battle with anxiety and depression. It's real life stuff and it's raw. Don't for a second think that it's all doom and gloom because it's not, there is always a silver lining, a sense of optimism and triumph which runs through out the EP. I always strive towards making music that's relatable and empowering, If i've done my job right that's exactly what you'll get.
What’s next for you Jamie Sloan?
Usually this is the first question LOL. I don't really look that far ahead of myself, Often takes my attention away from the here and now. I'm going to get this EP wrapped up and move on to the next one, hopefully there will be a few tours thrown in there and if i'm lucky some time to chill. You can definitely expect more music though, that's for sure.
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