For some people music is just soaked into their bones. Especially so if they grew up in recording studios, surrounded by the pop powerhouse of Stock, Aitken and Waterman. Such was the childhood of Jamie Woon, whose mother, a Scottish folk singer, also did pop sessions. So it’s not surprising that Brit School trained Woon now lives his life through music. Woon’s emotional connection to music is shaped by his versatile memories of youthful milestones to the soundtrack of Michael Jackson, Britpop and Radiohead.
If these titans were not big enough influences, Woon draws his inspiration from other cultural greats: “I find a lot of inspiration in nature and walking, travelling. I’m well into watching videos of record breakers like Usain Bolt, Mike Powell and Michael Johnson. Superhuman stuff. I used to read a lot of selfimprovement manuals, I think that fed into my lyrics on my first record.”
What’s more Woon shares a house with Mercury prize-nominated Portico Quartet. His bedroom, which he works from, overlooked a music shed in the garden where the band wrote their second record, ‘Isla’. “It was a real privilege to hear them write and refine it from start to finish and have such beautiful sounds wafting up to my room,” he says. “They played a big part in my getting interested in ambient music and atmosphere. I just had to make sure not to unconsciously steal any tunes!”
With 2011 being hailed as a big year for dance music with more of a subtle edge, what sets Woon apart from the likes of this issue’s cover star, James Blake? “I hope that regardless of what kinds of music I’m interested in at any given time that my style of writing and singing make me distinctive,” he says.
With powerful soul that digs up roots and wings up to astral heights, Woon’s voice will surely have people talking.
Words by Angela Balakrishnan
Where: London
What: Beats And Soul
Unique fact: His mum sang backing vocals for Kylie.
Get 3 songs: ‘Night Air’, ‘Wayfaring Strangers’, ‘Spirit’
