Next Wave #832: Jack Conman

In Association With Vero True Social

The birthplace of the boiled sweet, white telephone boxes and the Humber Bridge, Hull is a city often discarded despite its undeniable perks. However, hailing from its diffident streets is Jack Conman, a singer-songwriter with the intent of deciphering the beauty of everyday life and compiling a musical shoulder to cry on for those who have come to the conclusion that a hefty amount of Ben & Jerry’s just will not suffice.

Establishing his first instrumental notability aged eight as the drummer of a Nickelback cover band, Jack’s serene, halcyon melodies are a far cry from the raspy bellows of living in hilltop houses and driving fifteen cars nowadays. After upping sticks to Manchester, his ditties took an experimental detour, where he began to dabble with alien genres, “The core of it is, I used to be a massive emo, and I think that’s still pretty noticeable in my music; I haven’t changed in the slightest. Everything around it I like to explore, mainly with jazz elements. I’m trying to aim for sad lyrics, just not sad music!”

A self-professed sensitive, awkward kid, Jack’s lyricism teeters gingerly into becoming an expose of a private diary entry, honest to the core without being too divulgent, but enough to translate into a form of remedy, for not only himself, but also for those lucky enough to come across him. “Often, you write about something and you’re not bothered about it until you’ve finished it. I overshare quite a lot, it’s therapeutic, like when I broke up with a girl and turned it into a song. I should have a filter but I’m not very private. Everybody has something they hide, but somebody out there is going to relate to it.”

After jet-setting to Berlin to perform a stripped back portrayal of ‘Greatly Hasty’ on YouTube’s COLORS channel (a haven of rainbow-tinged up 'n' comers if you’re unfamiliar), a flame ignited that saw Jack handpicked to perform at BBC Radio 1’s Big Weekend, become a sought after live performer and his Spotify play count soar to galactic levels. Yet, he insists on cherishing his humble approach to dipping his toes into the pool of success, citing: “For me, the thing I enjoy the most is when somebody comes up to me and says they loved a particular lyric, it’s the best compliment, having people connect with music so personal. I’m scared of people saying they don’t like me, but not as much as I am of burping on stage”.

His latest offering ‘Not Justified’ is a haunting recollection depicting the aftermath of lost love, trickling in with a voicemail blockaded by delicate vocals and a far more stripped back melody opposed to his other material. A sneaky insight from his upcoming EP ‘Heddison’, Jack explains a little further about the hotly tipped June release, “Heddison’ is a made-up word, a mixture between hedonism and medicine. People tend to self-medicate with different types of hedonism without questioning too much why they’re doing it. I’m slightly nervous about it, but I want to begin releasing something every month eventually, a bit like a King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard thing!”

Currently on a headline tour of the UK, complete with his band, be sure to catch a glimpse of his impeccable live shows, especially if you’re in desperate need of an audible hug.

– – –

– – –

Words: Becca Fergus

Join us on Vero, as we get under the skin of global cultural happenings. Follow Clash Magazine as we skip merrily between clubs, concerts, interviews and photo shoots. Get backstage sneak peeks and a true view into our world as the fun and games unfold.

Buy Clash Magazine

-
Join the Clash mailing list for up to the minute music, fashion and film news.