Alfie Templeman's new single Everybody's Gonna Love Somebody is out now! We chat to the musician about the release and more.
Image: Blackksocks
Eighteen year old musician Alfie Templeman has unveiled his stellar nostalgic track, Everybody's Gonna Love Somebody! Set to be featured on the musicians forthcoming mini-album Forever Isn't Long Enough, due out this May. The release will serve as the musicians final compact body of work as he begins to work on his debut album.
Written, performed, and produced entirely by Templeman in his bedroom, the singer began working on the track in 2017, coming back to the composition time and time again to perfect the piece. Inspired by groove-laden 80s pop, with sultry sax lines threaded throughout the scintillating release, Everybody's Gonna Love Somebody brings the nostalgia with sonic references to Tears For Fears' Everybody Wants To Rule The World.
The release is accompanied by a cinematic visual directed by Templeman's previous collaborator Thomas Davis. Starring alongside an adorable green puppet, the visual sees the musician embark on a road trio through the desert, as the dynamic duo search for the puppets lost love, Suzie.
Last year, Templeman released his fourth EP, Happiness In Liquid Form following 2018’s Like An Animal, and 2019’s Sunday Morning Cerealand Don’t Go Wasting Time. The releases cemented Templeman's place a prodigiously talented young musician, songwriter, producer and performer. With an impressive 105k Instagram followers since his first post in 2019, almost 1 million monthly Spotify listeners, and a cumulative streaming figure of over 50 million, Templeman has come a long way since the release of debut track Like An Animal. Known for his raucous and energetic live shows, the singer performed his first London headline show to a sold-out crows at COLOURS in Hoxton earlier this year. Last year, the singer played a triumphant Radio 1 Introducing Set at Reading and Leeds festival, proving his commanding abilities as a performer.
Everybody's Gonna Love Somebody is out now! Read our interview with Alfie Templeman below.
Tell us a bit about how you began your musical journey...
It was back in around 2009, when I was 6! My dad has a massive collection of guitars he buys on eBay, and I became really interested in them so eventually started teaching myself to play. Eventually I got drums lessons and then began recording on a cheap laptop with audacity. It’s still the same today, I do nearly everything at home on a laptop on Logic Pro!
Congratulations on your new single, Everybody’s Gonna Love Somebody! You first wrote the track in 2017, how did the song evolve from its initial conception to the track we hear today?
Thanks so much! The song originally began as a disco pop kind of track with the title being repeated over and over as the lyrics, and that was it for 3 years. But I dug it up back in early 2020 and gave it a bit more of an 80s feel. It just sounds more grown up now.
The song takes its inspiration from classic groove-laden 80s pop, with references to Tears for Fears. What drew you to exploring this sonic sound?
I’ve always loved 80’s production, that reverby sound. I just love the shuffle drums on Everybody Wants To Rule The World and decided it’d be nice for a change to do something like that. So it was honestly just me wanting to branch out and try some new production.
You wrote, performed, and produced the track yourself. What do you think are the advantages and disadvantages of having complete control of the final outcome of your music
Advantages are you get all the royalties! Disadvantages are sometimes it can be hard to know whether what you’re doing is actually good, so I play all the tracks to my family and friends to make sure that I’m not just biased. They’re honest about what could be better too.
The song is accompanied by a cinematic, adventurous visual and continues your collaborative efforts with director Thomas Davis. How did you conceptualise the music video and what inspired the visual?
It was all Thomas. I honestly can’t tell you how he thought of such a crazy idea, but it works so well. He’s great at these things, I just do the acting part, even though I’m not great!
How important are the visuals to you when it comes to conveying the story and meaning present on the track and how involved are you in the creative process?
I have rough ideas, but I’ve never been great at visual art, only music. I just know what I like, and am lucky to work with the most amazing artists and directors. Thomas has done a bunch of my videos now, and Soren and Amir from Bedroom Projects have done pretty much all of my album art and visuals. They seem to dig the music I make, which they convert into art that represents it well, which works perfectly.
If Everybody’s Gonna Love Somebody was a piece of visual art, which artwork would it be?
Light Red Over Black by Mark Rothko. It just feels like those colours and shades to me.
Your new mini-album, Forever Isn’t Long Enough, is set to explore more focused pop sounds, ranging influences from Fleetwood Mac’s Rumours to Tame Impala’s Currents. What can fans expect from the new collection of songs?
It’s definitely more focused. I wanted to make something a little longer, a little more substance. And I think the time it took to make paid off. The production is a step up for me, and I’m really happy with it.
If you had to pick one song off of Forever Isn’t Long Enough to play to someone who had never heard your music to make them an instant fan, which song would it be and why?
I guess Wait, I Lied just because it’s a simple, accessible pop song but with really cool chords and PHAT BASS! It’s easy to digest and goes down well.
Could you kind of talk us through your creative process when writing and recording songs?
I’ll literally just noodle around on a guitar until it sounds cool enough to be a main melody, then write chords around that. Then I’ll get the rhythm section perfect and add onto it until I can think of some words that suit the sound of the song. And voila!
Did you encounter any challenges whilst creating music during the COVID-19 pandemic, or did it allow you the time and space to immerse yourself within this musical project?
It allowed me to spend more time refining my songs and making sure everything was the best it could be. The only problem is lack of inspiration. As I’m not really going anywhere at the moment, it can be tricky to find new inspiration for songs.
The current pandemic has obviously put a halt to touring and performing live, what are your touring plans post pandemic? If any, what can people expect from one of your live shows?
Be nice to play some really small venues and also some bigger ones. We just want to have fun and a bit of a laugh. We’ll be playing lots of funny covers and there’ll be crowdsurfing and moshpits. It’s all just a laugh.
RAPID FIRE
Biggest influences?
Todd Rundgren, Big Star, Mac DeMarco, Lennon and McCartney, Prince, Makoto Matsushita, Bill Evans.
Dream collaboration?
Tame Impala.
Album that has had the most impact on you?
Something/Anything? by Todd Rundgren.
How do you define your musical style in 3 words?
Bound to change.
A musical release you’re most looking forward to in 2021?
Chemtrails Over The Country Club by Lana Del Rey.
If you could create the soundtrack for any film, which one would it be?
Clockwork Orange.
Hannah Montana or Miley Cyrus?
No way I can pick!
The best/most memorable show you’ve ever performed?
Colours at Hoxton in London. Absolutely awesome show.
Album you would listen to on repeat on a road trip?
Number 1 Record by Big Star.
Best concert you have been to?
King Crimson, they were so good.
Last concert you went to?
The 1975 in London.
If you were a Spice Girl, what would your spice nickname be?
Smelly Spice.
Guilty music pleasure?
I don’t feel guilty listening to anything!
If you could support any artist on tour, who would it be?
Mac Demarco.
An artist you think has had the most influence on the music industry.
Beatles or Todd Rundgren.
What advice would your current self, give your future self, for a year from now?
Don’t care too much about what people think.
The moment you knew you wanted to be a musician?
When I started selling records on Bandcamp.