Focus: Jamie Farrell

Who are you?
I’m Jamie Farrell and I’m a singer/songwriter from Newton Aycliffe.

What is it you do?
I write songs and perform them for people in the hope that they will love me. And the songs. But mainly love me.

How long have you been doing it?
I’ve been involved in various musical projects since my early teens. I began playing drums when I was 10 and picked up the guitar when I was 16. Playing these instruments in various bands helped to hone my musicianship and I started to write songs as a result. After being in a few bands, I found myself without a musical project, so in 2014 I started writing songs that would express me as a solo artist. Since then, my writing has adapted to incorporate deeper connections with various emotions and feelings. After a bit of a hiatus, I’ve come back armed with new songs and fresh perspectives.

What inspires you?
For me, inspiration can come from anywhere, anything and at any time. A few months back, I was driving home one night when I suddenly had a concept drop into my brain. I wasn’t even necessarily thinking about writing a song, but this idea had flashed up and I knew I needed to get writing. I found somewhere safe to pull over, and I wrote a strong chorus. This was then fleshed out over the next couple of days to become a full song. There are some specific bands/artists that I listen to as their music gets my creative juices flowing, but most often it’s the thoughts and feelings I experience in my day to day life that inspires me to write. There’s charm in the mundane, excitement in the calm and beauty in the pain, you just need to look hard enough to find them.  

Tell us about your music.
I write pop/rock. I have varying tastes of music, and I feel like pop/rock is the best way for me to fully embrace and encapsulate this. I love a hard-rocking song with heavy riffs, but I also like to go really mellow and acoustic at times. With these contrasting dynamics, I deliver raw and passionate lyrics that convey a multitude of emotions felt by people everywhere.

When I gig live, I most often play with a full band behind me. I’m very lucky to have a lot of musically talented friends who enjoy joining me in my musical exploits.  

What have you got coming up in the future?
At the moment, I’m working with a company in New York who specialise in cutting unique vinyl records. People can pick one of my songs and I will record an individual take of it as well as a custom greeting. This ensures a truly one-off piece of merchandise that cannot be replicated. To buy one of these vinyls, check out https://leestavall.com/collections/shutinsessions/products/shut-in-jamiefarrell

Aside from this, I do have new music on the way. I’m currently finishing up my recordings and hope to have it ready and available later on this year. Keep an eye out as it’s coming soon!

Where can people find out more about you?
Go to biglink.to/JamieFarrell to find out everything you could possibly want to know. This page gives links to all of my social media including my Spotify profile.