James Bourne is set to release his debut album, Safe Journey Home’, on October 23. Preceded by the single, ‘Everyone Is My Friend’, the Busted / Son Of Dork artist took some time to talk to Lisa about his music, his trans-continental lifestyle, and his friends – including Jedward.
Your debut album ‘Safe Journey Home’ is out on October 23, and a lot of fans have been looking forward to this for ages. Why’s it taken so long? And do you have enough songs up your sleeve to release a second album as well?
Releasing music takes more time with all the planning that goes with it. I wrote my second album in lockdown but that’s another story!
We really like ‘Everyone Is My Friend’. It’s got a nice mellow vibe to it. Do you have a secret to making friends, or is it something that comes naturally? What do you look for in a friend?
I like making friends with positive people. I don’t have a secret to making friends 🤣I’ve made a lot of friends travelling and songwriting.
We know you’re friends with John and Edward (aka Jedward) – I was a bit sad to see they didn’t make the cut for your lyric video!
I don’t have any pictures of us together! Also I couldn’t fit all the pictures I wanted in the video because the song was only 2:41 🤣
Talk us through the songwriting process. What comes first, melody or lyrics, or is there a rhythm that gets you going and you write around that? Or is it something completely different?
The lyric is what you think & the music is what the lyric makes you feel. If I’m thinking and feeling at a piano or with a guitar in my hands I’m doing those things simultaneously and songs get written immediately as they happen. For example, Batman’s house was a one take improvisation recorded as a voice note. Sometimes you have to think about it a bit more but not too much! Over thinking destroys the process. You gotta feel it and be able to communicate your thoughts as they happen in a musical way. That is pure songwriting.
I’m intrigued by the titles of your songs – how do you come up with the names?
Usually I’ll select the lyric that makes the most sense as a title. If I’m drawing on a unique experience that will probably lead to a unique song and a unique song title.
I’ve followed you on Instagram for a couple of years now, and you seem to live your life divided between the UK and the US, jetting between the two at a moment’s notice – where is Home?
I’m lucky to call a lot of different places home. It makes the world seem a bit smaller. I love being familiar with NYC, Nashville and LA, it’s like going back home whenever I go to any of these cities.
What can fans expect from ‘Safe Journey Home’? What’s been your favourite song to write and why? What was the hardest?
If a song is too hard I usually don’t bother with it. Batman’s house was the fastest but they all came easily!
And finally…what question do you wish someone would ask you in an interview, but nobody ever does?
I don’t know! I guess I hope people understand that my songwriting is like a lifestyle for me. I love doing it and I haven’t lost any enthusiasm or ambition for my music. After all this time I wouldn’t choose to do anything else.
‘Safe Journey Home’ is now available to pre-order HERE. It will be released on streaming, download, CD and Limited Edition vinyl. Fans who pre-order the album will receive an instant download of ‘Everyone Is My Friend’.
Find James Bourne online on Spotify, Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.
