SPOTLIGHT: Mr JC Stewart
Whilst lockdown may have been unproductive for some, others have been diligently creating. JC Stewart is one such person, who is riding high following the release of his latest single, Break My Heart. Co-written with Niall Horan, it hit a remarkable 37 New Music Friday playlists on Spotify when it was released last month. On top of that, his flying start to 2021 also saw him named as MTV’s first global Push artist of the year, while earning fresh airplay at Radio 1 and Radio 2. It just made good sense to get to know him better.
Tell us about the latest single, Break My Heart
It’s a song that I wrote over the last lockdown and quite strangely it was written over Zoom and What’s App with the guys that I wrote it with. It’s really influenced by touring and the experience of meeting people and connecting with them. I think that that is an experience that many first musicians will know about.
How did you react to the response received to your rendition of the Friends theme?
It was pretty mad! It feels like a lifetime ago already. I was at my parents house and feeling like my world was kind of ending. I felt like I had come full circle over the last five years, and felt like now, that period had never happened.
When you were breaking Into the music industry, which artists did you look up to?
There have been lots of singer/ songwriters that I was listening to like Tom Odell and Ed Sheeran. I suppose they do what they do really simply but are still pushing the boundaries. I really admire how they seem to be able to do that in a way that is not ostentatious. At the same time, they are still able to put on really amazing shows that are dramatic and full of energy. Now that I am working with a lot of them, it’s really interesting to be able to learn from them and see how they do that.
What is a professional sad boy?
Well my sister defines it as being sad for money. I do really love listening to and writing sad music, although I’m generally quite a happy person.
How has it been trying to create music in a pandemic? Was it difficult to collaborate with co-songwriters?
I actually saw it as quite a fun opportunity to get away from the sessions and the pressure of having to write five songs a week. I managed to write more songs than I ever have before and it was on my own terms. Studio time can be precious and expensive, so there is a pressure to deliver. In contrast, I was able to write whenever I felt like it, but I think I may have burnt myself out and I need a bit of a break. I learnt a lot about what I want to write about and say.
How do you feel about being able the possibility of performing again?
I would say that I am massively both excited and apprehensive. It’s great that it will soon be able to happen again and I am really looking forward to it but it is also terrifying. In terms of how it will play out, I don’t know how people will feel and if they will even turn up. So that is the scary part. It will be great to get in a band with my mates and be able to drive around Europe together.
You’ve got a cool look and a great sense of style. Do you feel that it’s important to have these when embarking on a music career?
I really think that it's acceptable to be who you want to be. If you look at someone like Lewis Capaldi he doesn’t play that game at all. I struggled with the whole fashion thing growing up, and All Saints was the absolute pinnacle of style in my head. Back in Northern Ireland, I knew nothing about designer brands. So it's been a real learning curve for me, but I have intentionally been trying to learn more.
How do you feel about being able the possibility of performing again?
I would say that I am massively both excited and apprehensive. It’s great that it will soon be able to happen again and I am really looking forward to it but it is also terrifying. In terms of how it will play out, I don’t know how people will feel and if they will even turn up. So that is the scary part. It will be great to get in a band with my mates and be able to drive around Europe together.
You’ve got a cool look and a great sense of style. Do you feel that it’s important to have these when embarking on a music career?
I really think that it's acceptable to be who you want to be. If you look at someone like Lewis Capaldi he doesn’t play that game at all. I struggled with the whole fashion thing growing up, and All Saints was the absolute pinnacle of style in my head. Back in Northern Ireland, I knew nothing about designer brands. So it's been a real learning curve for me, but I have intentionally been trying to learn more.
What advice would you give to fellow new musicians?
The only advice I could give is to try and enjoy the moment. I’m trying to do that myself at the moment and I have always been terrible at it. Over the last three years, I spent so much of that time stressing about what was happening next that I missed it. It’s really important to protect your mental health. It is fine to be ambitious, but don’t let ambition take over.
What are you working on next and at the moment?
I’m taking some time and working on a body of work and hopefully by the summer it’ll turn into something. In terms of other things, who knows? Things will all start to kick off again very soon I think.
And finally, what makes a rakish gent?
He’s refined in every element of his life.
Quick fire questions
Ideal travel destination - Barcelona
Best store in the world - IKEA
Gadget of choice - Playstation
Go to pair of shoes - Black Crocs
Brand/ designer of choice - Acne Studios
Favorite fragrance - Creed Irish Tweed
Essential grooming project - Vitamin C Serum
Recommended app - TikTok
Icon - Elton John
Break My Heart is out now.