James Lloyd Smith Talks About His Career So Far& The New Single ‘Favourite Colour’ – Backseat Mafia

Kent-based indie-folk songwriter James Lloyd Smith has released the radiant new single ‘Favourite Colour’.

A shimmering track that blends the intimacy of indie-folk with the sweeping textures of baroque-pop, the track captures an essence on Sufjan Stevens and Jack Johnson. Written on a well-worn guitalele and fleshed out with banjo, trumpet, and strings, ‘Favourite Colour’ balances charm with melancholy, much like the Wes Anderson, inspired video that accompanies it.

We caught up with Smith to talk about the inspirations behind his music, the delicate line between idealism and realism in his songwriting, and how a guitar from the middle aisle of Lidl all played a role in shaping his sound.

Who inspired you to start making music 

It sounds a bit cheesy but it was probably my older sister. She’s 4 years older than me and played in a lot of covers bands when I was younger. I was quite inspired to do something musical so I began writing weird little folky songs on a classical guitar from the middle aisle of Lidl. In a bit of a full circle moment she actually played drums on this new single.

And the one or maybe two records that inspired you artistically.

It’s a bit of a cliche but Pet Sounds was a big game changer for me. Just the emotional vulnerability on that album combined with the genius arrangements. It’s kind of the pinnacle of the kind of music I love. 

I think Michigan by Sufjan Stevens was another turning point for me. It showed me that you could make a grandiose lo-fi concept album using fairly accessible gear. It inspired me to start home recording after seeing what you could achieve without using a conventional studio.

If you’re trying to explain who you sound like to someone who’s never heard you, what do you say

I usually say something like “it’s indie folky, but with strings and trumpets”. It depends who I’m talking to really. I’m not always sure people will be helped if I mention my influences. Sometimes I have to say “no, not really like Mumford & Sons”.

The new single ‘Favourite Colour’ captures that magical yet messy feeling of a rom-com ‘meet-cute,’ while also addressing the quiet disillusionment of modern adulthood. How do you personally navigate that tension between romantic idealism and real-world experience in your songwriting

I think I’m getting better at living in the real world as I get older. When I was in my early 20’s I romanticised everything. Although considering my last single completely romanticised a walk around a lake I’m not sure I’m completely cured of romanticism. I think after a while you just have to navigate life with more realism, different life experiences and difficult times aren’t really compatible with ideals. 

The music video for ‘Favourite Colour’ leans into classic romcom aesthetics with a Wes Anderson twist. What drew you to that visual style, and how does it reflect the deeper themes of the song

I really love Wes Anderson, particularly his early films like Bottle Rocket, Rushmore and The Royal Tenenbaums. The idea for the video actually came from a scene in Rushmore where the main character Max takes part in lots of different activities as a montage of school clubs that he takes part in. I always thought it would make a great music video. It was a lot of work to shoot 21 completely separate scenes. I think the visual style helped to convey the song’s deeper themes, as there’s a certain amount of melancholy beneath the colourful upbeat exterior of the song, much like a lot of Anderson’s films.

Tell us how you write

It’s difficult to say really, I think every song comes about in a different way. Sometimes I just have ideas when I’m walking around, and I have to either write furiously in a notebook or record voice memos. Favourite Colour was written in a bit more of an intentional way. I tried to make the structure really economical, keeping the arrangements fresh through each section of the song. 

Tell us about your live shows and what would be your dream gig

Live shows are a relatively new part of this project, so it still feels fresh. I have a 6 part band featuring a keys/banjo player and a trumpet player! I think the live set is a bit more fuzzy and intense in places than people would expect from hearing the singles so far. 

My dream gig would be to play at End Of The Road Festival, I’ve been going for about 10 years now and it’s always a really exciting place to find new music. It would be very surreal to pass through the veil to actually play there.

What can we expect from you in the near future

I think just more singles, an EP, an Album, more music videos, the lot. The live side of things is coming together too. I have a bunch of gigs booked for the rest of the summer, including one on a boat! 

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