Tom A. Smith is a 19-year-old indie rock artist from Sunderland. With multiple singles and numerous EP’s already out, Smith is dropping EP 3 on June 30th.
How did you get involved in music?
Smith has been crating music from a young age including “Music lessons with a full band from the age of four onwards”. But put plainly, practice makes perfect, “I’ve actually been gigging for ten years now so the 10000-hour rule has definitely kicked in.”
Has your creative process changed over time?
You can never quite predict this answer, many artists adapt over time, from adding bands or changing instruments, for Tom, it’s the order of creation. He states, “I used to just write with an acoustic guitar and build the tracks up from there. Lately I’ve been creating the sounds first and adding lyrics at the end. I’m making more interesting stuff as a result I think.”
And now onto the stuff you’ve been waiting for- the music!
What’s the inspiration behind the new EP?
“I’m really keen to show a few different sides of me, I don’t wish to be pigeonholed as creating one type of music. I don’t need to stay formulaic, and I want people who come to see me live to have real variation in what they are witnessing. The tracks were chosen with that in mind. There’s also my rawest song yet thrown in there. I’ll not say which one I’ll just let you listen.”
Are there any prevalent messages in the upcoming EP?
“There’s a few such as ‘Little Bits’ which really shows me striving to achieve more. ‘Weirdo’ acknowledges that we are all a bit weird, and we should embrace it which follows on from ‘Like You Do’’s lack of love for myself. It could even be a sequel really.” Overall, you can expect a heartfelt and emotive EP.
Does your music have any overlaying themes?
In regard to Smiths music as a whole, “They’re all really about my mental state at the time I write them. The running theme was really not liking or appreciating myself as much as I should do. There’re other aspects thrown in such as the cover version which is a demonstration that I’ve come out of the other side driven and wanting to enjoy everything.”
What was the inspiration behind ‘Weirdo’?
‘Weirdo’ is currently Toms hit song on Spotify, and for good reason. But what is it really about? “It was two songs turned into one that just seemed to work. The verses are about a fictional argument I was having, and the chorus’s is a sort of way of being able to bring things back together without apologising. It’s great to be a Weirdo.”
What’s the process behind your music videos?
With ‘Weirdo’ being a prime example, you can find Toms music videos on YouTube. The videos are emotive and fun, Smith explains how they are “All about performance for me. Expressing and demonstrating my feelings at that moment in time. I like experimenting with slowing and speeding up footage so this one we recorded at half the speed and then sped it up to give a jaunty effect. I wanted the band in too in the last one as they are all like family now.”
Do you have any upcoming gigs?
So, for those of you ready to see Smiths music live, you’re in luck! “I have far too many to mention but supporting James three times and a support slot with DMA’s are exciting. I have loads of festivals such as YNot still to come. I just played two dates at Glastonbury and the reaction was amazing. Almost 4000 turned up to my first set. I also have the small matter of a 30-date tour round the UK which will be really special.” You can find details for many of the gigs on Toms website.
So, with the new EP out, music videos on YouTube and plenty of gigs to come, you’re spoiled with ways to listen and experience the wonderful work on Tom A. Smith!