One of the biggest artists to come into the spotlight today is 23 year old British singer John Newman. Although he is young, he has a voice and sound that is way beyond his years. Toting a sound similar to Adele, Fitz and the Tantrums, and Mayer Hawthorne, John Newman is bringing back that old classy sound to the world. But why is it so easy for him to break into this particular music scene while other similar artists took years to prove themselves?
Similar artists such as Fitz and the Tantrums released their first album in 2010, while Lana Del Rey released her debut in 2011, yet we never really appreciated their music until recently when many other artists started showing off this style? Why the sudden boom of interest in the retro soul? It could be in part the cycles of interest we seem to have, recycling the vintage in era’s. For a while in the 2000’s the 80’s style of heartthrob electronic gained popularity and while that has calmed down some, the classic styles of the 60’s are coming back. Suits, money, classic cocktails, are all “in” right now and with tv shows like Mad Men and movies like The Wolf of Wall Street depicting the classy and sophisticated as glamorous, they are taking those old themes and putting them in a newer sleeker light, and we can’t get enough.
Artists today are making these sounds completely their own. Adding synths and beats, they are making the music something new and interesting, something we’ve never heard before. But will this craze last? Fads and trends come and go and while I personally hope this one doesn’t leave us completely, the truth is that at some point it will and the world will move on to the next greatest thing. Once the rich, famous, and glamorous go out of style, so will this style of music, so let’s enjoy it while it lasts.
You can check out John Newman’s latest hit “Love Me Again” below, and purchase his debut album “tribute” on amazon.
