Confinement and social distancing were all things we got accustomed to during the pandemic and the extraordinary British singer-songwriter, RJ Thompson, used this difficult time to fuel his awe-inspiring single, “Feel Alive”. Fuelled with positivity and romanticism, the music video for “Feel Alive” takes us to the enchanting landscape offered up by the Nevada desert, a hopeful and riveting vision. Perfectly capturing the essence of being holed up in our own space during quarantine, “Feel Alive” features the artist’s heavenly vocals, complemented by ethereal electric guitar strings and synth notes.
“It’s a track about getting back out into the world. Facing challenges head-on. Not overthinking things. I wanted to write a song of hope,” explains RJ Thompson. The ultimate example of an artist laying down his soul on a track, “Feel Alive” is an idyllic reflection of our not-so-long-ago dreams of returning to the world and finding peace again.
The phrase ‘good things take time’ certainly rings true for RJ Thompson’s exceptional forthcoming album, Yearbook, which he worked tirelessly to craft in 18 months. RJ Thompson puts his heart and soul into all his projects and we can be sure that the most recent one will live up to the legacy of his iconic album, Lifeline.
Upon the release of “Feel Alive” and his upcoming release, RJ Thompsons gets candid with Wonderland on when he first became interested in music, his musical inspirations and what fuelled the creation of his new exhilarating track “Feel Alive”. Head below to enjoy our interview with him now…
Hi RJ! How are you? How has this past year been for you?
Chaotic! I’ve been in the studio for large parts of it working on the new album, dreaming up a bigger world outside of my four walls, and building a world around the record. But I’ve also had some crazy experiences thrown in there too. I had the chance to record and film at Abbey Road which was a very surreal few days.
Firstly, we wanted to take it right back to the beginning, when did you first realise music was your calling in life?
Like most young lads growing up in the North East of England, until I was about 12 all I ever wanted to be was a Newcastle United footballer. But when I realised I had very limited footballing ability, I turned my attention to music. I’d already been playing the drums from a young age, but picked up a guitar and started writing songs when I was around 13 I think. It’s all I’ve ever wanted to do since.
Do you have any musicians that you’d cite as inspirations?
Of course. Springsteen is my ‘greatest of all time’. The best there has ever been in my opinion. But a lot of my early taste in music was shaped by pop/soul stuff. Michael Jackson and Prince – that’s why you can hear heavy synth and rhythmic elements in my music.
Congratulations on the release of your new single “Feel Alive”! What fuelled the creation of this track?
It’s a track about getting back out into the world. Facing challenges head-on. Not overthinking things. I wanted to write a song of hope, really. I spent most of the last two years, like many people, holed up in my own space, and I spent that time creating the album. “Feel Alive” was born from me dreaming of a bigger world outside the window. Dreaming of a Californian-Nevada road trip.
What do you hope people will take away from the single?
Hope. I think that’s the one word that sums it up. I’d like people to find hope in that song. It’s the most positive message I’ve ever committed to tape.
The music video for “Feel Alive” captures a classic Springsteen-esque Americana vibe, can you talk us through the video’s production process?
It wasn’t planned. I was actually in the US earlier this year visiting some friends that live over there. We took a bit of a road trip to Vegas, and while we were there someone suggested, “why don’t we capture this on film?”. So we did. We litrally headed out in the hire car, picked up a guitar from Sam Ash music, headed up into the hills around Vegas and shot the whole thing in about an hour, for the most part. It wasn’t planned, but sometimes the best things aren’t. I think the landscape perfectly blends that Springsteen-esque Americana thing, with the neon synths that drive the song.
How are you feeling about the release of your album Yearbook this September?
Excited? It’s my best work! I’ve put literally everything I have into it. 18 months of writing and recording the best songs I’ve ever written. And tonnes of time spent building a world around the album too, both through the visuals and through the augmented reality front cover.
How was your writing and recording process during the pandemic?
I tried to get a bit of a routine going. I’d head into my home studio every day, for at least an hour or two, and just try to write something, anything. Eventually, all those tidbits turned into a really interesting record.
Do your family, friends or personal life inspire the themes in your music? Perhaps there is a core inspiration that runs throughout all of your projects?
For sure – all of my songs are inspired by my life or the life of people I know. I try to be as honest as possible in my songwriting and channel what I know.
What are you most excited for next in your career?
Definitely the album release, and then after that, I can’t wait to get out on tour for the first time in nearly three years!
