Waiting For Smith is set to revolutionise the music landscape with his highly anticipated debut album. “Raised Up” transcends traditional music narratives, exploring themes of vibrant joy, self-worth, and radiant positivity. This genre-bending project seamlessly blends soulful acoustic folk with fresh contemporary pop sensibilities.
The 10-track album features expansive, emotive vocals, soothing piano keys, and dynamic, atmospheric soundscapes. It invites listeners into a captivating world of spirited anthems and serene introspection, combining soaring melodies with empowering, poignant lyrics.
Speaking on his motivation for the project and personal experiences, Waiting For Smith explains “I feel this LP can help reduce your anxiety and feelings of unworthiness, and I really want it to increase your happiness, increase your feelings of positivity, and raise you up to a state of vibrational joy – like it has for me. As someone who has experienced a lot of pain – both mentally and physically, from breaking my back to overcoming severe mental health struggles and dying for 5 minutes only to come out the other side to feel joy most days – I want to share this message of joy that I’ve found with others: my family, friends, my love, my listeners, and really anyone I meet.”
Listen to the album…
Read the interview…
Hey! “Raised Up” is your debut album. Can you share the inspiration behind this album and the message you hope listeners will take away?
It all started after I decided to take a break from music and go to Cape Town, South Africa. I had had a particularly hectic 13 months of mental health struggle – healed some pretty incredible things. I felt super free, but I’d survived and was very tired. So, I stopped all my deals, offers and took a pause on my music entirely to reset, do nothing and simply experience joy. In the morning, I would start each day by walking down to the ocean on Llandudno Bay, Cape Town, SA to meditate and swim. I’d come back up to the place we’d rented looking over the sea with the Mountain behind the house and play music. These songs just suddenly started to arrive all with a message of joy & positivity. It felt like the balm I needed to soothe back to full health. I’d always wanted to write from a place of happiness – so was very excited. I felt these songs maybe could actually help others to change their mind set, turn in wards, create more self-belief and ultimately be happier.
So that is what I envision listeners to take away from this album. The secrets to joy & happiness.
Your sound blends elements of acoustic folk, pop, soulful vocals, piano lines and ambient soundscapes. How do you navigate and integrate these diverse musical influences?
I thought that because South Africa was where I was finding these songs and messages within the songs – this had to be the place to make it. After writing most of the album the first time I went to Cape Town- I returned the following year to find the players and souls that would help me bring it to life. Convincing Danton Supple ( Coldplay, Patti Smith, Elbow) the producer to come out with me – i went 2 weeks early to basically build the team. Quite serendipitously one of the guys that helped me do it actually turned out to live next door to me in Holland but was from SA, and I was introduced to him through the guy that helped me find my house in The Netherlands. Through this connection I met with bass players, marimba players, guitarists and knew a guy that played Djembe already. The main thing though we were missing in my head was a choir. Strangely I was thinking a lot about it while staying on this farm in Hout Bay, Danton was due to fly out in a few days. Done for the day with the evening light coming in I decided to go get a pizza and on the window of the pizzeria “Massimo’s” was a poster to see The Hout Bay Ingoma Choir in live in concert. I couldn’t believe it! So, I bought a ticket and went to see them. It blew me away and so we met with their manager and the team was complete.
What has been your favourite moment from your artist journey so far?
Seeing how much these songs have been helping people while touring Europe. It’s crazy to imagine something and then it to become a reality. One girl in Cologne, Germany said to me she had discovered the Raised Up album while in a psychiatric unit – the songs had brought her so much joy that she had literally being raised up out of her depression. I really believe in the power of music to help us become who we were meant to be – full of love, compassion and joy.
Your music is about uplifting and inspiring, what made you want to make music this way?
I feel that it is deeply needed today. And I’ve overcome many challenges in my life like: breaking my back, dying for 5 minutes, coming back to life, learning to walk again, childhood stuff, loosing friends very young and overcoming severe mental health things. Truly I feel humans they have a lot of suffering in life – in fact it’s kind of unavoidable. But we don’t have to be unhappy. We can optimise our minds and change our realities. I want to help people to see that. So, my mission has become to spread joy and share these ideas through my lyrics.
How do you see your music evolving in the next few years? Are there any new genres or themes you’d like to explore?
I went from writing about heartbreak and depression to freedom and joy. So, I want to keep expanding on the same positive message. But The way I’ll be evolving is to be able to speak about all experiences from a place of love. Like a full wheel of expression. New sounds coming soon.
You’ve just completed some huge support tours, with James Mcvey, Benedict Cork, and Isaac Anderson, as well as your own headline your across Europe – what is your favourite thing about sharing your music live?
Seeing people smile.
What can we expect from Waiting For Smith for the rest of the year?
A new EP. A music video for the Raised Up album, headline show in Amsterdam, a very special festival and a trip to USA.