Billy Lockett is known for his soulful vocals, timeless songwriting and piano mastery. Through a series of popular singles and EPs that draw from his personal experiences, he has gained critical acclaim and amassed a global fanbase.
During the COVID-19 crisis, Billy has returned with a unique one-off project which aims to celebrate the best in humanity and to pay tribute in some way to those we have lost and key workers who continue to risk their own lives to help others.
Billy’s latest album Together At Home is a collection of modern classical instrumental tracks, inspired by this current time of self-reflection, that focus on his intimate and elegant musicianship. With a portion of the profits going to the National Emergencies Trust, the 11-track offering boasts stunning reworkings of some of his most popular tracks alongside brand-new compositions, written specifically for this.
We caught up with Billy following the release of his album to discuss the project.
Hi Billy, thanks for taking the time to talk to us! Where are you holed up at the moment?
No worries man. I'm currently in my cellar which doubles up as my studio. Just starting work on the next EP.
How have you coped with the lockdown?
If I'm honest lockdown has been pretty simple for me as I had planned to just work from home on the album and ep this next four months anyway so it worked out quite well.
Have you found any unexpected sources of inspiration?
I think actually loneliness has been quite good inspiration as my songs tend to be quite sad anyway so it's worked well.
What piece of advice would you give to other musicians when it comes to staying creative when stuck indoors?
I think good advice would be: don't force things and let the songs and music kinda come to you. When you're at home you can embrace the time and be a bit more relaxed and in turn I think that makes the results better.
What can you tell us about your new album, Together At Home?
Together At Home was something I've always wanted to do, I wrote and produced it in my cellar through lockdown and it kinda felt like therapy. I'm so pleased we've made it into the Top 5 on iTunes album charts because for me to get a classical album this high just feels like such a breakthrough.
This latest project sees you going in a slightly different direction as a musician. What inspired you to release a modern classical album?
When I was a kid me and my dad used to make classical albums together at the house, this was way before I sang. We would sell them to friends and family and it was just a nice bonding moment we had. So, it just felt right to make my first album a classical one. I think I'm ready to start singing again now but I wanted to do something different that was close to my heart.
Why have you chosen to donate proceeds to the National Emergencies Trust in particular?
I think it's an amazing charity that can sometimes get a little forgotten about but especially at a time like this do we need those charities they are vital to helping us through the virus.
The video for your single One World is beautiful. Can you talk us through the concept?
Yeah, the video was filmed at my house. I love the DIY feel to it and just really wanted to involve all my dad's artwork so that it almost felt like a collaboration with him.
Who are you listening to at the moment? Anyone we should be keeping an ear out for?
Yeah, I've been listening to a lot of Adam French and Bruno Major. Also getting into a serious Elder Island hole at the moment.
What does the rest of 2020 have in store for you, coronavirus permitting?
I'm focusing on new music now and getting my voice back into the records, just working in the cellar making music and potentially planning a tour around things next year.
Listen to Together At Home in full below.
