Home Grown Star

Award-winning star Jamie Cullum is back. Holly Louise Eells caught up with the jazz musician about his brand-new album, celebrating milestones, his love for the county and its influences

- Holly Louise Eells

Critically acclaimed musician, biggest selling British jazz artist, songwriter... the list goes on. Gracing our ears with infectiously pleasing sounds and honest lyrics from the much-anticipated eighth album, Taller is unlike anything we have heard from Jamie Cullum before, and he is the first to admit the public’s reaction was different to what he is used to.

“I am very proud of this album. It seems my music has really connected with people and this is what I wanted. It is a fantastic feeling,” says Jamie.

“Making this album has definitely been a journey for me. Several years ago, I recorded a few tracks, but I ended up throwing a lot of my work away because it didn’t feel honest enough; it was lacking something. The songs were not reflecting the person I felt I was becoming – not that I wanted to write songs about driving my kids to school, but I was making this music at a time when there were a lot of changes happening in my life. I wanted to express more of my emotional truthfulness and genuine vulnerability.”