It was my great grandparents who were born in India, my grandparents were born in Jamaica.... I’m not particularly into what I’ve heard of Indian music.... It’s been interesting for me to be in India for the first time. I feel very disconnected to it all but at the same time can’t help but feel a connection as well. It’s a bizarre feeling

On Sound of 2014’s longlist, BBC’s annual music poll, sat Luke Sital-Singh and keeping him company were FKA twigs, Ella Eyre and, yes, Sam Smith, who was declared winner. Luke, 26, has since gone from strength to strength to become the folk singer the world’s talking about.

The Indian connect in his name is because his great grandparents were born in India while his grandparents were born in Jamaica.

When Luke came to India in November, he didn’t go digging around for family roots. Instead, he rode the Bacardi NH7 Weekender wagon to Pune and Delhi.

Here’s what he told t2 over email before his Pune gig.

Your new album, The Fire Inside, has received great reviews. Having written the songs over a period of time, what holds them together?

I think it’s me that holds it all together. All the songs are written from my perspective. Even though there are some universal themes, it all comes out of my personal experience and my way of expressing and singing those ideas. Musically, it’s pretty simple. I’m not into crazy recording techniques for the sake of it. I always want the songs to be held up first and foremost, the arrangements and production should just help to amplify the simple song.

With more and more people taking note of your music, is writing and recording songs becoming a challenge?

It’s always been a challenge. My perfectionism holds me back from being a prolific writer. If something isn’t quite right I go cold on it instantly. The added pressure of people’s expectations hasn’t helped by any means, but I can’t blame that. I like that people are listening, in some ways that makes me want to be more honest and raw in my writing.

There is a sense of gloom (but not doom!) in your songs. How much of your music reflects your life and personality?

I guess it’s a pretty accurate reflection of me. I’m only interested in writing music that excites me and the music that excites me is the more melancholy, downbeat stuff. As a person I’m pretty quiet and reserved, that is, until you really get to know me. I have my nutty moments. But not many people get to see that part of me.

Luke recommends five albums for t2 readers
Benji by Sun Kil Moon
Are We There by Sharon Van Etten
Distance by Dan Michaelson
1984 by Ryan Adams
There Is Only You by The Xcerts

How much of a challenge is it to create the raw feel of a concert inside a studio?

It’s a real challenge. I don’t think that’s what we ended up doing on my record, neither were we trying to particularly. I think there’ll always be a huge difference between recordings and live. For me, albums are a souvenir from a live experience. The gigs are where my songs work the best I think.

Your source of inspiration?

I’m always searching for inspiration. I’m not a prolific writer. I find it hard to discover things I consider worth writing about. So I’m always on the hunt. I’ve had phases of devouring poetry, non-fiction, films, TV, sitting in airports, anything that might spark an idea.

The arrangements in your songs are simple. But will big orchestras and arrangements ever appear on your songs?

I love simple. Simple is often very complex. That’s an idea I’m really into. When I first started writing and recording I would work for hours on songs, throwing all sorts of stuff onto it, big arrangements with strings and timpani, anything I could find. But I would sit back and listen and it would just be rubbish. The heart of the thing was buried. I’ve since learnt that it takes skill and often a little bit of courage to keep things bare, leaving things so exposed and raw. There’s an honesty to that that I love. That said, I’m sure one day I’ll find myself in a place where a huge arrangement works for me. It’s more likely in a live setting than on a studio recording.

What kind of music did you grow up on and who are your influences at the moment?

I grew up not really interested in music until I was about 11-12 when I got into the nu-metal/grunge thing with my mates. I used to listen to bands like Slipknot, Korn, Limp Bizkit and the like. But it was never that meaningful for me. I discovered singer/ songwriters when I was around 14 and I was completely in love with that music. I started performing that kind of music straight away and ever since. Today I listen to Sun Kil Moon, Ryan Adams, Feist, Neil Young and War On Drugs to name a few. I hope they all influence me.

Did making it to BBC’s Sound of 2014 longlist change your life?

That list definitely helped propel my career forward. I got a lot more fans thanks to it.... It’s difficult to have a career in music, at least one that pays the bills without the BBC being on your side, especially for radio, which is still such an influential medium. I’m very grateful to anyone who’s supported and encouraged what I do.

You have recently reworked songs from movies like Blue Valentine and The Wrestler. What was the idea behind the project and what would life be without these songs?

In some ways the project simply grew out of boredom. I’d finished my album and knew it wasn’t coming out for a bit. I wasn’t ready to start writing again and I wanted to do something when I had days at home. I’m not really into doing covers usually. When I find songs I love, the last thing I think to do is ruin them by singing them myself, but this idea seemed okay to me. Something about tying it all in with my favourite films felt ok. So I did it.

It wasn’t a high-pressure thing. Just a little project that turned into a bigger project and then to have Wes Anderson’s brother (Eric Chase Anderson) design the artwork was amazing.

Your first concert in India was at Bacardi NH7 Weekender in Pune and then in Delhi. What are you looking forward to during your India trip?

I’m looking forward to soaking up a new culture and having a break from the London cold! I’m a big curry fan so I’m very excited to try some proper Indian curries. It’s also always interesting to experience music festivals in different parts of the world. The atmosphere is always so different.

Your grandparents were born in India but your parents were born in London. Is there anything about India and the music that you want to explore?

It was my great grandparents who were born in India, my grandparents were born in Jamaica. They were Indo-Jamaican, which is a new term I’ve learnt recently! I’m not particularly into what I’ve heard of Indian music. But I’ve only really heard the joyous happy stuff, which isn’t my cuppa! Haha… but maybe there’s another side of it all that I’m yet to discover. It’s been interesting for me to be in India for the first time. I feel very disconnected to it all but at the same time can’t help but feel a connection as well. It’s a bizarre feeling.

Your gig calendar is full. Do you enjoy life on the road?

I do mostly. There are definite ups and downs but getting to perform on stage so many times is a dream come true.

BBC’s Sound of 2015 longlist
James Bay
George The Poet
Kwabs
Lapsley
Rae Morris
Novelist
Raury
Shamir
Shura
Slaves
Soak
Stormzy
Sunset
Sons
Wolf Alice
Years & Years

Mathures Paul
I listen to Luke Sital-Singh because... Tell t2@abp.in