Paul Vinson is an up and coming new artist from the city of Nashville, home to many music greats. His music should be up there with the best of them, as his latest single, Keep Up, sounds absolutely fantastic! You can find it at the end of this interview if you missed it when we reviewed the track.
By Jane Howkins
You recently released a song titled Keep Up, which we reviewed. What can you tell us about the song?
Keep Up is very special to me. It was written after discovering a former classmate of mine had taken their own life. The lyrics fumble through fragmented thoughts and feelings from both my perspective and theirs. The agony of existential and religious trauma covered our hometown like a blanket, and our classmates’ participation in those beliefs often affected our own mental health. This song weighs heavy on my heart and the recording conveys the exact feelings that I had when writing it.
How has the reception been so far, and where can Keep Up be purchased?
The reception has been tremendous. It’s great to know that even with such a personal story, people can really feel the lyrics. Keep Up can be found on all streaming platforms.
You also released a song titled Drama Queen back in May. What can you tell us about that track?
Drama Queen was written about three years ago when I was in a very poor state of mind. I was shedding a lot of skin and building a lot of anxiety and existential dread in my day to day life. All the while I was balancing a new relationship. Any time we would argue I would get super anxious and defensive and shut down. Since I couldn’t express my feelings, it felt like my partner was being dramatic and over the top – what I soon realised was that it was my own anxieties that made the arguments feel so intense and I was the one taking it too far. I was the Drama Queen.
Has the pandemic hindered your work much?
The pandemic had an interesting effect on my work. I found it inspirational but not necessarily in my writing. Because of the pandemic and spending so long in isolation, I was forced to reckon with myself and the shit that I had on my plate. I started therapy, was diagnosed with OCD and restored a confidence in my work life and mental health I hadn’t seen in a very long time.
Do you plan to release any singles in the near future? Do you have plans to release an album or EP anytime soon?
My debut full length album Tunnel Vision releases on 30/09, and after that I plan on taking some time to give the album the necessary promotion it deserves before releasing more music
Your music is based within the folk genre. What/who influences you most as an artist? What have you been listening to recently?
I believe technically speaking in terms of the genre gods I am an ‘alternative’ artist, but folk music has and will always be very special to me and I’m honoured to be considered a folk artist at any time. Lately, honestly I haven’t been listening to a ton of music. I’m in a bit of a drought, although I did recently dive into Leonard Cohen. That being said, I take inspiration from a wide variety of artists. I cite Conner Oberst/Bright Eyes, Weezer, Third Eye Blind, The 1975, Big Thief and Phoebe Bridgers among others as my main influences for this album.
Where are you based? What is the music scene like in your part of the world?
I live in Nashville, TN, where the music scene is eclectic and vibrant. It’s why I moved here in the first place. Every day I am inspired and angered at the same time by those around me. Their talents and successes are always fun to see. I’ve been honoured to meet so many talented people that have helped me grow as an artist and have worked on the record. Nashville truly is the place to be for anyone looking to get their ass kicked in the music industry.
Do you have any tour dates lined up for the UK?
Unfortunately no. I would love to afford to be able to do it one day. For the time being I’ll be playing plenty of shows in Nashville and some around the south east of the States as well.
Any last words for the fans?
To the fans – I want to say thank you for listening and thank you for making my dreams come true. Cheers!