Interview: Mark Kingswood comes out Strong with debut US album

When I was introduced to this artist as “the British Bublé”, I was immediately intrigued. Mark Kingswood not only has the vocal chops to deem worthy of the comparison, but wow! does he deliver a power-packed album he’s debuting in the US, aptly titled Strong. I had the pleasure of speaking with Mark, who shares his insights about his songwriting and the challenges transitioning from the UK to US audiences. To learn more about this fanastic new artist and also watch his video for the title track, “Strong”, keep scrolling down!

First, congratulations on releasing your gorgeous new album, Strong! As you’ve been coined “the British Bublé”, do you find that comparison has helped or hindered your music career?

Thank you for the kind words. It’s lovely to hear and I’m really glad you enjoyed the album. It’s certainly a huge compliment that people think enough of my music to put me in the same conversation as someone like Michael Bublé. Even though this genre of music was introduced to me by my grandparents with artists like Tony Bennett , Frank Sinatra and Matt Monro , Michael Bublé was the first artist that made it relevant for me. He is the first singer that I was able to see with a live Big band which absolutely changed my life. At this point , I can only say that the comparison is an absolute honor.

I read you’ve been influenced by not only Bublé but also George Michael and Josh Groban — all famous for their incredible vocals. With your vocal ability, do you tend to write songs that show off your vocal range?

Oh yes I really do enjoy those artists a lot and I’m certainly drawn to powerful voices. When I write a song, I do keep in mind where I might have an opportunity to aim high in certain parts and take the vocal to a climax. I enjoy trying to push myself when I record. However, I’m also very conscientious not to diminish the song itself by trying to add vocal highlights that are unnecessary. I would much rather opt for a great melody that brings natural emotion or just makes more sense for the song over a selection of higher notes that just allow me to belt. There’s plenty of opportunities on an album to do that, so ultimately, I really try to make the right decisions for the track. The best combination Is when you feel the melody is very naturally evolving and leading you to an emotional sequence of powerful notes towards the end. That’s when I feel the real magic happens.

Originally from the UK, do you find marketing yourself to the US audiences more challenging than your home country?

That’s an interesting question. I wouldn’t say it’s more challenging, but it’s certainly quite different in terms of marketing yourself as a package. There are different criteria when It comes to radio and TV. What I notice the most is that there is a difference in production elements and style when It comes to the structure of a track. A lot of American and Canadian artists that have huge hits in the US sometimes have their song re-worked or sometimes completely reproduced in order for them to crossover for the UK/ European radio and TV Networks. So I always try to keep that in mind. I’m lucky that I have quite a wide audience but I also see these differences as an opportunity to keep the album diverse. The genre of music I’m involved with though, is really based around live musicians at the core. It certainly helps that both the US and the UK have a very rich history and understanding of this type of music.

What’s your typical songwriting process?

I like to work at night. I feel like all the distractions from the day are gone in the evening hours when It’s quiet. I normally tend to write most of my song ideas until I get to the stage when I think I have something that is working. I’ll then stop what I’m doing and come away and sleep on it. I always enjoy hearing the ideas I’ve written the next morning with fresh ears because the idea is still new enough that you almost hear it as a new person might hear it. This allows me to make a clearer judgement on the ideas and decide what is working for me and what isn’t. I tend to start by sitting at a piano in the evening and getting a feel for the type of song I’m trying to write. I’ll have some sort of lyrical direction in mind but nothing concrete. I’ll then record some chords and musical ideas – enough to inspire a melody. Sometimes I loop certain sections of the song and sing all different melodies on the fly carefully recording each one, trying to change the metering each time. I’ll go through them all a few times and try to spot anything I think really works well. Once I have a good enough idea of the melody and structure of the song, I sit and plan the lyric around the melody.

Any plans for a US tour?

I have had the opportunity to play in the US this year which has been fantastic and I can’t wait to go back. The rest of the tour for 2018 is mainly in Canada and I’m also going to play back in the UK. I will for sure be back in the US hopefully next year though and I can’t wait.

What’s next in Mark Kingswood world for the rest of 2018?

The rest of 2018 includes touring in parts of Canada and the UK. I will be hard at work in increasing my fanbase by delivering unique performances on my Social Media platforms. Hope you like them and want to follow me …Lol.

For more info:  MarkKingswood.com

New video, “Strong”: