Next Wave #683: Cameron AG

Melancholic, cinematic piano ballads...

Cameron AG has had an interesting journey into music. Starting off as a drummer in various bands around his native Oxfordshire, he picked up the guitar and started playing the piano when these musical projects came to an end. Using this time to write his own material, AG soon had a healthy amount of songs ready to record with a friend and producer. “I worked on a load of tracks and started to think about performing them live, thinking about this whole Cameron AG project, and that’s how it all started.”

Although described on AG’s social media as ‘indie pop’ it is clear after just one listen that his material is so much more than that. The multi-instrumentalist creates music that is melancholic and cinematic, pouring with emotive, meaningful lyrics layered upon intricate piano chords and delicate guitar lines. The musician, who has already won over fans such as Wolf Alice’s Joff Oddie and DJ Annie Mac, would describe his music as, “Electro-y pop, singer-songwriter stuff.”

“The songs on the EP are all quite personal. When I’ve written before for bands, you can be a little less personal. When it’s just you, you put your all into it and I feel that the songs have to be quite personal because it’s my name on it. There is that electronic beat going on but I guess what the songs are about are situations you find yourself in.”

Some would say AG’s big break came when he scored a spot as the aforementioned Mac’s Hottest Record with ‘Lost Direction’ last year. “I think they played it a couple of times before that happened and then I got the call on the day about three in the afternoon from my manager. He said that the plan was Annie was going to make it the hottest record that evening and could I come in a do an interview with her that night. It was a fantastic feeling and a big shock.”

Even though the singer has just released his debut EP ‘Way Back Home’, he’s showing no signs of slowing down, as he tells Clash there’s a wealth of songs ready to release. “The end product is I want to release an album at some point and there are tracks ready to go. I might put another EP out after the summer maybe, that’s been talked about.”

Aside from appearing on Clash’s curated stage at Live At Leeds this year, AG will also be appearing at The Great Escape, Latitude and Common People in his hometown.

Touring is now a pleasant regular occurrence for AG. “Playing the tracks with a band has been great. They’re both guys I work with and I’ve known them for years, so it’s been great fun.” When it comes to recording and playing live though it’s hard for the singer to distinguish a favourite aspect. “I’m most comfortable sat in a studio somewhere but the excitement really does come when you start playing the tracks live.”

WHERE: Oxford
WHAT: Melancholic, cinematic piano ballads
GET 3 SONGS: ‘Way Back Home’, ‘Hold Your Crown’, ‘Lost Direction’

FACT: Although a multi-instrumentalist AG’s favourite instrument to play is in fact the drums. “My drummer always has to kick me off the drum kit when we have rehearsal breaks” he enthuses.

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Words: Shannon Cotton

Catch Cameron AG at this year's Live At Leeds on April 28th.

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