The youngest of the pack in the Brit boy band The Wanted, Nathan Sykes returned to the Philippines with a dramatic shift in style and substance, as well as a steady flow of hit singles to his name, including a duet or two with a fiery redheaded pop diva.

Taking a break from a busy tour schedule, the “Give it up” singer spoke with Inquirer To Be You about his reinvention, working on his first album, collaborating with his ex, Ariana Grande, and his time with The Wanted.

You were in the Philippines in 2012 with The Wanted. What’s it like to be here the second time around?

Amazing. It’s really cool that I’m here now as a solo artist. It means so much to me to hear lyrics I once wrote in the shower now being sung to me by fans. I appreciate this visit on a whole new level, and even more than the last time I was here.

Last time it was very much in and out, so we were here only for a couple of days. This time we’ve got like five or six days and it’s been really amazing.

How different are things, now that you’re a solo artist?

It’s very different because, when I was with the band, we were singing our songs but we weren’t part of the writing process, the producing process or the video-making process.

As a solo artist, I’ve been part of all that. I’ve written songs, I’ve helped produce them, and I’m even part of the mixing and mastering process. I’ve written all the video treatments and all their different story lines. It very much feels like a different project.

You wrote your video story line?

Yeah. I’m very, very involved. Like, for “Over and Over Again,” I had the idea for the video the minute I started writing the song. Even in the verses I could see the video developing, and when we very quickly moved on to the chorus, the whole idea was down.

By the time we finished the song, I was writing the lyrics on my phone and I was writing the video idea on my laptop. It was just the most productive hour of my entire life.

So, it’s really nice being involved. Even down to the casting process and all the different parts of the videos—I’m very much a part of that because I’ve got a very clear image of what I want to create.

You mentioned writing lyrics in the shower that end up being songs sung back to you by the audience. Please explain your songwriting process.

They’re just about things happening in my life. It starts as a thought process, an idea or unique thought sparks—it can be for a chorus or a verse—and I’ll start developing it. I’ll grab my phone and sing into Voice Note and I won’t even know what I’m singing.

Then I’ll start writing lyrics on my notepad. Then I’ll take those ideas into the studio,
develop them with a cowriter and a producer until we’ve got a track.

I really love the writing process because I get to hear how I want a song to sound. There have been a couple of times where I haven’t been able to quite get it right and there were other times I’ve got it so right because it’s so blatantly clear how this song should sound.

That’s part of the journey and part of developing as an artist. Like I said, this is the first album where I got to write, so I’ve learned a lot as a songwriter in the last two years. I can’t wait to write more on future albums and learn even more as a songwriter and artist. This is very exciting. And to think, this is just the start.

Your music has a more soulful, jazzy, R&B style, which is entirely different from The Wanted. Is it something you’ve been wanting to do?

I think, when you’re in a band, you’re very happy being a percentage of the band. So, I was 20 percent of a five-man band and with that, we all put in our different influences to make an album.

People are seeing me for the first time as a solo artist. And they’re hearing what I grew up listening to through my music, hearing my influences and hearing my story for the first time. I’ve written very personal songs, about experiences I’ve had the last two or three years and I’ve put them all into an album. I think people are going to learn a lot about me when they’re listening to the album.

What’s it like collaborating with Ariana Grande again?
It was really cool. Obviously, we did “Almost is Never Enough” together on her debut album, which was incredible. She’s an amazing vocalist. It was great working with her.

I actually met Harmony Samuels, the executive producer of my debut album, through her. Harmony wrote and produced “Almost is Never Enough,” and Harmony and I wrote “Over And Over Again” together.

There was room for a female vocalist on “Over And Over Again,” and I’m very happy that it was Ariana because I feel we’ve kind of gone full circle. It was great working with her again and she absolutely killed it with her parts.

Would you say that your music reflects your personal style?

I call it youthful sophistication. So it’s still fun. It’s sort of like wearing trainers and wacky shirts every now and then. But in a way, I always try and keep it quite smart. So, as I’ve grown up through The Wanted and started a new chapter in my life, making my music, which has a more soulful, bluesy, almost jazzy feel to it, I wanted to do that with my style as well. When I was in the band, I was wearing baggy jeans, high tops, hoodies with chains and snapbacks; I was like a very different person.

Now that I’ve grown up, my style’s grown up as well. It’s just a bit more sophisticated and just has a bit more thought to it. I think it kind of sets a good impression of how I am toward my music with the choices that I make stylistically.

Quick-fire question time. Answer with the first thing that pops into your head.

That’s dangerous!

What instruments do you play?

I play the piano.

Song you wish you wrote?

“A Song For You” by Donny Hathaway. It’s a great song.

What’s on your playlist right now?

Alessia Cara and Charlie Puth. I’m listening to new artists. I love the new generation that’s coming through. At the same time, I’m listening to Jamie Cullum, Gregory Porter, Donny Hathaway, Frank Sinatra, Stevie Wonder, Ray Charles.

If you could time-travel to any point in history, where would you go and who would you hang out with?

I’d go back to The Rat Pack era and I’d hang out with Frank Sinatra.

You’re a big Sinatra fan, I see. I could be wrong but I definitely feel like your music reflects this. I think “Kiss Me Quick” has a bit of swing to it.

Yeah, I was very lucky I got to sing with a jazz orchestra for a year back in Gloucester. Jazz music’s a big love of mine. So, yeah, that would be pretty incredible.

And finally, what’s your message to your Filipino fans?

Just a massive thank you for the incredible support and for being so patient while I’ve gone away and written this
album. It’s good to finally be here and I hope everyone enjoys the album when it’s out toward the end of the year.

Photography Toff Tiozon
Styling Luis Carlo San Juan
SHOT ON LOCATION MARCO POLO HOTEL, ORTIGAS
SPECIAL THANKS TO MCA MUSIC

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