Jack Garratt landed his third prestigious accolade for music on Fri 8 Jan by topping the BBC’s Sound of 2016 list. The list, launched in 2003, has a history of selecting the acts most likely to make it big. Previous winners include Sam Smith, Adele, Ellie Goulding and Jessie J.
Jack, a former student at St Clement Danes Scool, was recognised for his music skills from an early age.
‘We run a huge variety of musical ensembles at St Clement Danes, and Jack always got involved with as much as he could.” says Anna Stevens, SCD Director of Music, “He played trombone in the orchestra and jazz band, but also played drums and guitar for them as necessary. He sang in choral groups, toured with the school to Holland, Italy, Normandy and Prague and, as he moved up the school, worked with younger students, helping them with demos and encouraging their musical aspirations. He studied A Levels in music and music technology and always professed a love of music in general, rather than a love of a particular style or musician; he was as interested in lessons on classical music as he was on more contemporary artists, knowing that he could learn something from all genres of music. Whilst at the school he wrote a piece specifically for the school’s Gospel Choir, for example. I remember him as a musician who always wore his heart on his sleeve – this made him an extremely engaging performer even when he was at school, and that does not seem to have changed. ’ Jack has donated one of his tour caps to the music department who now award it to students who have performed particularly well in a lesson; it is now considered a huge honour to wear the ‘Jack hat’ in music!”
BBC Introducing and Brits Critics’ Choice Awards
Jack Garratt picked up The BBC Introducing Award at the BBC Music Awards held at Birmingham’s Genting Arena on 10 Dec, 2015 The accolade comes only two weeks after the 24 year old singer songwriter and multi-instrumentalist from Little Chalfont was announced the Brits Critics’ Choice Award. Jack, a former student of St Clement Danes (SCD), has always acknowledged the school as playing a major part in his enjoyment of music at a young age. He has entertained many an audience in the Barbirolli Hall where he was also a regular contender in SCDs infamous Battle of the Bands and also has a soft spot for Chesham music venue The Drawing Room where he performed some of his first live gigs (when he was too young to play in pubs!)
Jack was on stage at the Awards in Birmingham with some of the cream of the music industry. The show, hosted by Chris Evans, Fearne Cotton and Jo Whiley, was opened by One Direction and included performances by Ellie Goulding backed by the BBC Concert Orchestra, Little Mix and The Shires with Paul Heaton and Jacqui Abbot of Beautiful South and Rod Stewart, who closed the show. Adele won Best British Artist and Best Live Performance while Irish singer Hozier won Song of the Year and Taylor Swift, Best International Artist.
Introduced by Chris Evans as “The electronic one man band that is Jack Garratt” he performed Worry, “the song that started everything off”, to a packed auditorium of 16,000 ( just a few more than our Chorleywood Christmas Festival crowd when he played on the stage in Lower Road in 2011)
“The music I write is essentially what I want to listen to .. I’m the only one on the stage and what I’m doing is playing lots of different things at the same time and I physically don’t have the seven different limbs I need to do the show . The best way to do that was to loop …as quickly and as efficiently as possible, so I can get into the song at the bit people want to enjoy – you want to get to the bit where the chorus lifts and you get to feel the song within you” Jack Garratt, Dec 2015
“The most exciting discovery this year for me is Jack Garratt” Jo Whiley
“I’m not sure I’ve seen anyone do what he does – he writes , he plays every instrument, he sings and he produces all his music” Annie Mac
“People kept saying …’you’ve got to listen to him, he’s right up your street’ “ Ellie Goulding (Ellie G covered Jack’s single ‘Weathered’ in the Radio 1 Live Lounge in September)
“I just remember being absolutely shocked by what he could do as one man” Hozier
“He’s got so much more to give, Jack Garratt is definitely one to watch for next year” Nick Grimshaw
We have been following Jack’s career in Chorleywood Magazine and on this website
Read more here:
Team Tom and the Voice of Jack Garratt
Jack’s new track is Annie Mac’s choice
