Acclaimed singer-songwriter and actor Toby Sebastian recently shared the brand new album “Eye’s Light Up” and has kindly taken the time to chat with Fierce & Fabulous Revolution regarding the journey behind it!
Co-produced with Matty Benbrook (Paolo Nutini, Dido, Jack Savoretti), Toby’s latest album is an emotional journey over 11 tracks which take inspiration from the sounds of the late 60s and early 70s, from songwriters and guitarist such as Marc Bolan, the warm acoustic sounds of John Martyn, to the smooth soul of Marvin Gaye, while also playing with a fresh sound reminiscent to contemporaries such as Hozier or Jake Bugg.
This latest album comes 12 years after his debut album “Into The Light“. Where the first record captures the start of Toby Sebastian’s impressive journey, which has seen him command stages and the big screens, the new album “Eyes Light Up” displays maturity and a honed craft, with timeless musicianship and expertly crafted songwriting to truly reflect the artist he is today.
As a critically acclaimed artist, Toby has been consistently releasing much loved singles in recent years which have achieved multi-million streams and admiration from listeners around the world. You can find the full interview below.
Hey Toby, thank you so much for this interview. You just shared your brand new album, “Eye’s Light Up”, which sounds amazing. How did the idea for this album come together?
Toby: I have been thinking about making an album like this ever since I started writing songs at 10 years old. I’ve been playing around with many of the ideas on the album for several years now and it felt like the right time to record it and get it out into the world.
The album is an emotional journey taking place over 11 tracks which take inspiration from the sounds of the late ’60s and early ’70s. What inspired you to use these inspirations within the album?
Toby: I grew up listening to many bands and artists from the 60s and 70s. My parents introduced me to many of my favourite artists today. Those artists inspired me to start writing.
How would you compare the creative process of this album to some of your earlier releases?
Toby: Well I still love listening to whole albums. I suppose the main difference other than the amount of material would be the journey from the first track to the last, I wanted to take people on a journey and the songs to flow into one another.
What are some of your favourite songs from the album?
Toby: I love them all equally. However at the moment, my favourite is ‘Will You Be… My Wife?’. It was the last song to be recorded on the album. It’s a song that came out of nowhere and was finished and recorded within an afternoon.
What does this album personally mean to you?
Toby: Well it means huge amount to me. It’s essentially a soundtrack to the last eight years of my life and I feel it truly represents the artist I am today.
If listeners could take something from this album, what would you like it to be?
Toby: My main hope would be that people connect to the songs and can relate to the music.
Are there any songs that did not make the final tracklist, which we could see released at a later date?
Toby: There are a couple of songs that weren’t quite right in the end.. songs I love but just didn’t fit with the sound of the album. Perhaps they’ll make the next one!
What advice would you offer to someone looking to pursue a career within the music industry?
Toby: I would say learn as much as you can and find your unique sound. Then trust your gut and intuition!
Finally, is there a message that you would like to share with the readers of Fierce & Fabulous Revolution?
Toby: I really hope you all enjoy this album and these songs. It’s been many years in the making and I’m incredibly proud of it.
You can check out “Eye’s Light Up” on Spotify below or via further platforms here.
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