Getting to Know… Ade | Interview 🎤

On our 169^th interview in our Getting to Know… series, we get some terrific insight from Manchester singer/songwriter Ade regarding his craft. 

“My sound is predominantly warm, and it’s characterized by soft, soulful vocals paired with precise guitar fingerpicking.” 🎙 Ade, clearly, understands exactly who he is as an artist, which is admirable and quite impressive.  When asked about his craft in our Q&A, he goes on to say, “My vocal timbre is similar… to that of Tracy Chapman and Jack Johnson, and my guitar style is somewhat evocative of that of Passenger and Tallest Man on Earth.” Awesome! On the 169^th interview in our Getting to Know…series, we get terrific insight from the Manchester singer/songwriter – he does a fabulous job answering our burning questions. So, without further ado, here is 🎤 Getting to Know… Ade: Interview No. 169.

Starting things off, for those who may not be familiar with you, what would you say makes you distinct or unique? How do you rock the audience’s socks off?

🎤 My music is a blend of folk, blues, Jazz and world music. It’s predominantly acoustic and driven by warm nylon string guitars that produce intricate melodies. My sound is predominantly warm, and it’s characterized by soft, soulful vocals paired with precise guitar fingerpicking. My vocal timbre is similar (as I’ve been told) to that of Tracy Chapman and Jack Johnson, and my guitar style is somewhat evocative of that of Passenger and Tallest Man on Earth. These are all fairly loose comparisons, of course. They’re influences and sources of inspiration.

In terms of what makes me unique, I like to think I’ve developed a style that’s somewhat recognizable, both in terms of my appearance and my sound. My style is the way it is because that’s what I feel comfortable doing, and in time it’ll help me stand out from others. You probably hear this a lot, but I try to be my original self with my true voice, and I’m on a quest to be the best at what I do. After all, I’m the best at being me 🙂

Okay, let’s explore some juicy backstories. How did your band form and what were some of the goals or the visions you had early on?

🎤 For the most part ‘my band’ is just me, I’m mostly a solo act. These days I’ve been working with the folks at the Animal Farm Label on my records, who played the accompanying instruments – bass, keys, percussion etc. – on my latest release, 🎵 “Something Good”, and the ones to come.

Let’s talk more about goals.  Have your goals or your perspectives changed since first starting out? What do your aspirations or goals look like now?

🎤 From day one, I’ve been taking it one step at a time. I have big dreams and goals, but I tend to define this based on the quality of the impact my music can make on both my life and the lives of others. When I started out, I never really knew what to expect, so the fact that I’ve made it this far and I’m still making and releasing music is an achievement in itself, especially when I consider the events of the past year. There are venues I’d like to play, musicians I’d like to collaborate with, and songs that I want to write, but at the end of the day, my number one goal is just savoring every moment of this journey 🙂

Everybody is influenced by somebody else. Who would you consider some of your biggest musical influences and how are they influential? 

🎤 My music inspiration has come in a few different forms over the years. Growing up, I remember there was a lot of reggae music around, as well as lots of western pop and West African highlife music. Then I came upon Bob Dylan’s music; Don’t Think Twice, It’s Alright might just be the most influential for me. Everything from the storytelling to the instrumentation left a mark, I often say that’s probably where my interest in fingerpicking came from. My fingerpicking style is also heavily influenced by Tallest Man on Earth and Passenger, so they always come to mind when I think about my influences.

Ah, the fun stuff.  What’s your craziest tour story or the wackiest thing that’s happened during a performance?  Feel free to be creative.

🎤 I’ve not had too many crazy stories. I got mistaken for will.i.am at a gig though. Actually, it’s happened a fair few times now, at music venues, by the road, while stopped at traffic lights etc. It happened earlier today too 🙂 I don’t see the resemblance at all, but apparently some people do. Maybe it’s the hats, haha.

Up until this point in your career, what would you describe as your favorite song you’ve recorded or performed live? What makes that song special?

🎤 My favorite song to play live is usually the last thing I wrote. Due to the recency effect, the latest song usually holds a special place in my heart, and then it eventually finds its actual place in song list based on how I feel about it after a couple of days. Seriously though, if I had to pick a song it’ll probably be 🎵 “Sweetest Thing I Know”, the lead track from my 2019 EP of the same name. The song is simply about nice, often overlooked things, like the smile of a baby, sunrises and sunsets, double rainbows, peanut butter and jam sandwiches, you get the idea. When I wrote the song, I wasn’t in the best place mentally. I made a conscious effort to notice and appreciate the nice things around me, however small or insignificant they were. I ended up writing a list and made it into a song, which as it turns out, is one of the happiest songs I’ve ever written. I also enjoy playing it so much because it’s almost impossible for me to not smile while playing it.

Is there anything else awesome, cool, or left of center the world should know about you? Secret talents or surprising tidbits?

🎤 I like bow ties, suspenders and funky socks 🙂

Closing things out, what are you currently working on, promoting that you can share with us or want us to know about? We love secrets, but there’s no pressure. 

There’s a lot more music coming out this year, some of which we’ve already recorded and some of which are currently being written 🙂 The next single will be announced very soon, stay tuned 😉

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Getting to Know… Ade: Interview No. 169 [📷: Ade, Brent Faulkner, The Musical Hype]