00:00Good afternoon, Jacob Alon. How are you doing?
00:01Good afternoon, babes. I'm doing good.
00:03Where are we?
00:05Good question. I actually don't know the name of this building, but it's very posh.
00:10But we're in London somewhere, in the centre, or the west or something, I think.
00:14And why?
00:15Why?
00:17It's deep. It's deep.
00:20I think...
00:23Music has brought us here. Music has brought us here.
00:26My album has been shortlisted for Mercury Prize. A great honour. Thank you so much.
00:33And, yeah, I don't know. Somehow that's happened, and I'm now here.
00:39But I feel like my body's here, but my mind is, like, catching up.
00:43But whether or not you win, you're definitely the best dressed. How's that feel?
00:47What can I say? What can I say? Thank you. I'd love to get my glam on.
00:52What can you tell us about this fit?
00:53Oh, well, it's a charity shop number. I'm wearing British Heart Foundation with Mary's Meals.
01:00Great causes. I used to volunteer in Mary's Meals.
01:03Shout out to Jackie and Mary's Meals in Brickheathing.
01:08So, yeah.
01:09Amazing.
01:10In Limerence, it's its own universe.
01:11How would you describe that world to somebody who's not into it yet?
01:19It packs a punch. Like, it's got a lot...
01:22Should I look into the...
01:23Oh, no. Talk to me.
01:24Oh, talk to you. Okay.
01:26I feel like it packs a hard punch.
01:30There's this beautiful thing.
01:31It's not in there, but there's this thing called the Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows.
01:35If you've not found that, you should check it out.
01:38And it has these very specific words, or words that describe these very specific feelings.
01:45And this isn't in there, but it feels akin to that vibe.
01:50But to me, it describes this thing that I've done my whole life,
01:55this way I've longed for versions of people that aren't real.
02:00I've kind of become infatuated and obsessed with the idea of someone
02:04more than seeing the person for who they truly are.
02:07And I think it can become, like, a sickness.
02:11And it can take over your every waking thought.
02:15And it traps you from really knowing someone and really experiencing love.
02:20And you worked with the genius Dan Carey.
02:23What can you tell us about your chemistry?
02:24What happens when you get into a room?
02:27A true genius mind.
02:29And I don't throw that word around lightly, but a beautiful soul.
02:35And one of the kindest people I've ever had the pleasure of knowing.
02:41I'm so proud to call him my friend.
02:43And, yeah, I feel like when we get together, it's, like, two, like, sugared-up kids in a toy store running around and being playful and being curious.
02:56And Dan really, like, nurtures curiosity in me and a feeling of, like, trust in your instinct.
03:02And working quick, like, keeping the love and the excitement alive, not striving for perfection and ironing out every crease as to lose, you know, like, an accidental beauty.
03:16So he's taught me a lot about that.
03:19And talking to me with Kay Tempest.
03:20What happens when you guys get into a room?
03:23Backstage antics.
03:25Oh, definitely.
03:26Definitely.
03:27There'll be so much of that to come.
03:29Kay is an artistic force that I cannot be rivaled.
03:34Like, his music unlocks something within me.
03:40I think the first time I ever saw Kay perform, like, I'd obviously seen so much footage of him performing, but, like, seeing it in the flesh, it was like I didn't know there was this extra chamber of my heart.
03:54And they revived it.
03:56They pumped it for me.
03:58And I just felt like something break open within me.
04:01I just, like, I remember I was having a really bad day and all this emotion that I'd had in me just, like, came pouring out.
04:10They helped me to understand parts of myself I didn't know and helped me to see things in the world that I couldn't, or describe things I couldn't say.
04:20So it's a supreme honor to know them.
04:23I remember the first time we met, it was at Dan's studio, and he was sitting with Dan's dog, Poppy, on his lap, and just gave me the tightest, warmest hug I think I've had.
04:39Yeah.
04:42Top, top human.
04:44Top, top dog human.
04:45I'm absolutely, I really think that they should be here today.
04:50And ahead of that talk, how would you describe yourself as a live act?
04:55You know, it's funny.
05:00The music is obviously quite, like, direct and vulnerable.
05:05And I think, well, I was about, what was I going to say?
05:09Yeah, it's funny because the music is obviously, like, direct and at times, like, very serious.
05:16But I think I'm also very silly when I perform live.
05:20And somebody says, I say, but I think there is a fine line.
05:28Well, actually, no, I think invulnerability, like, silliness and seriousness are two sides of that.
05:35And I try to keep it as real as possible at shows.
05:40I think shows are so precious to me because even when they go disastrously wrong, like, you're there together.
05:49You're in a room, you're breathing, you've showed up.
05:52You've had a little meet-up with your pals.
05:56And, yeah, I still can't believe that people come to shows.
06:01I'm really glad they do.
06:02I've got one at the end of the year.
06:03You should come to that.
06:04Yeah, well, Princeton, right?
06:06Yeah, oh, actually, no, I think it's, is it Camden?
06:12No, what's, where's Coco?
06:14Oh, that's Camden, yeah.
06:15It is Camden.
06:16Deep, deep Camden.
06:17See you in deep, deep Camden.
06:19And so to the Mercury's amazing shortlist, if you were a gambler, who would your money be on?
06:24Other than yourself.
06:29Oh, that's really hard.
06:33Shit.
06:34Um, not me.
06:40There's a few artists that I'm yet to, yet to listen to, which is so exciting, like, to discover new music and, um, in this context, so cool.
06:52Um, how are the, how are the, oh, I don't know.
06:57I, I love Twigs.
07:01I love Fontaine's.
07:03I love Seamat.
07:04Oh, Seamat's new album's great.
07:06I, I don't know.
07:08I, I, I, honestly, I, I've no idea.
07:10I think, who would my money be on?
07:13Right.
07:14Come on.
07:15You gotta be your own champion.
07:16So I'm voting for Marcel.
07:18No, actually, no.
07:19I, I think my money is on, um, I don't know.
07:24Fontaine's.
07:24I love those guys.
07:25They're great.
07:26Jacob, thank you so much for your time.
07:28See you in Newcastle.
07:29Thank you so much.
07:30Love NME.
07:30Thanks for having me.
07:31Thank you so much.
07:32Thank you so much.
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