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Rising Scottish singer Hamish Hawk focused on song writing not fame

Scottish singer songwriter Hamish Hawk pictured live on stage. Photo by James Duncan
Scottish singer songwriter Hamish Hawk pictured live on stage. Photo by James Duncan

Hamish Hawk has been tipped as the next Scottish singer-songwriter to make it big but refuses to chase stardom.

Instead, Hamish, who headlines The Tunnels on Sunday, is focused on crafting timeless songs.

Chart toppers Lewis Capaldi and Tom Walker have led the way and Hamish has been backed as the next Scot to secure mainstream success.

However, the glitter of fame has no attraction for the Edinburgh songwriter.

Regardless, his music and vivid storytelling are creating a buzz.

He has been championed by BBC Radio 6 and DJ’s Vic Galloway, Lauren Laverne and Jo Whiley with recent album Heavy Elevator receiving rave reviews.

The opening show of the tour at King Tut’s Wah Wah Hut in Glasgow quickly sold out.

During the tour, Hamish will also perform with Franz Ferdinand in Dunfermline.

Aberdeen fans can catch him live in an intimate setting at The Tunnels before he inevitably progresses to bigger venues.

Edinburgh singer-songwriter Hamish Hawk will headline Tunnels on Sunday. Photo by Gabriela Silveira

Hamish said: “We are pretty psyched for the Aberdeen show.

“I played with Roddy Woomble in Aberdeen before and the audience was absolutely brilliant.

“On this tour, we also support Franz Ferdinand which is a dream come true.

“That Franz Ferdinand gig is one of the things you dream about when you’re a teenager and gig-goer.

“I’m absolutely elated to play with Franz Ferdinand.”

‘Incredible and truly touching’

Released in September last year Heavy Elevator, Hamish’s fourth long-player, is an ambitious, beautiful album packed with memorable songs.

The album was initially set for release in early 2020 but the pandemic hit.

Hamish made the decision to postpone the release date and the gamble paid off.

He said: “We recorded the album almost two-and-a-half years ago.

“Then the pandemic hit and it felt like a real blow had been dealt.

“We delayed the release which didn’t feel great at the time.

“However when preparations for the release of the single last January started it really felt like we had done the right thing in postponing the release.

“It allowed us to have a big run-up to it and the reception has been quite dizzying.

“I’m still receiving a lot of messages and tweets from people saying how much they enjoy the album and how much it means to them.

“That is incredible and truly touching. It really affects me to have feedback like that.

“I’m hugely grateful for that.”

Hamish Hawk is working on a new album. Photo by Gabriela Silveira

A pressure to ‘better myself’

Work is already well underway on the follow-up album which Hamish hopes will be released by the end of the year.

He feels the pressure to deliver the follow up – not in the hunt for success but to further develop his song-writing craft.

He said: “This is the first time I have ever written a record having had a moderately successful album.

“There is a pressure that I’m aware of and I’m sure everyone in the band would say the same.

“I’ll just try to improve on what I’m doing and do my very best.

“It’s really important for songwriters to write for themselves, for their own satisfaction and own creative enjoyment.

“I’ll try to better myself, only for my own purposes.

“I cannot write to please everyone else. They might like Heavy Elevator for completely different reasons I like it.

Scottish singer-songwriter Hamish Hawk is set to play Aberdeen. Photo by Gabriela Silveira

“The time when you are sitting in your bedroom writing a song – for someone to then relate to it in ways you could never have comprehended is great.

“It is really special when people respond to the music so powerfully.

“The glory of recorded music is that in decades or centuries to come there is actually the potential for people to discover your work and have it mean something to them.”

New album planned for this year

The pandemic denied Hamish the opportunity to play live for almost two years and delayed the release of Heavy Elevator.

However, the lockdown did allow the time to work on new material – which will see the light of day by the end of the year.

He said: “It was disheartening not being able to play and for any performer a strange period.

“Especially when the previous few years I had been gigging a lot and really making a go of it.

“Then there was this really strange, fallow period.

“However it gave the band and I ample opportunity to write.

“We are already recording a new record and are just shy of halfway done.

“Over the next couple of months, we will be doing more sessions in the studio.

“With any luck, there will be an album out before the end of the year,

“All the songs are written essentially.

“I’m in it for the long game. There will be another album and then ones beyond that as well.

“It is always a work in progress.”


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