Cooper is a self-made, self-taught musician who manages to exist effortlessly within two scenes generally considered to be at varying ends of the sonic spectrum. Learning his craft on the Indie Rock scene, but later connecting with the Sing Out Gospel Gospel Choir, Cooperโs exquisite vocal and adroitly played guitar seamlessly encompasses the best of both worlds. Itโs Indie with soul, soul with heart. This is meaningful music from the mind of a man whoโs lived life, loss and longing. He defines the idea of what it is to be a truly singular artist who both defies convention and resists comparison. โI donโt want to be seen as a singer/ songwriter because people lump you into that sulky troubadour box,โ points out JP with a quick laugh. โI want to be a bit more than that. I want to make great music and grow. Iโve always loved and admired artists that evolve; people like Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder, Bjรถrk. Hopefully I can be an artist who will explore and transform in a similar way.โ
Though it might seem like music is in his DNA, JP wasnโt bought up in a particularly musical household. However, his Granddad, a commercial artist and dad, also an artist, taught him something that would prove invaluable to his own artistic endeavors in years to come. โMy dad went to study at art school and my Granddad told him, โNever get a job in art โcause itโll be something that you donโt love anymore. Itโll be a job not a hobbyโ. That really stuck with me years later when I began to teach myself guitar. You need to know your a,b,cโs, but the main thing is to have fun with it, to play with it like a child would, ignore the rules. The fact Iโm completely clueless about what chords Iโm playing works in my favour. Iโm a complete blagger! But thatโs really nice I think; I can stay wide-eyed about it.โ
Bought up during the guitar-laden years of Britpop, like many young Manchester teens, JP played in various bands throughout school. Broadening his musical tastes beyond Oasis by regularly visiting eponymous record store, the Vinyl Exchange, it was there the young music enthusiast discovered everything from Bjรถrk to Aphex Twin, Donny Hathaway and Rufus Wainwright. Deciding to go solo while at college, JP was finally able to fully draw on his various influences and begin to experiment with the sort of artist he wanted to be. โI realised that I didnโt want to have to rely on anybody โ as long as I could play and I could write then Iโd be pretty self-sufficient. And I could make the music I wanted to make without having to compromise.โ Teaching himself guitar, JP began testing his sound out at Open Mic nights and quickly started getting booked to play all over Manchester. Within a year he rose to selling out 250 capacity venue, the Deaf Institute. However, because he was a white guy with a guitar, he found himself increasingly booked at folk / indie / band nights. Ill at ease in a scene into which he was thrust, slowly his audience began to diversify as the subtleties in his music began to emerge. He joined Manchesterโs Sing Out Gospel Choir and released a series of three mixtapes, noticing a growing fanbase within the urban world. Soon he was not only selling out venues like the Gorilla in Manchester, but he was hitting capacity at shows in London too. โAs soon I found an outlet into the soul and urban world, everything changed overnight. Since then itโs grown and grown and Iโve found my audience. Itโs really nice to be embraced by that world.โ
Three years ago, he became a dad for the first time and a year later faced a difficult decision. Supporting himself by working in a bar so he could be with his son every morning and night, when Island Records offered him a development deal, he knew it would mean a lot of travel to London. โI didnโt want to miss any of my son growing up, but I also had to build a future for us both. It got to the point where Iโd had this massive dream of doing music and all this amazing stuff was happening, but at the same time I was away from all of the things that are home to me.โ
Itโs a subject he covers on Closer, found on his 2015 EP, When The Darkness Comes. After signing to Island Records 18 months ago, JP released two EPโs, which combined have had over 5 million plays. The first, Keep The Quiet Out, was produced by the Confectionary [Bonkaz, Jacob Banks]. The most recent (When The Darkness Comes), produced by the duo One-Bit, features six perfectly executed vignettes. The EP is deeply personable yet utterly relatable. โItโs about relationships, peopleโs struggles, family and the human mind, the weirdness of it, the complexities of it,โ explains JP.
He not only has a large online following, but he has a large and loyal live fanbase too. Last year, he sold out four headline shows in London, including the The Scala the Village Underground and Koko. The EPโs, along with his engaging live performances, have won JP a legion of fans as disparate as his sounds; the likes of Boy George, The Cast Of EastEnders, Maverick Sabre, Sean Mendez and Stormzy have all sung his praises, while recent collaborations with the likes of George the Poet have seen Cooper diversify a little into the spoken world arena. โItโs not my world at all but itโs taught me loads,โ he muses. โThe whole imagination behind it all inspires me to want to be better.โ
Next up is JPโs debut album proper which promises to be bigger and bolder affair, while retaining a sense of simplicity and honesty. Featuring elements of Hip Hop, stand-up soul and Country-inflected guitar, there will also be some unexpected twists and turns. JP isnโt an artist that deals in the formulaic, the predictable or the conventional. โItโs going to be bold,โ he decides. โIโve enjoyed some spot plays on Radio and I know Iโm lucky to have those because what I do really doesnโt sound like anything else on there. Iโd like to carry on down that route. I donโt want my music to sound like everything else thatโs being put out at the minute.โ
JP Cooper isnโt the sort of artist to list his ambitions as being awards and accolades. Thatโs not why he makes music. Heโs isnโt here to make cookie-cutter sounds that cynically appeal to a mass market. Rather he wants to challenge the ideaโs of what music people should โ and shouldnโt โ be making. โThereโs no faรงade. Iโm just somebody who lives life and writes about it. Itโs a human experience. Iโm not untouchable,โ he points out. โI think people trust what I do because of the way that I am; thereโs no front. I think that makes people want to find out more. Hopefully when they do find out more, theyโll like what they hear. I know nothingโs promised, and I know Iโve been doing this for a few years now, but it feels just like the beginning. And thatโs really exciting.โ
However, he was hailed as โFuture Sound of 2015โ by BBC Radio Oneโs Zane Lowe, supported soul singer Angie Stone, sold out a UK tour of his own, and had a coveted slot at the SXSW Festival in Austin, Texas.
His EP 'When The Darkness Comes' was reviewed in 2015 as "combining folk, blues, soul and gospel, ... [showcasing] Cooperโs talent for both songwriting and lyricism which releases true emotion โ not only for himself but also the listener."
Sources:
This info was taken from when he was featured in The Telegraph and listed for his gig at The Cluny in Newcastle upon Tyne.
Closer
JP Cooper Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'll be watching over and if you're too small to see
I'll lift you on my shoulders
If you're feeling low I'll hold you
I wanna be there in the morning, so I'm working through the night
And I'll be smiling at you yawning, when you're rubbing those brown eyes
And if you ever leave me, call me, I wanna make sure you're alright
You know you're daddy's little soldier and mummy's handsome knight
Now don't you worry about darkness coz you're carrying the light
And no shadows fall when you're around
Don't you know I wish I was closer
I'll be watching over and if you're too small to see
I'll lift you on my shoulders
If you're feeling low I'll hold you
I want you close to me like songbirds want the trees
Coz when you're close to me my worries flee from me
Coz when you're with me, my feet don't touch the ground
Now I'm not a king, but when I'm with you I feel like I'm wearing a crown
For you I sing
Don't you know I wish I was closer
I'll be watching over and if you're too small to see
I'll lift you on my shoulders
If you're feeling low I'll hold you
Ooh Don't you know I wish I was closer
I'll be watching over and if you're too small to see
I'll lift you on my shoulders
If you're feeling low I'll hold you
Don't you know I wish I was closer
I'll be watching over
JP Cooper's song "Closer" is a heartfelt tribute to a loved one who is far away. The lyrics express the singer's longing to be closer, to be more present in the life of the person he cares for. He promises to watch over them and lift them up when they need it, to be their protector and support. The imagery of lifting someone onto your shoulders is particularly poignant, suggesting a physical closeness that is lacking in the relationship.
The lyrics also reveal the singer's desire to be there for his loved one in a very practical way. He talks about working through the night so he can be there in the morning, and being available if they ever need him. The repetition of the phrase "Don't you know I wish I was closer" emphasizes the singer's sense of distance and separation, and underscores the depth of his longing. Despite this distance, there is a sense of hope and optimism in the lyrics. The singer believes that being with this person will make him feel like royalty, and he promises to be there for them no matter what.
Line by Line Meaning
Don't you know I wish I was closer
I wish I could be closer to you and be more involved in your life
I'll be watching over and if you're too small to see
I'll be there for you and watch out for you, especially if you're too young to fully understand the world
I'll lift you on my shoulders
I'll support you and help you see things from a different perspective
If you're feeling low I'll hold you
I'll comfort you and provide emotional support when you're feeling down
I wanna be there in the morning, so I'm working through the night
I want to be with you as much as possible, so I'm willing to work hard and sacrifice to make that happen
And I'll be smiling at you yawning, when you're rubbing those brown eyes
I'll find joy in even the small moments we share together
And if you ever leave me, call me, I wanna make sure you're alright
Even if we're apart, I want to make sure you're safe and well
I don't wanna be so far from home
I don't want to be away from the people and places I love for too long
You know you're daddy's little soldier and mummy's handsome knight
You're loved and admired by your parents and they see you as strong and brave
Now don't you worry about darkness coz you're carrying the light
Don't be afraid of the dark or difficult times, because you have inner strength and goodness to see you through
And no shadows fall when you're around
Your presence brings positivity and light, and dispels any negativity
I want you close to me like songbirds want the trees
I desire your closeness and companionship like birds need trees for shelter and survival
Coz when you're close to me my worries flee from me
When I'm with you, my fears and concerns disappear and I feel a sense of peace and calm
Coz when you're with me, my feet don't touch the ground
I feel light and happy when we're together, like I'm floating on air
Now I'm not a king, but when I'm with you I feel like I'm wearing a crown
Being with you makes me feel special and important, even though I'm not a royalty
For you I sing
I express my love and emotions for you through song
Lyrics ยฉ Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Bucks Music Group
Written by: JOHN PAUL COOPER, JONTY HOWARD, JOE MURPHY, JP COOPER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@p0isonedb3rries
When an underrated singer has a true meaning behind songs
@user-tw7mq8dl9p
I am a Shadowhunter I know right?๐๐
@p0isonedb3rries
ฮงฯฮนฯฯฮนฮฝฮฌฮบฮน ฮฮฌฯฮฑ most days songs don't even have true meanings like JP's
@anwaar1647
This is the kinda song they play in the tv series etc. Reminded me of one tree hill lol
@p0isonedb3rries
Isaac yh but I still think he is underrated
@hayleighheeraman8563
BHand
@rossanacampos949
So funny how songs with meaning and made by a really talented guy doesn't have millions of views :)
@Hiiiiii1993
Rossana Campos better. So we can enjoy till the others come here and ruining everything with their stup small mind. So if in 8/7 billion or more people in the world, we are the few that runs on another path.
@akibbakthhannah840
Rossana Campos share his creation
@andremahon2834
Rossana Campos the video is amazing and so is the song. Canโt understand it why this wasnโt a bigger hit...