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, Cooper’s exquisite vocal and adroitly played guitar seamlessly encompasses the best of both worlds. It’s Indie with soul, soul with heart. This is meaningful music from the mind of a man who’s 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. “I don’t want to be seen as a singer/ songwriter because people lump you into that sulky troubadour box,” points out JP with a quick laugh. “I want to be a bit more than that. I want to make great music and grow. I’ve always loved and admired artists that evolve; people like Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder, Björk. Hopefully I can be an artist who will explore and transform in a similar way.”
Though it might seem like music is in his DNA, JP wasn’t 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. “My dad went to study at art school and my Granddad told him, ‘Never get a job in art ‘cause it’ll be something that you don’t love anymore. It’ll be a job not a hobby’. That really stuck with me years later when I began to teach myself guitar. You need to know your a,b,c’s, but the main thing is to have fun with it, to play with it like a child would, ignore the rules. The fact I’m completely clueless about what chords I’m playing works in my favour. I’m a complete blagger! But that’s really nice I think; I can stay wide-eyed about it.”
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 Björk 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. “I realised that I didn’t want to have to rely on anybody – as long as I could play and I could write then I’d be pretty self-sufficient. And I could make the music I wanted to make without having to compromise.” 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 Manchester’s 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. “As soon I found an outlet into the soul and urban world, everything changed overnight. Since then it’s grown and grown and I’ve found my audience. It’s really nice to be embraced by that world.”
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. “I didn’t 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 I’d 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.”
It’s 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 EP’s, 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. “It’s about relationships, people’s struggles, family and the human mind, the weirdness of it, the complexities of it,” 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 EP’s, 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. “It’s not my world at all but it’s taught me loads,” he muses. “The whole imagination behind it all inspires me to want to be better.”
Next up is JP’s 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 isn’t an artist that deals in the formulaic, the predictable or the conventional. “It’s going to be bold,” he decides. “I’ve enjoyed some spot plays on Radio and I know I’m lucky to have those because what I do really doesn’t sound like anything else on there. I’d like to carry on down that route. I don’t want my music to sound like everything else that’s being put out at the minute.”
JP Cooper isn’t the sort of artist to list his ambitions as being awards and accolades. That’s not why he makes music. He’s isn’t here to make cookie-cutter sounds that cynically appeal to a mass market. Rather he wants to challenge the idea’s of what music people should – and shouldn’t – be making. “There’s no façade. I’m just somebody who lives life and writes about it. It’s a human experience. I’m not untouchable,” he points out. “I think people trust what I do because of the way that I am; there’s no front. I think that makes people want to find out more. Hopefully when they do find out more, they’ll like what they hear. I know nothing’s promised, and I know I’ve been doing this for a few years now, but it feels just like the beginning. And that’s really exciting.”
However, he was hailed as ‘Future Sound of 2015’ by BBC Radio One’s 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] Cooper’s talent for both songwriting and lyricism which releases true emotion – 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.
Colour Me In Gold
JP Cooper Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Lips like petals on my throat.
And those fingertips like paintbrush strokes, paper boats softly float like a song we wrote.
But summer comes and summer goes.
You change your hair, you change your clothes.
The books you read help you explore the world that you believed in once before.
Kiss the freckles on my nose.
With those blood red pomegranate lips taking sips, hand on hip.
Your face could launch a thousand ships.
But winter comes and brings the snow.
You change your job, you change your home.
Still reading books about the ghost of a world you can't be living anymore.
And after all, you've been nothing but good to me.
And the only way that I can pay you back is to daily seek those distant memories while I'm standing next to you.
So when spring time comes and blossoms grow, come take my hand, can we expose the hideaways, the hidden doors, the stories we believed in. (oohhh oooohh)
The land that we both dreamed in once before. (ooooooohhh oooooohhhh oooooohhhhoooohhooo)
You colour me in gold.
The first verse of JP Cooper's song "Colour Me In Gold" describes the feeling of being in love with someone whose touch and presence is like gold. The singer compares the touch of his lover's fingertips to paintbrush strokes, that bring life and colour to the world. Even paper boats can softly float by like a song that they wrote. But as summer comes and goes, his lover changes, growing and evolving through the books she reads, while he remains entranced and in love with the person he's come to know.
The second verse takes on a more melancholy tone, with the arrival of winter symbolizing change and the passing of time. Even as his lover changes, he remains steadfast, only seeing the beauty in the memories they've created together. He recognizes the goodness in his lover, and understands that the only way to repay her is to cherish their shared experiences and memories, even those that are long gone.
Overall, the song is about the power of love and the beauty of shared experiences. Despite the inevitable changes that life brings, the memories we create and the relationships we form remain a constant source of joy and beauty. The singer recognizes the value of these experiences, and celebrates them through his music.
Line by Line Meaning
You colour me in gold.
You make me feel special and valued, like I'm precious and valuable.
Lips like petals on my throat.
Your lips feel soft and delicate against my skin like flower petals.
And those fingertips like paintbrush strokes, paper boats softly float like a song we wrote.
Your gentle and artistic touch fills me with warmth and joy, like our love is a beautiful piece of art or a song we created together.
But summer comes and summer goes.
Seasons change, things evolve and life keeps moving forward.
You change your hair, you change your clothes.
You're constantly evolving and growing, trying new things, exploring new sides of yourself.
The books you read help you explore the world that you believed in once before.
You use books as a way to rediscover your past interests and beliefs, while also exploring new ideas and perspectives.
Kiss the freckles on my nose.
You show affection and attention to the small details on my face, making me feel cherished and loved.
With those blood red pomegranate lips taking sips, hand on hip.
Your bold and confident energy captivates me, making me feel drawn to you and your fiery passion.
Your face could launch a thousand ships.
Your beauty and strength are so powerful, they could inspire an army to follow you into battle.
But winter comes and brings the snow.
The coldness of winter represents the difficult and challenging times in life.
You change your job, you change your home.
You're constantly adapting to new changes and challenges, navigating through the various parts of your life journey.
Still reading books about the ghost of a world you can't be living anymore.
You're trying to come to terms with your past experiences and move forward, even though it's difficult to let go of old memories and lifestyles.
And after all, you've been nothing but good to me.
Despite all the changes and challenges, you've always treated me with kindness and love.
And the only way that I can pay you back is to daily seek those distant memories while I'm standing next to you.
I'm grateful for everything you've done for me, and I want to cherish every moment we have together, even while we look back on our shared memories.
So when spring time comes and blossoms grow, come take my hand, can we expose the hideaways, the hidden doors, the stories we believed in. (oohhh oooohh)
Let's embrace the new beginnings and opportunities that come with spring, and explore the new stories and experiences we can create together.
The land that we both dreamed in once before. (ooooooohhh oooooohhhh oooooohhhhoooohhooo)
Let's remember the dreams and aspirations we shared in the past, and use them as a foundation for our future journeys and adventures.
Contributed by Jeremiah H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@lh4644
Lyrics
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You colour me in gold
Lips like petals on my throat
And those fingertips like paintbrush strokes
Paper boats softly float like a song we wrote
But summer comes and summer goes
You change your hair, you change your clothes
The books you read help you explore
The world that you believed in once before
You colour me in gold
Kiss the freckles on my nose
With those blood red pomegranate lips taking sips, hand on hip
Your face could launch a thousand ships
But winter comes and brings the snow
You change your job, you change your home
Still reading books about the ghost of a world you can't be living any more
And after all, you've been nothing but good to me
And the only way that I can pay you back
Is to daily seek those distant memories while I'm standing next to you
So when spring time comes and blossoms grow
Come take my hand, can we expose the hideaways
The hidden doors, the stories we believed in
The land that we both dreamed in once before
@MahoganySessions
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Who's here in 2024? Let us know below 👇
@osmanthus3246
Been my favorite song for years now, every time I forget the title I spend the time to find it again
@Taquew
Meeeeee!!!!!!!!! I put so many people on to him❤❤❤
@littlecolinaph
This song is a hidden gem!!❤ one of my faves
@seana5754
Ohhh yeah
@paulyoung7119
I never ever comment on these threads but this guy is VERY special. Rarely do i keep playing a song like I have this one. JP's beautiful tone is mesmerising and the songs melody and lyrics are simply sublime. Takes me back to Stevie Wonder and George Benson of the '70s...pure magic. I'm a big fan of this guy and if managed properly he has a huge future ahead...let's hope so. Respect to Mahagony true curators of quality music.
@MahoganySessions
+Paul Young Thank you for your beautiful words Paul. x
@nicolatarkenter9492
I just had to stop by and tell you I get it his voice is soul stopping he is a very lovely guy.