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.
Satellite
JP Cooper Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I wanted you by my side,
I know you'd probably be miles away
Footsteps in the hold
All I'm waiting for
Wished her were mine
But she wouldn't land my way
Sound as fire,
I could go against the world for you
I've never felt so small
Satellite, couldn't get it right
You're the only one in my sky
Satellite, take your time
When you some back down,
Can't wait we give a little try
There were times I was away
My little lady knew it where to find me
Setting away, little gray I seek
What you mean to me!
Satellite, couldn't get it right
You're the only one in my sky
Satellite, take your time
When you some back down,
Can't wait we give a little try!
Satellite (I'll be waiting)
Satellite (I'll be waiting)
You're the only one in my sky
Satellite (I'll be waiting)
Satellite (I'll be waiting)
When you some back down,
Can't wait we give a little try!
Don't you know I needed you?
Why did you walk away?
Don't you know I needed you?
Why couldn't you have stayed?
Don't you know I needed you?
Satellite, couldn't get it right
You're the only one in my sky
Satellite, take your time
When you some back down,
Can't wait we give a little try!
Satellite (I'll be waiting)
Satellite (I'll be waiting)
You're the only one in my sky
Satellite (I'll be waiting)
Satellite (I'll be waiting)
When you some back down,
Can't wait we give a little try!
I'll be waiting
I'll be waiting
In JP Cooper's song "Satellite," the lyrics depict a story of love and longing. The singer expresses his desire for someone who is not with him and how the separation makes him feel small and helpless. He acknowledges that he cannot always get what he wants and that the person he longs for might be far away from him. The lyrics "Every time I hate that I can't get my way, I wanted you by my side, I know you'd probably be miles away" portrays this feeling of distance and unattainability.
The chorus of the song, "Satellite, couldn't get it right, You're the only one in my sky," suggests that the person he is singing about is like a satellite to him. He cannot function without her, and she is the only one who can make him feel complete. However, he understands that he cannot force her to be with him and urges her to take her time and come back to him when she is ready. The line "Don't you know I needed you?" emphasizes the depth of his emotions and how much he wants this person to be in his life.
Overall, "Satellite" is a song about love and longing, and the singer’s vulnerable emotions are portrayed through his heartfelt lyrics and emotive vocals.
Line by Line Meaning
Every time I hate that I can't get my way
I feel frustrated when things don't go as planned
I wanted you by my side,
I wished you were with me
I know you'd probably be miles away
I understand that it's unlikely for you to be around
Footsteps in the hold
Memories are still lingering around
All I'm waiting for
I'm patiently expecting something
Wished her were mine
I desire to be with her
But she wouldn't land my way
But fate isn't favoring me in this matter
Sound as fire,
The passion is burning hot
But would she need my heart away?
But will she take away my heart?
I could go against the world for you
I'd do anything for you
I've never felt so small
I feel insignificant in comparison to how much you mean to me
Satellite, couldn't get it right
Our relationship isn't working out as planned
You're the only one in my sky
You're the one who's on my mind all the time
Satellite, take your time
Our love needs patience and persistence
When you some back down, Can't wait we give a little try
When we reunite, we'll give this another chance
There were times I was away My little lady knew it where to find me
There were times I was absent, but my significant other knew how to reach me
Setting away, little gray I seek
I was away, but now I miss you terribly
What you mean to me!
You're so significant to me!
Don't you know I needed you? Why did you walk away?
I needed you, why did you leave me?
Satellite (I'll be waiting), Satellite (I'll be waiting)
I'll wait for our love to work out
When you some back down, Can't wait we give a little try!
When we have a chance, let's try again
I'll be waiting
I won't give up on us
I'll be waiting
I will wait patiently for us
Contributed by Peyton I. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Kay Guichay
Every time I had everything my own way
I wanted you by my side,
I know you're probably be miles away
Footsteps in the hole
All I'm waiting for
We shared that night
But she wouldn't be mine, no way
Satisfied,
Pushing me and my heart away
Back against the wall for you
I've never felt so small
Satellite, couldn't get it right
You're the only one in my sky
Satellite, take your time
When you some back down,
Can we give it a try
There were times I was amazed
My little lady we were fine yeah
Set in our ways
With regret I see
What you mean to me
Satellite, couldn't get it right
But you're the only one in my sky
Satellite, take your time
When you some back down,
Can we give it a try!
Satellite (I'll be waiting)
Satellite (I'll be waiting)
You're the only one in my sky
Satellite (I'll be waiting)
Satellite (I'll be waiting)
When you some back down,
Can we give it a try!
Don't you know I needed you?
Why did you walk away?
Don't you know I needed you?
Why couldn't you have stayed?
Don't you know I needed you?
Satellite, couldn't get it right
You're the only one in my sky
Satellite, take your time
When you come back down,
Can we give it a try!
Satellite (I'll be waiting)
Satellite (I'll be waiting)
You're the only one in my sky
Satellite (I'll be waiting)
Satellite (I'll be waiting)
When you some back down,
Can we give it a try!
MrBietka52
Za każdym razem wszystko miałem po swojemu
Chciałem cię przy sobie
Wiem, że prawdopodobnie jesteś daleko stąd
Kroki w dziurze
Wszystko na co czekam
Dzieliliśmy tę noc
Ale nie byłaby moja, nie ma mowy
Zadowolona,
Odpychając mnie i moje serce
Z powrotem pod ścianą dla ciebie
Nigdy nie czułem się taka małay
Satelita, nie mógł tego zrobić dobrze
Jesteś jedyną osobą na moim niebie
Satelita, nie spiesz się
Kiedy trochę się wycofasz,
Czy możemy spróbować
Czasami byłem zdumiony
Moja mała damo, wszystko było w porządku
Ustaw się na naszych drogach
Z żalem widzę
Co dla mnie znaczysz
Satelita, nie mógł tego zrobić dobrze
Ale jesteś jedyną osobą na moim niebie
Satelita, nie spiesz się
Kiedy trochę się wycofasz,
Czy możemy spróbować!
Satelita ,będę czekał
Satelita ,będę czekał
Jesteś jedyną osobą na moim niebie
Satelita ,będę czekał
Satelita ,będę czekał
Kiedy trochę się wycofasz,
Czy możemy spróbować!
Nie wiesz, że cię potrzebowałem?
Dlaczego odszełaś?
Nie wiesz, że cię potrzebowałem?
Dlaczego nie mogłaś zostać?
Nie wiesz, że cię potrzebowałem?
Satelita, nie mógł tego zrobić dobrze
Jesteś jedyną osobą na moim niebie
Satelita, nie spiesz się
Kiedy wrócisz na dół
Czy możemy spróbować!
Satelita ,będę czekał
Satelita ,będę czekał
Jesteś jedyną osobą na moim niebie
Satelita ,będę czekał
Satelita ,będę czekał
Kiedy trochę się wycofasz,
Czy możemy spróbować!
Elsabeth Solomon
[Verse 1]
Every time I had everything my own way
I wanted you by my side
But I'll love you probably miles away
Footsteps in the hole, all I'm waiting for
We shared that night, yeah
But she wouldn't be mine, no way
Satisfied, pushing me and my heart away
Back against the wall for you
I've never felt so small
[Chorus]
Satellite, couldn't get it right
You're the only one in my sky
Satellite, take your time
When you come back down
Can we give it a try
[Verse 2]
There were times I was amazed
My little lady, we were fine, yeah
Setting our ways
With regret I see
What you mean to me
[Chorus]
Satellite, couldn't get it right
You're the only one in my sky
Satellite, take your time
When you come back down
Can we give it a try
Satellite (I'll be waiting)
Satellite (I'll be waiting)
You're the only one in my sky
Satellite (I'll be waiting)
Satellite (I'll be waiting)
When you come back down
Can we give it a try
[Bridge]
Don't you know I needed you?
Why did you walk away?
Don't you know I needed you?
Why couldn't you have stayed?
Don't you know I needed you? Oh
[Chorus]
Satellite, couldn't get it right
You're the only one in my sky
Satellite, take your time
When you come back down
Can we give it a try
Satellite (I'll be waiting)
Satellite (I'll be waiting)
You're the only one in my sky
Satellite (I'll be waiting)
Satellite (I'll be waiting)
When you some back down
Can we give it a try
[Outro]
I'll be waiting
I'll be waiting
VeryNevv
I was listening to JP Cooper while at work typing away at different documents. He was playing in the background and though I love the sound of his music, I had begun to really focus in on my work and drown his music out in a sense..... until this song played. I had never heard this song by him before and the piano chords, mixed with his voice took and kept my attention. I found myself speechless and unable to believe that someone could take the prettiest thing that is imaginable and force its energy into a song. This song feels like all types of different emotion. I am taken aback. I went through the comment section looking for a comment that truly encompassed this feeling, but I don't think anyone quite explained it. This song speaks to my soul. It writes those unwritten longings and tears down on paper and provides such unspeakable peace. Incredible, JP Cooper.. Just incredible.
Tiffany Van
NOW THIS! Is the comment I was searching for to describe how my spirit felt after hearing this...well done 🤜🏽🤛🏽
dani
There was a moment during this, were I could feel everything, the breeze touching my skin, the sun shining and it was so bright I could see it even tho my eyes were close for a second, even if my country is dealing with some terrible things and even myself being really depressed... I could stare at the sky and see the pigeons and just feel happy, the happiest I've felt in years... oh my God... you are a true gift JP Cooper :) Thank you.
Arnold 12345
youre so beautiful
dani
wow why, thank you!
christopher mohammed
+Dany-om-exhale your so awesome i looked at some of your videos and this is the first time hearing this song and you took my feeling and put words to it thank you for being such an amazing beauty and gift as well
dani
christopher mohammed you just made my day ❤ sometimes when I feel upset I go back to this post, listen to this song and I am so happy to see that so many people feel the same way. Than you all so much!
christopher mohammed
Dany-om-exhale glad i made your day and continue doing you
Ruben Perez
Theres people that complain about this generations music being shit. Then theres us who go out there and find talented musicians playing beautiful music.
溫泉
heˊs really great ! singing so beautifully.