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.
Sing It with Me
JP Cooper Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Singing your favorite songs out loud
And it's making me go crazy
Wish that I could take you out
Oh, I can't afford it
But I can write a song and record it
Give it to you and wait and hope that
Call me, won't you?
Tell me that you want me
And maybe I could play for you
Play for you tonight
And maybe you could sing it with me
Do-do, do-do-do, do-do-do, do-do-do
Do-do, do-do-do, do-do-do, do-do-do
Do-do, do-do-do, do-do-do, do-do-do-do
And maybe you could sing it with me
I've been thinking for hours
Maybe my head's in the clouds
But I could steal you some flowers
And ask if I could take you out
Oh, I can't afford it
But I can write a song and record it
Give it to you and wait and hope that
Maybe you could call me?
Call me, won't you?
Tell me that you want me
And maybe I could play for you
Play for you tonight
And maybe you could sing it with me
Do-do, do-do-do, do-do-do, do-do-do
Do-do, do-do-do, do-do-do, do-do-do
Do-do, do-do-do, do-do-do, do-do-do-do
I never saw it coming
When you caught me way off guard
I almost crashed my car
That melody you wrote
I'm falling for somebody I don't know
Maybe you could sing it with me
Don't know who you are (do-do, do-do-do, do-do-do, do-do-do)
But you spoke to my heart (do-do, do-do-do, do-do-do, do-do-do)
That melody you wrote (do-do, do-do-do, do-do-do, do-do-do-do)
Please don't be somebody I don't know
But I feel like I already know you
So tell me, will you call me?
I'll be waiting
Tell me that you want me
And I'll be there to play for you
Play for you tonight
And baby, you'll be singing with me
Do-do, do-do-do, do-do-do, do-do-do
Do-do, do-do-do, do-do-do, do-do-do
Do-do, do-do-do, do-do-do, do-do-do-do
And maybe you could sing it with me
Do-do, do-do-do, do-do-do, do-do-do (da-da da-da-da da-da)
Do-do, do-do-do, do-do-do, do-do-do (da-da da-da-da da-da)
Do-do, do-do-do, do-do-do, do-do-do-do
Sounds so much better with you
And maybe you could sing it with me
The lyrics of JP Cooper & Astrid S's song Sing It With Me talk about a person who is crushing on someone they really like, but they can't afford to take them out. However, the singer writes a song for the person, hoping that this gesture will spark some feelings in them. The person is so talented that they find them singing their favorite songs out loud. The singer wishes that they could just take them out, but it seems beyond their means. So, they turn to music to express their feelings. They hope that the recipient of the song will call them and tell them that they want them. They even imagine playing for them and having them sing the song with them.
The chorus of the song has the singer asking the person to sing with them. They acknowledge that they have never seen it coming and that the person caught them way off guard. The melody that the person wrote speaks to their heart, and the singer is falling for someone they don't even know yet. They ask the person not to be somebody they don't know but admits that it feels like they already know them. The singer wants the person to call them and promises to be waiting for them so that they can play for them tonight. They conclude by saying that the song sounds so much better with the person, and they hope they will sing it with them.
Overall the lyrics of the song are about the things that one does when they want to express their feelings towards someone they find desirable. In this song, JP Cooper & Astrid S have shown how singing a song can convey one's feelings, and it can be a perfect way to get the attention of someone special.
Line by Line Meaning
I keep seeing you lately
I have been frequently seeing you recently
Singing your favorite songs out loud
You have been singing your favorite music loudly
And it's making me go crazy
It is driving me insane
Wish that I could take you out
I want to take you out
Oh, I can't afford it
Unfortunately, I cannot afford it
But I can write a song and record it
However, I can create and record a song
Give it to you and wait and hope that
I will give it to you and hope that
Maybe you could call me?
Perhaps you can call me?
Call me, won't you?
Would you call me, please?
Tell me that you want me
Let me know if you desire me
And maybe I could play for you
Possibly, I can perform for you
Play for you tonight
Perform for you tonight
And maybe you could sing it with me
You could collaborate and sing it with me
I've been thinking for hours
I have been contemplating for a long time
Maybe my head's in the clouds
Perhaps my mind is wandering
But I could steal you some flowers
However, I can steal some flowers for you
And ask if I could take you out
Then I will ask you to go out with me
I never saw it coming
It was unexpected
When you caught me way off guard
When you surprised me entirely
I almost crashed my car
I almost got into an accident after the surprise
That melody you wrote
The tune that you composed
I'm falling for somebody I don't know
I am developing feelings for someone unfamiliar
Please don't be somebody I don't know
Hopefully, you are not someone that I do not know
But I feel like I already know you
However, I have the sense that I know you already
So tell me, will you call me?
Therefore, would you give me a call?
I'll be waiting
I will be waiting
And baby, you'll be singing with me
And darling, you will be singing with me
Sounds so much better with you
It sounds much better with you involved
Lyrics ยฉ Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Daniel Parker, Edvard Erfjord, Henrik Michelsen, John Paul Cooper, Steven Mccutcheon
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Halette
Sing It With Me
Astrid S,ย JP Cooper
I keep seeing you lately
Singing your favorite songs out loud
And it's making me go crazy
Wish that I could take you out
Oh, I can't afford it
But I can write a song and record it
Give it to you and wait and hope that
Maybe you could call me?
Call me, won't you?
Tell me that you want me
And maybe I could play for you
Play for you tonight
And maybe you could sing it with me
Do-do, do-do-do, do-do-do, do-do-do
Do-do, do-do-do, do-do-do, do-do-do
Do-do, do-do-do, do-do-do, do-do-do-do
And maybe you could sing it with me
I've been thinking for hours
Maybe my head's in the clouds
But I could steal you some flowers
And ask if I could take you out
Oh, I can't afford it
But I can write a song and record it
Give it to you and wait and hope that
Maybe you could call me?
Call me, won't you?
Tell me that you want me
And maybe I could play for you
Play for you tonight
And maybe you could sing it with me
Do-do, do-do-do, do-do-do, do-do-do
Do-do, do-do-do, do-do-do, do-do-do
Do-do, do-do-do, do-do-do, do-do-do-do
I never saw it coming
When you caught me way off guard
I almost crashed my car
That melody you wrote
I'm falling for somebody I don't know
Maybe you could sing it with me
Don't know who you are (do-do, do-do-do, do-do-do, do-do-do)
But you spoke to my heart (do-do, do-do-do, do-do-do, do-do-do)
That melody you wrote (do-do, do-do-do, do-do-do, do-do-do-do)
Please don't be somebody I don't know
But I feel like I already know you
So tell me, will you call me?
I'll be waiting
Tell me that you want me
And I'll be there to play for you
Play for you tonight
And baby, you'll be singing with me
Do-do, do-do-do, do-do-do, do-do-do
Do-do, do-do-do, do-do-do, do-do-do
Do-do, do-do-do, do-do-do, do-do-do-do
And maybe you could sing it with me
Do-do, do-do-do, do-do-do, do-do-do (da-da da-da-da da-da)
Do-do, do-do-do, do-do-do, do-do-do (da-da da-da-da da-da)
Do-do, do-do-do, do-do-do, do-do-do-do
Sounds so much better with you
And maybe you could sing it with me
Kits
Is anybody going to talk about how beautiful Astrid s voice is... ๐งโโ๏ธ๐งโโ๏ธ
Thank you for the likes๐คฉ๐คฉ
the stars align
Yeees๐
Luciane Venturino
Amazing voice too!
Saddam Satriawan
That's true
damo beats
That's true
alan ng
omg finally someone appreciates her sweet voice, please
Inflake
When Astrid's part came in, my heart melted
eya
fr
Anine
Yes, and sheโs just as amazing as her voice! Sheโs suuuuper adorable and always makes people smile
kumar thani
same lol