Sykes was born on 18 April 1993 to parents Harry and Karen Sykes. He has a younger sister, Jessica Sykes who is also a singer. Sykes attended Sylvia Young Theatre School and Ribston Hall High School Sixth Form.
Sykes started singing at a very young age, when he was just 6 years old. In 2003, he won various competitions including Britney Spears' Karaoke Kriminals and Cheltenham Competitive Festival of Dramatic Art. In 2004, he appeared on ITV's Ministry of Mayhem, and won the Door Youth Project's "Undiscovered Youth Talent Contest" where he performed "Mack the Knife" in Derker, and he attempted to represent UK in Norway's Junior Eurovision Song Contest 2004 that was held in Lillehammer. In the finals he finished in the third place, not being able to beat, Cory Spedding and runner up Andrew Merry. In 2008, he performed for the music competition "Live and Unsigned".
In 2009, 16 year old Sykes auditioned for the boy band The Wanted which was held by Jayne Collins and was chosen as one of the five members. He joined bandmates Max A. George, Siva Kaneswaran, Tom Parker and Jay McGuiness. In early 2014, the band The Wanted decided to take a break and pursue personal endeavors.
In 2013, Sykes and Ariana Grande released "Almost Is Never Enough". In 2014, Sykes signed a record deal with Capital (radio network)'s owner Global Radio. In June 2014, he joined singer Jessie J on stage for Capital's Summertime Ball to perform "Calling All Hearts".
In March 2015, Sykes debuted his music video "More Than You’ll Ever Know" on VEVO. Sykes embarked on his first ever solo tour on April 8th, 2015, which includes 6 sold out shows across the United Kingdom. Sykes also announced via the app Periscope that his debut single is called "Kiss Me Quick". The single was released on June 28th in the UK via iTunes. On May 21, 2015 Nathan released his music video for his debut single "Kiss Me Quick" On VEVO. On 22nd of May, Sykes officially joined the 2015 lineup of Capital's Summertime Ball making it his sixth consecutive appearance at the ball (2010, 2011, 2012, 2013 with The Wanted , 2014 as Jessie J's special guest and 2015 his first time as a solo performer).
Burn Me Down
Nathan Sykes Lyrics
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The city streets and corners of the mind
It's in the eyes of every man that day he finds the will to fight
It's the risk we take
'Cause we don't know what it will be
So I'll take this leap of the edge
And go down in love or flames
Girl I need your fire
Oh I need your fire
Set the world on fire
Oh I need your fire
When the sun comes up at the break of day
That's the way your touch sets the sky's ablaze
Girl I need your fire
Oh I need your fire
So burn me down
It's in the pain of every broken heart you've ever had before
It's in the heart of every mother when they send their sons to war
It's the risk we take
'Cause we don't know what it will be
So I'll take this leap of the edge
And go down in love or flames
Girl I need your fire
Oh I need your fire
Set the world on fire
Oh I need your fire
When the sun comes up at the break of day
That's the way your touch sets the sky's ablaze
Girl I need your fire
Oh I need your fire
So burn me down
And you tell me you love me
By the way you burn
Your fire ignites me
Don't let it fade away, away
Girl I need your fire (hey!)
Oh I need your fire (need your fire, need your fire)
Set the world on fire (set the world on fire)
Oh I need your fire (need your fire)
When the sun comes up (sun comes up) at the break of day
That's the way your touch (way your touch) sets the sky's ablaze
Girl I need your fire (oh I need)
Oh I need your fire
So burn me down (so burn me down)
(Down, down)
(Yeah, yeah, yeah yeah, yeah yeah, yeah yeah yeah)
(Burn me, burn me, burn me down)
If you love, if you love
Please burn me down
The song "Burn Me Down" by Nathan Sykes talks about the fire that exists inside every person that drives them to take risks, to fight for what they believe in, and to fall in love. The lyrics paint vivid imagery of this fire that Sweeps the mountain peaks, city streets, and corners of one's mind, and how it manifests in every broken heart, every warrior's mother, and every person fighting for a cause. The chorus is a plea to the singer's lover to ignite this fire in him, to set his world on fire, and to burn him down with her love.
Through the lyrics, Nathan Sykes tries to express how love, much like fire, can be all-consuming, and that the possibility of getting burnt is always there. He takes this risk as he doesn't know what the love will be, but he's willing to take the leap of faith and go down in love or flames. He recognizes that love has the power to make things happen, and through burning down together, they can set the world on fire.
In conclusion, "Burn Me Down" is a song about the power of love and how it can ignite the fire within us to be brave and take the risks necessary to find and keep it burning. The lyrics showcase the vulnerability of a person who is willing to take that risk for love even though he doesn't know what it might bring.
Line by Line Meaning
It sweeps the mountain peaks
Love is a powerful force that touches every corner of the world and reaches great heights, just like a sweeping mountain peak.
The city streets and corners of the mind
Love is ubiquitous and can be found anywhere, from the bustling city streets to the innermost corners of one's thoughts.
It's in the eyes of every man that day he finds the will to fight
Love can be a source of strength and empowerment that gives people the courage to fight for what they believe in.
It's the risk we take
Loving someone involves taking a risk, as we cannot be certain what the outcome will be.
'Cause we don't know what it will be
Since we cannot predict the future or how our love will be received, there is always an element of uncertainty when we take the risk of loving someone.
So I'll take this leap of the edge
Despite the uncertainty and risk involved, the singer is willing to take a leap of faith and love this person.
And go down in love or flames
The outcome of their love could be either beautiful or destructive, but the singer is willing to take that chance.
Girl I need your fire
The artist is drawn to this person's passion and energy, which they liken to a flame.
Set the world on fire
The artist wants this person's passion and energy to spread and ignite others, bringing more love into the world.
When the sun comes up at the break of day
The artist is comparing the feeling of this person's touch to the warmth and light of the sun rising in the morning.
That's the way your touch sets the sky's ablaze
The singer feels like this person's touch has the power to light up the entire world, just like the sky during a fiery sunset.
It's in the pain of every broken heart you've ever had before
The artist acknowledges that love can be painful and has likely caused heartbreak for both of them in the past.
It's in the heart of every mother when they send their sons to war
The universal love that a mother has for her child is comparable to the power of romantic love, even in the most challenging and difficult situations.
And you tell me you love me, by the way you burn
The singer feels loved by this person's passion and intensity, which they express as a burning flame.
Your fire ignites me
The singer is inspired and energized by this person's passion and intensity.
Don't let it fade away, away
The artist is afraid that this person's passion and energy will eventually dim or fade, and they want to keep it burning bright.
If you love, if you love
The artist is urging this person to show their love and passion without reservation, and to let it burn as brightly as possible.
Please burn me down
The singer wants to be fully consumed by the flames of this person's love and passion, even if it means being destroyed in the process.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Downtown Music Publishing, Songtrust Ave
Written by: MAJOR JOHNSON FINELY, EDGAR ETIENNE, AL SHERROD LAMBERT, NATHAN SYKES, HARMONY SAMUELS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind