Chart-topping pop star reveals he’s already working on new album just weeks after release of latest record
ALREADY this year Tom Grennan has topped the charts with his third album, been nominated for a Brit Award and performed one of Glasto’s standout sets.
But the singer-songwriter isn’t stopping there — he has turned down the chance of an extended break to get to work on a new record, which he is planning to drop next year.
He only released his third album, What Ifs & Maybes, last month.
Tom was a star performer at Europe’s largest free festival, Isle of MTV Malta, on Tuesday, where he played for 50,000 fans and also sat down with Bizarre to explain why he is determined to keep his career on a high.
In the exclusive chat ahead of the show, which you can watch now on MTV UK’s Facebook page and on telly on September 15, Tom told me:
“I’m looking to the next album already. I’m going to go away at the end of August then I’ll start in the studio.
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“I think if you slow down it’s hard to get it going again. I am in a place where I am still trying to build. I’m still fighting and trying to get better and better, so no slowing down.
“The label said ‘no pressure’, but I’m the one putting the time pressure on me.
“But I also don’t want to be saturated. If I don’t go away I will get annoying, and I don’t want to be forcing things to buy down fans’ necks, because it’s not about that. It’s about music.”
Rafts of artists have struggled to keep up with the pressures of the music business in recent years, forcing them to take lengthy breaks and overhaul their lifestyles.
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But Tom said he is hyper conscious of burnout and is cutting out booze again after a sober stint post lockdown.
He explained: “I had a few drinks here and there since I had a break but I feel like I am in a place where I just need to knock it on the head again for a while.
“It’s good I can do that. I’ve got a holiday coming up which I’m looking forward to. I definitely had to say ‘I’m having a break’, but I feel all my team know how hard I’ve worked, and they work as well.
“Before this gig I had a day off and we got a boat for the day, which was nice and relaxed.
“But I find I can’t switch off, that’s normal. I think about the gig always, especially here. It’s my first show in Malta and I want to make a good impression.”
Unsurprisingly, his jam-packed schedule means he doesn’t have time for much else — most notably a sporting career.
He trained to become a professional footballer with Luton, Northampton and Aston Villa before becoming a singer and will play at the charity fundraising match Game4Ukraine at Chelsea FC in West London next month, having been named Man of the Match at Soccer Aid in June.
Fans can watch all the action on Sky Max from 5pm on August 5.
Tom added: “I’ve had a few teams hit me up. I would love to do football but I ain’t got time.”
I’m sure whatever he does next will be a hit.
Ryan's hangover horror
ONEREPUBLIC frontman Ryan Tedder says returning to Isle of MTV reminded him of the worst hangover of his life.
The American group reckon they were led astray by Enrique Iglesias.
The Counting Stars hitmaker said: “It was the tiredest and the drunkest I’ve ever been. I learned how much is too much. The next morning I was rolled around the airport in a wheelchair and that curbed what could have been an alcohol issue.
“It was Enrique’s birthday. He just kept feeding us drinks. He knew what he was doing.
“It was like he wanted me to get obliterated. It was all after the show. I was sober for the set.
“Every time I get close to getting drunk – and I try not to get drunk at all costs – but when I do, I think of Malta.”
Delta a belter
AUSSIE singer Delta Goodrem was left in a panic after her suitcase full of stage outfits went missing in transit.
Luckily her bag arrived hours ahead of her belting show.
During her set Delta debuted single Back To Your Heart, which will be out on August 4.
Teasing new music after sneaking to London to work on it, she added: “It’s coming together awesome.
“I was in the studio with Sam Ryder and we worked out some wonderful songs. I saw Gary Barlow and different UK artists. We talked about a load of songs. It’s turning out great.”
Paul drops by to party
NORMAL People heart-throb Paul Mescal was a VIP guest at the festival as he was nearby working on his latest movie Gladiator 2.
He turned up to watch Tom Grennan perform from a private balcony and was then joined by the singer to watch Mimi Webb's set.
Keen to let his hair down, Paul danced into the early hours at the official after-party at nearby club Marrakech.
He has been shooting the sequel to the 2000 original in Malta and Morocco for the past month.
After a night on the tiles, he was probably in no state to pull on his armour again yesterday morning.
Drake undie performs
DRAKE was gutted when he wasn’t pelted with bras during his latest outing playing live.
Bebe Rexha and Kelsea Ballerini are among acts who have been injured recently by people throwing things during shows.
But the rapper said he felt unpopular because there was no female underwear on stage during his gig in Montreal, Canada, this week.
He told the crowd: “This is the first stage, I think, where I don’t have no bras and I’m deeply disappointed.
“Don’t start throwing shoes and phones and s**t.
“If you got a bra though, just let me know that I still got it because I feel like I might be having a bad show or something.
“I didn’t see no bras tonight.”
A little less poor Me-mi
REVENGE anthems including House On Fire and Red Flags dominated Mimi Webb's debut album Amelia.
But the Brit singer says she is ditching the angst for upbeat bangers on her follow-up after finding happiness with boyfriend JP.
Speaking to me backstage ahead of her set, where she wore this camo outfit, Mimi said: “I’m now writing music and going for the next step.
“The plan is to drop some singles then see where we are at.
“I love writing about what is going on in my life. So when I am in a better place I’m like, ‘Right, let’s do some more upbeat stuff’.
“I never actually think, ‘Oh this is too personal’, I go full in. If I don’t do it to the full extent I don’t feel like I’m being real.”
Mimi will celebrate her 23rd birthday on Sunday and she plans to party in style.
She said: “I’m going to Ibiza with a group of my friends. I can’t wait.
“We are going to chill by the pool. I have a few days off, which is great.
“It’s hard organising things like that with my diary.
“On tour I don’t normally have alcohol on my rider, so it will be nice. I’m more of a juice girl for sure.”
Alesso loved it in Malta - he thinks...
ALESSO has such a busy schedule that he forgets where he is.
The star DJ, who has collaborated with Katy Perry and Liam Payne, told me: “My touring schedule is absolutely nuts this summer.
“It is one of my busiest ever. There are many mornings when I wake up and I’m like, ‘Where am I?’
“Poor sleep and jet lag confuses your brain. It is not an age thing, it just happens now and then.
“It takes a good two or three minutes to be like, ‘OK, I’m here’. The busier the schedule, the less I am aware of where I am.”
Alesso wowed Il Fosos Square with a spectacular set but his bonkers diary meant he missed the official after-party as he had to jet off for another gig.
On what’s to come, he teased: “I’m doing a lot of my own music this year. A dream collaboration isn’t really a thing, the song matters more.
“It could be a really famous artist or an up-and-coming person.
“I’ve been in the studio with people I really admire and nothing good has come out of it. That really puts things into perspective.
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“With Liam and Katy, they are both really fun people and really fun to work with. They are both people I really enjoy talking to.
“I’d love to work with both again but I’ve not done anything on their new albums.”