Twenty-year-old Jack Westgarth creates music from his bedroom. As a self-taught artist, graphic designer and musician, his journey of creative discovery is one many can relate to. Uploading his covers to Soundcloud, this upcoming artist knows a thing or two about the struggles faced by fellow musicians. Speaking to Jack Westgarth, Issy Aldridge learnt more about his reflective approach to creating music, and how he found his place within the industry.
I: How did you find yourself getting so involved with the creative industries?
J: My background isn’t that of most artistic people, and I’ve never been surrounded by particularly creative people. Really, I’ve only found myself seeking more creative avenues in recent years, and that’s through music, art and design. I became more interested in the work of others, and without any outside pressure, I developed these genuine interests which have come quite naturally to me.
I: Who would you say your greatest inspirations are?
J: During the period around 2010, I really began to form my own taste in music, rather than just listening to what was popular in the charts. I’d say that my earliest inspirations from that time would be the likes of Ben Howard, Bon Iver and Matt Corby. It was also around this time that I started to invest more time into learning guitar - something I’d started a few years before without really acknowledging my love for it. I discovered an incredible range of smaller artists, some with highly produced soundscapes and others more stripped back.
I: How do those artists influence your work?
J: I find myself sitting somewhere in between them, interested in exploring both sides of the coin with my own music. I’d also say that I have quite a reflective attitude. I tend to take a while going over a track until it’s in a place where I feel satisfied, and even after releasing it I evaluate what I could do better in the future.
I: As someone who writes, records and produces alone, how do you keep yourself motivated when the going gets tough?
J: I don’t actually find it too hard to stay motivated when it comes to my music. I love doing what I do, and just the act of producing a piece of music is enough to keep me going. From rehearsals, through to recording and production, every step is a challenge of its own, and listening to the end result is incredibly satisfying for me. I don’t really think about anything other than what I’m working on at the time. I find that working project to project with nothing but focus is the healthiest way to work.
I: You recently released your cover of For The Last Time on Soundcloud. What was it about the song that made you want to cover it?
J: I recorded ‘For The Last Time’ the day after I saw Dean at his show in London. I’d heard the track befoe when listening to his album but hearing it live that night, created a connection I wasn’t expecting. The next day, when listening to the album again, the song stood out just as much as it had the night before. I knew I wanted to cover it and I’m incredibly proud of the finished product.
I: What does the term self-made mean to you? Would you describe yourself as a self-made artist?
J: To me, self-made would mean someone who has built up a catalogue of work entirely by themselves. Artists who write, record, produce, and release their own music. I’m not sure how I’d describe myself at the moment, purely because I’m still so early on in the journey. I’ve definitely found the passion for music on my own, but some credit must be given to the artists that I’ve grown up listening to. Without them, music may not have been such a big part of my life.
I: Is there any original music on the horizon? if so, what can we expect?
I do have plans to release original music but I can’t say when this will be. Songwriting is something that I’m relatively new to and I want to be sure that when I do release something of my own, it’s something that I am truly proud of. I am working on something but I want the process to be natural without any pressure of time.
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