Rhys Lewis (musician)
Rhys Lewis (born 18 March 1991) is a British singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist signed to Decca Records.[1][2] His debut studio album Things I Chose to Remember was released in July 2020.[3]
Rhys Lewis | |
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Born | |
Nationality | British |
Alma mater | LCCM |
Occupation |
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Years active | 2016–present |
Musical career | |
Genres | |
Instruments | Vocals, piano, guitar, clarinet, recorder |
Labels | Decca Records |
Website | www |
Early life
Rhys Lewis was born in Oxford to parents who were both teachers.[4] Lewis was educated at Bartholomew School in Eynsham and first started performing in a band with his brother that played cover songs. He also worked as a 'dinner lady' at Cokethorpe School.[5] At 19, Lewis moved to London to attend the London Centre of Contemporary Music.[6][7]
Artistry
Influences
Lewis cites Alex Turner of Arctic Monkeys as his songwriting inspiration, commenting that "[Turner] was the first songwriter of my generation to make the lyrics of a song jump out at me."[8] Other influences include Led Zeppelin and Bill Withers, in particular, the latter's song "Lean On Me".[9][10]
Musical style and songwriting
Lewis' debut album, Things I Chose to Remember, has a unique distinction in that it is made on analogue tape. Lewis stated his reasons for this as "[analogue tape] forces you to think clearly and in detail about every single part that goes down, and how you can make each part do the most it can."[7] Numerous critics have commented on the soul and blues influences in his music.[11][12][13]
Lewis writes songs about a variety of aspects of his life. In Things I Chose to Remember, the topics that he writes about include the portrayal of men in the media, mental health and his own experiences with relationships.[14] Many of his songs are about heartbreak, including "When Was The Last Time", "Be Your Man" and "Hurting". He says that he finds his song "No Right To Love You" difficult to perform because it also dealt with a personal heartbreak, "I suppose the song is a bit of a trigger for lots of memories and emotions of the breakup…every so often it really hits me again, and the emotion of the song comes flooding back."[15]
Discography
Studio albums
Title | Details |
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Things I Chose to Remember |
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References
- White, Jack (16 February 2017). "Watch rising star Rhys Lewis' Living In The City music video: Premiere". UK Singles Chart. Retrieved 20 November 2020.
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: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - "Decca Records | Shop". Decca Records. Retrieved 20 November 2020.
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: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - Things I Chose to Remember by Rhys Lewis, 10 July 2020, retrieved 21 January 2022
- Clark, Graham (18 July 2020). "Interview With Rhys Lewis". The Yorkshire Times. Retrieved 21 November 2020.
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: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - Hughes, Tim (9 February 2017). "From 'dinner lady' to Decca: Oxford singer-songwriter Rhys Lewis comes home". Oxford Mail. Retrieved 21 November 2020.
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: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - O'Connell, Sharon (15 November 2019). "Singer-songwriter Rhys Lewis on how vulnerability has changed him". Metro. Retrieved 21 November 2020.
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: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - Walker, Sophie (24 April 2020). "Learning to Fly". The Line of Best Fit. Retrieved 21 November 2020.
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: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - "Get To Know... Rhys Lewis". DIY. 22 April 2020. Retrieved 21 November 2020.
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: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - Jones, Kirsten (17 September 2017). "Singer Rhys Lewis: When I write music it's like processing a feeling". Daily Express. Retrieved 21 November 2020.
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: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - Chadwick, Justin (20 October 2017). "Rhys Lewis Shares His Heart and Soul Through Song". Albumism. Retrieved 21 November 2020.
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: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - Newman, Charlie. "Artist Profile: Rhys Lewis". F Word Magazine. Retrieved 21 November 2020.
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: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - Donelson, Marcy. "Rhys Lewis". AllMusic. Retrieved 21 November 2020.
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: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - Dean, Beth (28 September 2017). "Rhys Lewis releases new track 'Wish I Was Sober'". IndieCentralMusic. Retrieved 21 November 2020.
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: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - Baillie, Katie (31 August 2017). "Singer Rhys Lewis uses his music to highlight why men should talk about mental health". Metro. Retrieved 21 November 2020.
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: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - Silla, Patrick (30 June 2020). "Get To Know: Rhys Lewis". tmrw. Retrieved 21 November 2020.
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: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - Bad Timing - EP by Rhys Lewis, 23 February 2018, retrieved 21 January 2022
- In Between Minds - EP by Rhys Lewis, 26 April 2019, retrieved 21 January 2022