Billy Lockett is a talented singer-songwriter and musician from Northampton, England. Not too long ago, he released a sensational debut album, titled, “Abington Grove,” alongside an appealing music video for his “Don’t Be So Hard On Yourself” single via Photo Finish Records.
Billy Lockett – “Don’t Be So Hard On Yourself” video
“‘Don’t Be So Hard On Yourself’ is my other favorite. I worry about everything all of the time. Am I eating too much? Am I smoking too much? I think that’s why I was a drug addict for so long; it just numbed it. When I got sober, I realized, ‘Sh*t, I do worry all of the time. That’s an issue.’ Now, I can address it and see it with a clear head. I kept going back to the phrase, ‘Don’t be so hard on yourself.’ Everything will be okay. My girlfriend has a lot to do with it. She’s the polar opposite. She doesn’t worry about anything ever. So, it’s a message to stop being a worrier.
‘Don’t Be So Hard On Yourself’ is about muting the constant voice in your head telling you that you’re not good enough. It’s about self-love and realizing that doing your best is enough and you are enough. Since writing this song I’ve used this as a mantra for my life, it’s really helped me personally. Hopefully, it helps others too.” – Billy Lockett explained
Such affirmations ultimately show what kind of guy Billy Lockett is. He’s open, honest, and happy. “Don’t Be So Hard On Yourself” finds him sending out a heartfelt message of self-love and powering through the dark days. With a stunning falsetto singing cathartic melodies over a soul-stirring piano, “Don’t Be So Hard On Yourself” is an anthem of self-acceptance. Offering a mantra to himself, Billy pleads, “You can’t forget the places you’ve been, and you can’t forget the fire you bring, and you can’t forget the little voice in your head saying, ‘Don’t be so hard on yourself.’”
Billy Lockett – “Abington Grove” album
“I spent most of my life trying to work out who the hell I am, and now I’m just me. I’m not trying to be anyone or desperately hoping this album changes the world. I’m content and enjoying my life in the present because I never have. I’ve never lived in the present before. I’ve always looked ahead at what I want to do and worried that I wouldn’t get there. This is the first time in my life that I’m actually calm. My career felt like ‘work’ for so long, and it wasn’t working. Now that huge weight is off my shoulders, I made an album I’m fulfilled with. I’m not trying to copy anyone else’s sound. I’m finally learning who I am and trying to be myself. I feel like I’m learning to be a good person. When I was high and drunk, I made so many bad decisions. I’m full of regret, but I guess I made some good songs. It’s nice I can be honest with myself and truly happy now.
I really needed this record. At the end of it, I was good, and I was healthy. I hadn’t been happy for a long time. I’ve realized I just want to put in the work and be myself. I can see who I want to be; I want to be happy.” – Billy Lockett explained
Sitting behind the piano and practically bleeding into the microphone, you can hear Billy Lockett’s story unfold between the shuddering chords and sweeping crescendos. He takes everything he’s seen, heard, experienced, and felt, and renders his life as songs you can sing aloud with friends or find solace in when you’re alone after the sun has gone down. From a childhood in a “party house” to a wild adulthood under the malicious spell of booze and coke to finding the kind of “happiness” most of us spend a lifetime in search of, he faces it all on “Abington Grove.” Most importantly, he emerges on the other side with a wide smile as vibrant as the music itself.
Billy Lockett has supported the likes of Birdy, ELO, Lana Del Rey, and Lewis Capaldi on tour and appeared at festivals such as Glastonbury. To date, he has amassed over 125 million collective streams. Coming from a background of struggling with alcohol and drug addiction, Billy’s journey continues in a positive new direction. His old man was “a crazy party animal, hippie, artist, and painter.” So, Billy grew up in a home where partying was routine. He initially excelled at Snooker (a UK version of billiards) and even played professionally until he picked up the piano.
Billy Lockett – “Hard Act To Follow” music video
One of Billy Lockett’s early recordings caught the attention of KT Tunstall, and she recruited him to join her on tour in 2013. Two years later, he unveiled his “Burn It Down” EP, gaining traction with the title track, “Burn It Down,” and “Alone.” After years of grinding, he initially unveiled “Hard Act To Follow” in 2019. It caught the attention of James Corden, who invited him to make his North American television debut on the Late Late Show With James Corden. The track eventually gathered over 20 million Spotify streams and counting as he independently released the “Reset” EP [2019] and “Reflections” EP [2021].
Amid this whirlwind, Billy lost his father and moved back into their old place on Abington Grove where he wrote at a prolific pace. “It felt right to go back and make the album there,” Billy stated. “I had a lot of dark times in that house. However, everything on this album is from our home.”
Billy Lockett – “Last Thing On Your Mind” music video
“‘Last Thing On Your Mind’ is about all the relationships that sometimes die for no real reason. It’s about feeling like the love is just running out with someone and that you almost wish something dramatic could happen just to give you a better reason for feeling so sad.” – Billy Lockett explained
‘Last Thing On Your Mind’ reflects on a departed relationship captured by brooding lyrics. Billy Lockett sings with great passion, “Am I the last thing on your mind? ‘Cause, you’re the first on mine. I feel like a stranger in your life, and I swear that something doesn’t feel right.” It’s a bare illustration of lovers turned into strangers.
Billy Lockett
“I’d been trying to look for my sound. In the past, I don’t know if I was really writing songs for me. When I met Barney, I was able to finally make an album that I had always wished existed. Suddenly, I was writing for me. I started to have fun with it, and it was the best two years of my life. Barney could create everything I had in my head exactly. Making music used to be stressful, but this was a dream. It was a sad day when we finished it. I thought, ‘Now what?’” – Billy Lockett explained
Billy Lockett found the ultimate creative kindred spirit when he linked up with producer, Barney Cox. Together, they brought the 12 songs on “Abington Grove” to life over the course of nearly two years. As the songs took shape, Billy made some changes in his personal life as well. He reflected on the past and took a step in a new direction for the future, embracing sobriety for the first time.
“It’s been a journey. I had an addiction problem with alcohol and cocaine for eight years. When I started recording, I’d just started the process of getting sober in my head. Halfway through, I actually got sober. Making the record filled that hole. I went nine months, and I had a relapse about two weeks after we finished the album for about a month—but I haven’t done anything all of 2022. I’m more focused on being a nice person, caring, and listening to everyone around me more. I was wasted for so long that sober feels like a new drug for me.” – Billy Lockett admitted
Billy Lockett – “Hard Act To Follow” (with GoldLink)
“I’ve always loved the sentiment of the song. It’s about self-belief and the fact you don’t need anyone. There’s a massive buildup, but there’s also an admission of heartbreak. GoldLink and I had a coffee in London. We come from two different worlds, but we’re so similar. He was telling me about basketball, and I was talking about Snooker. We related both games to our careers. It was really cool.” – Billy Lockett explained
Fittingly, Billy introduced the record with a new version of “Hard Act To Follow” featuring GoldLink, who adds another dimension to the fan favorite. The track reaches its emotional apex as the strings uplift the refrain, “I gave you more than you’ll ever know, and one day you’ll be missing me.”
Billy Lockett – “Not Okay” (Official Music Video)
“It’s my favorite song by a mile. It was towards the end of the recording process. ‘Not Okay’ is a desperation song. It’s being honest, opening up, and saying things are actually really bad. You’re confessing, ‘God, I need you.’ Sonically, the vocals sound very percussive, which I’ve always loved about guys like Ed Sheeran and Post Malone.” – Billy Lockett explained
On “Not Okay,” Billy’s voice echoes in an anxiously catchy chant, “I’m not, I’m not okay,” before up-tempo piano, handclaps, and guitar entwine in uneasy harmony befitting of this tension and release.
Billy Lockett – “Don’t Worry” single
“The instrumental was a bit creepy. We flipped the whole thing on its head, which gave me the idea the song could be quite hopeful and positive. It doesn’t make sense for me to keep writing dark and sad songs all the time. We could use some cheering up.” – Billy Lockett explained
On “Don’t Worry,” the off-kilter soundscape relents in near-silence as he pleads, “Will you forget all your worries, come let me hold you by my side.”
Billy Lockett – “Sushi” single
“I wanted to do a pop song, but cool and gritty. We found a middle ground where we walk the line with this laidback summer vibe.” – Billy Lockett explained
Then, there’s “Sushi.” Luminous eighties-style keys glow over glitchy production and shimmering guitar in tune with his dynamic delivery.
Billy Lockett – “Freaking Out” (Official Music Video)
“We kept adding more and more colors to it. To me, it sounds like a rainbow.” – Billy Lockett stated
‘Freaking Out’ pairs manic vocals with R&B-style percussion before a funky breakdown punctuated by a head-nodding bass line.
Billy Lockett – “Kamikaze” single
“My laptop is basically the way I make music, so it’s my ‘Kamikaze.’ It’s basically ruining my life. Each day, I get up, sit in this chair, and chase a dream that might end up ruining me, but I do it anyway.” – Billy Lockett pessimistically explained
A danceable beat pulsates beneath Billy’s vocals on “Kamikaze,” which highlights the nuances of his voice in the verses.
We recommend adding Billy Lockett’s “Don’t Be So Hard On Yourself” single to your favorite contemporary pop playlist. Also, let us know how you feel in the comment section below. Mel Blanc’s famous catchphrase, That’s All Folks! Thanks for reading another great article on Bong Mines Entertainment – the hot spot for new music and entertainment news. Always remember that (P) Positive, (E) Energy, (A) Always, (C) Creates, (E) Elevation (P.E.A.C.E). Contact us on social media via Twitter, YouTube, Instagram, or Facebook, and let us know what’s going on. Disclaimer: This post contains Apple Music affiliate links. If you make a purchase after clicking a link, we’ll collect a share of sales or other compensation.