Jack Garratt is a 24-year-old multi-talented musician/producer/one-man-band from the UK, who uniquely blends together a number of genres like pop, hip hop, electronica and blues.Coming off his debut studio album, Phase, which earned him theBrits Critics' Choice 2016 and BBC Sound Of 2016, Jack somehow found time on the road to speak with me. After witnessing him take the stage in Santa Ana for his fall tour, I was able to ask him a few questions regarding his music.

First of all how are you and how has your life been since the release of your debut album?

I'm good. I'm just on a bus in the middle of nowhere on my way to Dallas. Waking up in these situations are always kinda weird and crazy but yea it’s been a great year so far.

On your debut album, you pour your emotions outon each song. With that being said, what song was the most difficult to write/record?

Oh man, "I Know All What I Do", which is a track that opens up the second half of the record, was a really difficult song to get down and to take from outside of my head and hands and put into a more of a wide and open sonic space. Yeah, that song was a challenge.

Sonically your music ranges across many genres andis difficult to describe because it is sodiverse. If you could, how would you describe or categorize it to people that have not heard your music?

I would just encourage those people to go and listen to my album. I leave that to the journalists that find it necessary to categorize music.

Youjustkicked off your fall tour,city-wise,is there anywhere you look forward to visiting the most?

Actually there's a couple dates where I get to go home to an extent. On my birthday I'm playing in Minneapolis and the day after that I'm playing in Chicago, which is where I have very close family ties with those two cities. I'm really looking forward to going back there, I haven't been to Minneapolis in ages.

I read somewhere that you wereterrified of flying, which is a common fear. But seeing that traveling is required and comes along with being an artist, is that something that is stilldifficult for you? Do you bus everywhere?

Yeah, I tour a lot and travel a lot. I moved to Chicago about a year ago, but I've actually only spent about a month of days in that time. But yea, flying is difficult for me, because the concept of it is weird and my brain can’t quite understand it, but I care about what I do and I want to share it with as many people as possible. I think I'm getting better at it.

What can fans expect when attending one of your shows?

I would hope that people would come expecting nothing and no matter what they'll be surprised.

I know you incorporate a variety of instruments in your music, especially in your live performances, but what is your favorite instrument to play?

That one's tough. I would say the drums are the instrument that I could speak most honestly and openly through.

Being a one man band, is it more stressful knowing that everyone is only paying attention to you, or do you feel moreat ease knowing you don’t need to rely on a full band?

It's kind of both. I didn’t choose to do it for any other reason other than, that's all I've ever known. I've only ever known to make music and perform by myself. I've played in bands in the past but playing how I do now feels the most natural. It is terrifying, stressful, and hard work, but it’s ultimately the best and most respectful way I could give my music to that many people at one time.

What is your favorite song to perform and why?

Usually it's "Fire". It kind of comes in a weird point in the set, where if I haven't used my energy in the right way it can really fuck me over when I get to that song. So it's always fun to get myself to play it with the same amount of energy that I would with any of the other song during my set, but it does take a certain amount out of me. For me though, the performance of "Fire" sums up exactly what the whole show is about. If I'm not absolutely exhausted by the end of that song, then I haven’t done my job properly.

What are some of your favorite artists to listen to right now, in other words, who are you listening to when you have the time on the road?

Honestly, I've been listening to a lot of Michael Jackson right now. I've been listening to Off The Wall in its entirety lately.

Do you listen to a lot of new music?

I'll listen to anything once, and if it's good I'll keep listening to it. When new music comes out I usually give it a listen. Like I remember when Channel Orange came out and a bunch of people told me I would love that album and I should listen to it, and I did because they told me to. But I didn't like it. So I took six months away from it and revisited it again, and since then it's become one of my favorite records ever. Because I found it in the time I needed it, rather than being forced to listen to it. Like today has been a big release day for music. Craig David, Bon Iver, and bunch of others released albums today but I probably won't listen to any of it right away. Simply because when I listen to it, I want to feel like I'm the only one listening to it.

What are some of the artists you would love to collaborate with?

There's a bunch of artists. Music at the moment is so exciting, especially pop music. Mass appealing music is really exciting right now because it's being infiltrated by artists who are independent and if not independent, independently minded. By not limiting themselves to an archaic way of making and releasing music, Artists are changing things that need to be changed. Like for example, Chance the Rapper, who I am a huge fan of and would love to work with him. Little Simz who I recently worked with on the "Far Cry" remix, which was fucking amazing. There is so much great music out right now.

I saw you were at the Chance concert in LA and I know you are a huge fan of his music, but have you guy ever worked together?

No we haven't worked together. I'm blessed enough to know the crew of that whole team. We have shared beats in the past and back forth stuff, but that is something I would love to do for sure.

You come from a family of musicians, besides your family, what are some artists that have inspired you to create music?

All the music I grew up with is still the music I listen to today. Like I said, Michael Jackson is still on heavy rotation. Definitely Stevie Wonder, whenever I'm feeling low or uninspired, I play a record from him, because he will continue to teach me for as long as I live. I was lucky enough that I grew up with a lot of great music as a kid.

As an artist, are you more concerned with critic reviews from magazines, websites, and etc. or say the reviews from fans on social media?

I mean it's best to not listen to any of it. All I want to do as an artist is to share the voice that I think I have with society and a generation of people that I am part of. I can't control if people enjoy my music, so for me, I care about whether they relate to my music. It’s about whether they have an emotional bond to the music I make. I try as best as I can to not read anything that is criticizing me or my abilities because I think that is irrelevant.

If you haven’t yet, check out Garratt’s debut album, Phase. Below you can stream the newly released, "Far Cry" remix featuring Little Simz.