Building Bridges - Leon's got soul

Bridges wasn't familiar with Sam Cooke's work before a friend compared him to the famous soul singer

This time last year, Texan soul singer Leon Bridges was washing dishes in a local restaurant and playing gigs at coffee houses on the side.

After being discovered by Austin Jenkins and Justin Block of indie rock band White Denim, the three honed in on what would become the 26-year-old's signature sound, harking back to classic 1960s soul singers like Sam Cooke and Otis Redding.

Two songs uploaded on to Soundcloud sent the music industry into an unprecedented frenzy, with over 40 labels fighting to sign Bridges' silky tenor tones.

Fast forward just a few months, with the assistance of an Apple iPhone commercial, and Bridges' debut record Coming Home has hit the top 10 of both the UK and US album charts.

What are you up to at the moment?

I'm at the Notting Hill Arts Club getting ready for a show tonight.

Have you always wanted to be a performer?

I've always loved music but the thought of performing in front of people was a scary thing. I never thought I would be in this position.

So it must have been quite a game changer performing at this year's Glastonbury festival?

Thankfully, I've gotten over being nervous in front of crowds. I was surprised at how many people came out for my Glastonbury set, and I loved it. We had a blast. It's great when the crowd gives that energy.

"It was just me and a guitar, and I wasn't even a guitar player at that."

I imagine the last year has been a total whirlwind…

So many good things have happened in such a short amount of time. Just being able to record an album, release it and see that people are receiving it well, for starters.

Does it feel surreal?

Yes it does. Everything has moved so fast. I don't have time to sit and think about it so it hasn't sunk in. It's just go, go and go. But overall I'm having the best time of my life.

How did your signature soul sound come about?

A friend of mine heard one of my songs and asked me if Sam Cooke was one of my inspirations. I'd heard of Sam Cooke but that was it. After listening to him, I really started to see that his was the best time for R&B. It was totally different from what I was used to. I looked at that type of music and how it was created by African-Americans. As a young black man and a singer-songwriter I felt that I needed to go back to where it all started.

Rather than recording digitally, I hear that you recorded your album straight to tape. That's an unusual recording process, to say the least.

Yes. It's such a good thing to be able to record that way. Austin and Josh had gathered a lot of analogue recording equipment from the forties and fifties. We decided to set it all up in a warehouse and record the album using it. I recorded live so everything had to be captured in one take. No Pro Tools!

Bridges, seen here performing for an Amazon Front Row Live show, has an image that dovetails with his musical aesthetic

Is that what makes you stand out from the rest of the crowd?

Yeah, it's just about being me. I want to be set apart from everything that's out. Of course, it's going to stand out from a lot of pop music but I want it to stand out from revival music that is out there, too. I just feel my sound is very smooth and subtle, with an added Texan influence.

What inspired you when writing and recording your (debut) album Coming Home?

Well, when I started writing I wasn't thinking this was going to be successful. It was just me and a guitar, and I wasn't even a guitar player at that. I just wrote what felt good. When I write I think of the listener and I want them to be instantly drawn in by the first words. That's my goal. Soul and R&B music is mostly about love songs but I like to write about family and gospel. The sounds that I was really inspired by were Jessie Belvin, Johnnie Taylor, Bobby Womack, Van Morrison and of course, Sam Cooke.

Are you surprised that the album charted at number 6 in the US? It's very high for a debut.

It totally shocked me. Of course I'm very satisfied with what I made but I didn't think that the world would think that way. When we went to make this record we weren't thinking of being on top of the charts or that people would latch onto it.

Which song on the album sums you up best as an artist?

I'd choose River. It's one of my songs from the very beginning, and is definitely one of my favourites on the album. It's about spiritual foundation and is a very raw and chilled sound.

Your visual aesthetic is totally in line with your music, with your black and white Instagram photos and retro fashion style. How important is your image to you?

I say that visuals and sound are both equally important. It's something I started way before my record label got into the picture. When I began writing this music, it was important to have everything be consistent. I enjoy wearing vintage clothes and being classy and clean. It looks good and feels good.

Is that you or is that Leon Bridges, the artist?

It's not a mask that I put on. It's me - when I'm in front of people and when I'm by myself. For me there's no putting on a ball cap, graphic t-shirt, sweats and tennis shoes. You can ask any of my friends - there's no turning it off. This style, and everything about it, is something that I love.

Leon Bridges' debut album Coming Home is out now on Columbia Records.