Jacob Diamond’s National Tour 2024 saw the Melbourne-based singer-songwriter at Midnight Special in Enmore on July 25.
Special guest Laura Jean performed a lovely folk set before Diamond took the stage to perform new single “That Meant the World to Me” and other songs from a soon-to-be-released debut long-player. His cover of Joni Mitchell’s “A Case of You” was inspired.
What are your earliest/dearest memories of music – was there something you remember hearing that inspired your love of songs, singing, guitars, performance?
I got to see Les Miserables on stage when I was 5 and it had a truly profound impact on me. For Book Week in 2000, I came dressed as Gavroche – the cunning little revolutionary boy who looks like a chimney sweep. The piece is completely sung-through, so the lyrics are necessarily economic, and the melodies make them soar. I think these fundamentals really set up my own practice … I’m also VERY dramatic.
“That Meant the World to Me” is such a beautiful melody (I love the piano at the end too) and finely wrought lyric. Can you say something about the story it tells?
Thanks. It really is just an ode to generosity of spirit; a reminder that little kindnesses have huge impacts. I have absolutely been saved by a quiet word from a friend on more than one occasion, so it’s dedicated to those friends and those quiet words.
Your debut album, Yes Angel, is out August 30 on dual Sydney/Melbourne-based label, Blossom Rot Records. What was the process involved in the writing and making of the record?
The through-line is self-belief and self-love. I have always been aware of my gifts for music but never really knew how to channel them into something meaningful and fulfilling until Yes Angel. The process was so much about just trusting that I could do it and that it would be good. I recorded it near where I’m from in Walyalup/Fremantle, which grounded the process.
I wrote down five words at the start of the process that reflected how I wanted the album to feel. I won’t share them, but every time I needed to make a consequential decision and was feeling self-conscious, I referred to these foundational words. It really helped. I have grown so much as a result of making this music, so in that way, it really doesn’t matter if anyone likes it at all. The best thing that could’ve resulted from it has already happened!
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Yes Angel is produced by Jacob Diamond with Brod Madden-Scott (additional production by Stella Mozgawa). Pre-order vinyl: jacobdiamond.bandcamp.com
