Seal

“These are people who succeed.”

Photography: Dvora | Menswear Editor: Kristine Kilty | Grooming: Evan Huang | Fashion Assistant: Lily Davies | Fashion Assistant: Hannah Sheridan |

Shot on location at Blacks Club, 67 Dean St

Words: Miles Holder

 

With a career nearing its thirty-year milestone, Seal is one of the few British artists to reach a universally agreed upon “legend” status. Never one to compromise on his artistry, style and unique God-given vocal talents; with four Grammy awards to his name, over thirty million records sold worldwide and releasing a brand new album entitled ‘Standards‘, we sat down with Seal to discuss just what it takes to carve out a career as prestigious as his.

 

Let’s take it back to the Seal of the early 90’s, for you, what has been your greatest area of growth?

The most significant change would be my understanding of the point of performance from the perspective of the audience. Performance is about communication, and I don’t mean that as simple question and answer, but where you and your audience share dialogue on different levels. I now understand my audience appreciate that they are as much a part of the production and experience as I am. I would like to think I’ve made a much more significant point about communicating and engaging with my listeners when I’m on stage.

 

 

 

What’s been your hardest personal FAULT and hurdle to overcome?

Fear. Fear in all of its other forms, its hurtful and deceitful forms. The most significant hurdle for me is very much the same thing. I find myself drifting too far from the moment, and when you’re a performer, that’s not healthy.

 

Why did you think now was the best time to release a standards album?

I always toyed with the idea of a standards record, and ultimately I love the songs as opposed to them merely being “standards”. They’re written in a time which is all focused on the voice, a time where singers sang, and dancers danced.

 

You’ve said that Smile is now your favourite song and it seems the people who love the song that’s it’s therapeutic, a reminder to themselves to smile through their underlying pain, is that the same for you?

I can’t listen to ‘Smile’ without tearing up. I like it because it doesn’t matter who you, what age, your culture, gender or outlook on life, the sentiment will relate to you. At some point in your life, we have all gone through an experience where you’ve had to force a smile through a situation. Smiling even though your heart is aching and all you want to do at that point is break down in tears, and you’ve got to smile through it. I find it the happiest and saddest song for me on a personal level. I feel the song, and now in my life, I feel the song resonates more than ever before.

We are living in a very turbulent time and hearing a song like ‘Smile’; it just holds a message that I most want to communicate. It’s chaotic, and it’s turbulent, but for me, the critical thing is to find balance and always remember to smile.

 

What is your FAULT?

Relationships. They’re hard for me, but I’m learning. And that goes for relationships of all kinds. Even with my children, when I’m trying to get through to one of then, and my method is not working, I’m learning that sometimes the best solution is to try something new as opposed to keeping to the same old routine.

 

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