Before last year’s Hockley Hustle, we spoke to former Confetti student Jamie Garton who headlined the Confetti’s stage upstairs in The National Videogame Arcade for GameCity.
The festival is a fantastic opportunity for students to not only perform to the public, but it also gives you the chance to volunteer and be a part of this amazing event which has raised over £100,000 to date.
So, are you ready for this year’s Hockley Hustle?
Very ready. I took a few months away from the stage to focus on improving my sound so I’m looking forward to putting on a show. I was an early opening act at Hockley Hustle in 2014 and missed the last one, so it feels good to be on the list as a headliner this year in my hometown.
How do you feel about the music scene in Nottingham?
Personally I believe there’s a lot of talent in this small city just waiting to be discovered. A handful have been found and gone worldwide, however not as many as there potentially could be. I feel like more unity and collaboration between different corners of the Nottingham scene could play a big part in that.
How did Confetti help kickstart your career?
Not only did it connect me with new people and friends but up until then, the only knowledge of production or writing I had was through trial and error. The teachers at Confetti, from my experience, are all experts in what they do and even today I find myself going through some of my old notes to help with my ideas. Confetti also introduced me to industry greats such as Mistajam during Industry Week, who since then has played my music on Radio 1/1Xtra, so yeah, it definitely gave me a push.
Who are your main inspirations?
It’s hard to put together a select few because I’m constantly gathering inspiration from everywhere – through music and life. My attitude to working towards my goals comes from Muhammad Ali, his attitude towards his passion gave me the motivation to believe I’m going to be the best at what I do. My musical inspiration ranges from artists such as Nas, J. Cole, Masta Ace and 50 Cent to singers like Anderson. Paak or R Kelly. Kanye West plays a massive part in my inspiration too – in his prime he was incomparable.
What’s been the best moment of your career so far?
Probably seeing my face in the Observer Music Magazine relaunch, exclusively for Adele’s new album. Being mentioned, labelled as a ‘hot prospect’ and pictured next to Kylie Minogue, Adele & other influential names in today’s creative industries was a great moment for me personally. Although it’s not a number one album or anything like that, I never would have thought I’d get that kind of recognition so early on in my career and I felt very humbled by it all.
What’s next for you?
As I mentioned, I’ve been working on my sound and planning out for the long term. Music for me is a test of time and after my SBTV video ‘Comments Corner’ went viral I decided I wanted to take my time and work on something that’s going to give me some longevity. This has meant I’ve been slow with actually releasing music, however I have plenty of tracks stacked up which I will be consistently releasing very soon. During this time, I’ve also been planning a project for the future which I’m currently putting focusing on whilst releasing already completed tracks as giveaways. I’m looking forward to letting people hear it all.
Have you got any advice for our students?
Don’t procrastinate or become distracted by anything. If you really want it, put all your focus into it and you’ll see the results you aim for. Work towards things in the way that’s best for you and be only yourself in your creative art. That’s the way you’ll stand out. And most of all, don’t doubt your potential!
If you’re thinking about studying at Confetti, check out our college courses and degree courses now.
