Interview: Drakeford
Drakeford are a husband and wife singer-songwriter duo based in Nashville. They have just released their third album 'Wayward & Home (Part I)' and Louder Than The Music caught up with them to find out more about how they started, their music and their influences.
For those who haven't heard of you before, can you tell us a bit about yourselves and how you got involved in making music?
We’re a husband & wife duo made up of a Brit (Lucy- Jayne) and an American (Drake), currently living in Nashville, TN. How we both got into music is a story with many many details but the short version is: I (Drake) got my start playing music in church, which expanded into playing coffee shops and eventually led me to move to Turkey to street perform in Istanbul…..which is where Lucy-Jayne and I started dating. Lucy-Jayne always loved singing, and ended up in a Christian girlband in the UK for a few years before moving to Turkey to join the same street performing ministry for a couple of years!
Tell us about your new album 'Wayward & Home (Part I)' and what the inspiration behind it was?
The new album is, quite simply, an honest window into our personal journeys over the last couple of years. The inspiration initially was to write a prodigal-son-type record where we talk about losing your way and finding it again……..however, as we started to write for the project, a new perspective of the “wayward and home” story started to emerge. It became less about “losing your way and finding it again” and more about trusting that when we feel lost, God isn’t any further away than when we feel “found”. It’s about finding peace in the strange place of unresolve.
Which is your favorite track on the album and why?
I think for both of us it’s a song called The Way. It’s a really different style and direction for us, more in the Americana realm of things, but it’s just such a good vibe and is always so much fun to perform.
What message would you like people to take from your music?
For this album, the message we hope to convey is, “You're not the only one asking these questions or going through these things. You’re not alone.”
How would you describe your style of music and what are your influences?
I think the short answer is Folk/pop. We’ve really enjoyed the freedom of being able to explore different styles (which you’ll hear on every project of ours, haha!), but we always come back to Folk/pop/singer/ songwriter type stuff.
If you could work with any songwriter, who would it be and why?
I think we’d have to go with Bear Rhineheart of NEEDTOBREATHE. He’s had a huge influence on the way that Drake writes, so that would be a dream.
How would you define success in your career as an artist?
Honestly, if people are listening to what we’re creating, and being encouraged by it or just relating to it in someway I’d say that’s success. Of course, it would also be amazing if one day music really was bringing in enough money to provide what we need without lots of side hustles, that would be great too!
What is your favorite album of all time?
Ooh, that’s a hard one. There are so many incredible albums out there. I think if we had to pick right now, I (Lucy-Jayne) would say Anomaly by Lecrae or Folklore by Taylor Swift, Drake would say ‘Golden Hour’ by Kacey Musgraves.
You're stuck on an island, it's hot, you only have enough battery life left to listen to one song on your phone. What track is it?
We’ve been loving some Bill Withers recently, so I’d have to say “Lovely Day”…maybe put us in a good mood before an undoubtedly rough day ahead haha. Another option would be “House on a Hill” by Amanda Lindsey Cook. That song really gave me peace during the first part of COVID, so that might be another good one for the situation!
What does the next year hold for you?
Quite a lot! After releasing the first half of Wayward & Home, we’ll be working on the second half which will hopefully drop beginning of next year (after a few singles). We’re also having our first baby in November so that will certainly keep us busy for a while!
