Written By Kelly Holm
Tired of 2020? Most of us are, so why not take a break from the doomscrolling and instead devour “Sick,” the latest single by Welsh singer-songwriter Adam Hender? The song’s music video depicts a lush, slow-burn ballet across a lit stage, and luckily, the title refers to love, not COVID-19.
“I’m losing my sleep over the silly little things that you do,” Hender sings in the Sam Smith-esque ballad. “I’m so sick, sick for your loving/Sick for your touch.”
Sick is also, incidentally, the name of the album the track will be on, released through 3tone Records. Coming October 30 and written across the UK, US and Sweden, it will be Hender’s first full-length release.
“I have been working on this album for three and a half years now,” he shares with Elicit. “It’s been a whirlwind of emotions, but we’ve got there and I’m happy to say I’m very proud of the final product… I hope people can relate to this album, but more importantly, make the songs their own.”
The pandemic has slowed promotion for the album down considerably, but Hender managed to get most of it recorded before social distancing measures were implemented, and he still has lofty goals for the rest of the year and the one to come— like getting his first million streams on a track.
“I’m hoping… the single [‘Sick’] and the album do really well globally. We are pushing these [tracks] really hard and hopefully the music speaks for itself,” he said. “I’d love to pick a favorite, but I just can’t… they are all my little beautiful pieces of art in their own ways.”
Hender’s musical credentials date back a long ways: he’s been playing gigs since age 13 in his hometown of Llandudno and taking inspiration from a wide variety of sources.
“I got into Michael Jackson at around 10 years old,” he says. “When I first started to learn how to play the guitar, I was obsessed with John Mayer.”
Another influence? 1990s Australian pop duo Savage Garden, whose lead singer Darren Hayes was an early fan of Hender’s vocals. Hender was 16 when he made the five-track EP that got him signed to 3tone.
“It’s not my best work, but it was a start,” he says of that early effort. “It’s still a big hit in my hometown and with my old school mates.”
In 2019, Hender released a smattering of singles: “I Don’t Mind,” “One Chance” and “Burn,” the last of which is his personal favorite and was quick to gain 100K Spotify streams.
“It goes off live,” Hender says of “Burn.” “The energy on stage is amazing and the crowd seems to love it every time.”
Though his world might blow up big before November, Hender is always jotting down new lyrics and melodies, and aims to keep his authenticity no matter what happens.
“Nothing is guaranteed… it’s very scary to pursue a career in music but [I] wake up grateful,” he says. “Persistence is how I got where I am today… to travel the globe with my music is my biggest goal, and I will achieve it. There’s no reason why I can’t be the biggest artist in the world.”
Listen to “Sick” by Adam Hender
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