This time last year, Texan soul singer Leon Bridges was washing dishes in a native restaurant and playing gigs at coffee houses on the side.
After being discovered by Austin Jenkins and Justin Block of indie rock band White Denim, the three honed in on what would become the 26-year-old's signature sound, harking back to classic 1960s soul singers like Sam Cooke and Otis Redding.
Two songs uploaded on to Soundcloud sent the music industry into an unprecedented frenzy, with over 40 labels fighting to signal Bridges' silky tenor tones.
Fast forward just a few months, with the assistance of an Apple iPhone commercial, and Bridges' debut record Coming Home has hit the top 10 of both the UK and US album charts.
I've always loved music but the thought of performing in front of people was a scary thing. I never thought I would be in this position.
So it must have been quite a game changer performing at this year's Glastonbury festival?
Thankfully, I've gotten over being nervous in front of crowds. I was surprised at how numerous people came out for my Glastonbury set, and I loved it. We had a blast. It's great when the crowd gives that energy.
So many good matters have happened in such a short amount of time. Just being able to record an album, release it and see that people are receiving it well, for starters.
Yes it does. Everything has moved so fast. I don't have time to sit and think about it so it hasn't sunk in. It's just go, go and go. But overall I'm having the best time of my life.
A friend of mine heard one of my songs and asked me provided Sam Cooke was one of my inspirations. I'd heard of Sam Cooke but that was it. After listening to him, I really started to see that his was the best time for R&B. It was completely different from what I was used to. I looked at that type of music and how it was created by African-Americans. As a young black man and a singer-songwriter I felt that I needed to go back to where it all started.
Rather than recording digitally, I hear that you recorded your album straight to tape. That's an uncommon recording process, to say the least.
Yes. It's such a good thing to be able to record that way. Austin and Josh had gathered a lot of analogue recording equipment from the forties and fifties. We decided to set it all up in a warehouse and record the album using it. I recorded live so everything had to be captured in one take. No Pro Tools!
Yeah, it's just about being me. I want to be set except everything that's out. Of course, it's going to stand out from a lot of pop music but I want it to stand out from revival music that is out there, too. I just feel my sound is very smooth and subtle, with an added Texan influence.
Well, when I started writing I wasn't thinking this was going to be successful. It was just me and a guitar, and I wasn't even a guitar player at that. I just wrote what felt good. When I write I think of the listener and I want them to be instantly drawn in by the first words. That's my goal. Soul and R&B music is mostly about love songs but I like to write about family and gospel. The sounds that I was really inspired by were Jessie Belvin, Johnnie Taylor, Bobby Womack, Van Morrison and of course, Sam Cooke.
Are you surprised that the album charted at number 6 in the US? It's very high for a debut.
It completely shocked me. Of course I'm very satisfied with what I made but I didn't think that the world would think that way. When we went to make this record we weren't thinking of being on top of the charts or that people would latch onto it.
I'd select River. It's one of my songs from the very beginning, and is definitely one of my favourites on the album. It's about spiritual foundation and is a very raw and chilled sound.
Your visual aesthetic is completely in line with your music, with your black and white Instagram photos and retro fashion style. How important is your image to you?
I say that visuals and sound are both equally important. It's something I started way before my record label got into the picture. When I began writing this music, it was important to have everything be consistent. I enjoy wearing vintage clothes and being classy and clean. It looks good and feels good.
It's not a mask that I put on. It's me - when I'm in front of people and when I'm by myself. For me there's no putting on a ball cap, graphic t-shirt, sweats and tennis shoes. You can ask any of my friends - there's no turning it off. This style, and everything about it, is something that I love.
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