Cut to London’s Scala, 1st August, 2013. The original Sugababes had just reformed as the newly branded MKS and were performing one of their first comeback gigs. The show was emotional to say the least and we spent most of the night sobbing into our Red Stripe. But sadly the MKS love-in was not to last. We just have to accept that there are a bunch of MKS demos locked up somewhere and we’ll never hear them.
But today we are one step closer as London-based singer/songwriter Tom Aspaul releases the track he nearly gave them – he even has their demo. Yes, MKS’ loss is our gain as now we can’t imagine anyone else singing this uptempo, tale of heartbreak – and we all know the best pop tunes mix depressing lyrics with a banger of a beat. Just file ‘Burnt Out’ alongside ‘Dancing On My Own’ and Carly Slay’s ‘Your Type.’
We caught up with Tom to find out more…

How would you describe your sound?
I think it’s easier to just say ‘Pop Music’. I know that’s really vague, but my influences are so eclectic these days. When I think about it, for this EP alone, I drew from Prince a lot, Scritti Politti, ABBA, Bobby Brown, Brandy, Britney Spears and loads of others. Every song has something a little bit different about it, sometimes it’s quite R&B/soul, sometimes it’s out and out pure pop, sometimes it’s more electronic/alternative. I guess the unifying thing is my slightly androgynous ‘white-boy-trying-to-do-soul’ vocal.

‘Burnt Out’ was meant for MKS, right? Who would you have preferred release it?
I wrote it some time before I worked with the girls. When it came to our week in the studio, I put it forward and they liked it, so we worked on it a bit and recorded their vocals. To be honest, I’d always intended the song for my own project because it’s quite a personal song that carries a lot of weight for me – but to hear their voices on it was just a dream. Like something I didn’t know I needed, but I did. I’m lucky cos I can just listen to their version whenever I want – so I get to have both!

Do you have a preference when it comes to singing, songwriting or both?
I love singing, so much, there’s just something really cathartic about it. I’m obsessed with vocal harmonies and layering loads of tracked vocals on top of one and other. I don’t think I have the strongest voice, so when I hear myself layered up five times, it’s really special. I’m not interested in vocal runs or massive power house vocals – I feel like we’ve heard all of that before.
In equal measures I love writing. Writing for yourself is like self-healing. You can tell a story and get things off your chest and no one has to know what it’s about specifically. The satisfaction I get from other people appreciating those particular emotions or lyrics is incredible.
Writing for other people is another thing altogether. Again, you have the whole emotional thing, but there’s something quite competitive in getting your songs on albums and getting them on the radio – it’s so stressful though, but when it goes right it’s one of the best feelings.

Kylie sang your song ‘Indiana’ and turned it into ‘Feels So Good.’ How did you celebrate?
I was in bed when I got the email. Just browsing through my inbox first thing in the morning. I think I was hungover. Actually, I know I was hungover. I got straight on the phone to MNEK, who was like, ‘Are you sure you wanna do this?’ and I was probably still drunk just screaming ‘Yes! Yes!’ I don’t think I ever went out and celebrated specifically. I had a VIP pass to her Heaven show, right before the album came out and got suitably wasted for that…

Who else do you admire as a songwriter?
I love Rodney Jerkins. I think from 1997-2002 he was untouchable. ‘If You Had My Love’ by Jennifer Lopez is just perfection – there are so many other hits. Even his stuff with the Spice Girls, which by his standards is pretty average, is fantastic.
In terms of my contemporaries I really rate Caroline Ailin – an incredible Norwegian writer. We have our first cut together coming out soon, so I’m probably biased, but she is so talented. She won an award last year! I also think Becky Hill is a fantastic writer. We really click in the studio. It’s very relaxed – which I prefer as opposed to the kind of, ‘Let’s write a hit’ bullshit you often encounter. Not forgetting MNEK obviously. He works incredibly fast and just gets it – nothing but admiration for him as a writer and a person.

What age did you write your first song?
When I was really little, like five or six. Every night when I was put to bed, I would pretend I was a radio station and make up songs and sing them through the wall to my sisters in the bedroom next door. Looking back they were all fully formed songs and I would just make them up as I went along – I couldn’t do that now. Who knows what classics I might have written back then! My poor sisters though – I think they just wanted to sleep.
My first ‘proper song’ where I sat down and actually wrote lyrics must have been when I was 11 or something. It was really simple. I wrote it on a shitty Yamaha keyboard and recorded it on tape. I made the artwork and everything and took it into school. I think it was called ‘Taken.’ Looking back I just cringe to be honest, because it was really basic…but I improved quite quickly!

Much as we are obsessed with Mariah, you are obsessed with Fergie. Can you explain the obsession…although obvs we love her too!
I guess her first album came at a pivotal time in my youth. So many amazing songs on one album. Let’s not forget her stunning vocal on ‘Meet Me Halfway’ and all her hilarious raps on the Black Eyed Peas records. Or her incredible cameo in that film ‘Nine’, as an Italian prostitute who teaches young boys about sex. Then there’s her stupendous performance of ‘Barracuda’ on Good Morning America, complete with one-handed cartwheels. Also really important, there’s her entire ‘I overcame drugs’ thing, which I think is really amazing. I think she’s totally underrated. She changed the game. Fergalicious def. Lol.
You know I am obsessed with Mariah too? I’m a total lamb. Funnily enough Fergie and Mariah share a birthday! My thing with Fergie possibly started as a joke and then just actually became reality!

No way, we never knew! What is your favourite Mariah song?
Well ‘Loverboy’ is incredible just for the video and the backstory behind it. The whole ‘Jennifer Lopez’ stole my song business. Love it. I think ‘Honey’ was the first MC song that really had me hooked as a kid. The 80’s sampling beat. The melody and lyrics. The video, she looked incredible – her awkward dancing. The Puff Daddy/Ma$e cameos. I think it’s probably my overall fave. I also love ‘It’s a Wrap’ and ‘Migrate’ and ‘Boy (I Need You)’ and ‘Thirsty’ and SO MANY OTHERS.

‘Boy (I Need You)’?? Really??? Wow, you may be more of a lamb than we knew….thanks Tom!

‘Burnt Out’ is available to buy and stream now. The LEFT EP is out 4th November. You can pre-order it now.