Today, we’d like to introduce you to Bristol-based songwriter Tom Haven who is retuning to music after taking a break to handle to transition into adulthood. Now 26-years-old, the musician is all too aware of the challenges that face young people right now. It’s fitting that his comeback single ‘Lemons’ has emerged out of this adversity. Combining bluesy melodies with soulful vocals and grooving rhythms, although all done with a light touch, this single is a soothing yet engaging listen. Haven addresses those in his generation, reminding them that they have the potential to affect change and forge their own path.

We’ve also taken this opportunity to get to know Tom Haven a little more, exploring his musical background, the artists that inspire him, and what he’s cooking up for the rest of 2024.

For those who have never heard of Tom Haven, who are you and what is your music about?

I’d say I was that bright kid in class who finished the assigned work and then started drawing. I always found making more exciting than learning. And I much prefer thinking to writing. The point being; I think I’ve always been an artist, but I’ve tried to deny it for way too long. I’ve got a regular 9-5 job in marketing. And whilst I enjoy it I am often thinking about what song I’ll finish after work, or what song I want to play tonight. My music is a way of bridging that ‘adult world’ with my artist side. I want to write about being 20-something in the 2020s. I think a lot of us feel kind of lost, and disillusioned. Like we were sold a lie about how good our future would be. I want to let people know they’re not alone in feeling that way.

Let’s talk about the new single ‘Lemons’, what does this song mean to you?

I think Lemons is about vocalising the myth that you stop growing when you leave education. I know a lot of people who left university and seemed to lose a piece of themselves. They lost their sense of adventure, their curiosity, their artistic side. They grew up. In my experience, I was only ready to start being really creative when I was 23 or 24. Once I got “real life” on track, I could then stop stressing and start playing. Lemons is a song about that moment.

And what do you hope that listeners will take away from this track?

That you’ll never stop growing, and you won’t stop changing. So don’t hide it, and don’t try to bury it down. Be bold enough to show a new side to yourself. Especially to those who think they know you already.

Who or what is your biggest inspiration?

Jeff Buckley is my musical hero. I’ve gone through lots of stages with his music. First I didn’t get it, then I appreciated him as a rock musician, then as a singer, then as an artist. He’s now my hero because I think he is one of the purest artists there ever was. Someone who wanted to express, and to feel, and to communicate. I also didn’t realise until recently; he recorded ‘Grace’ when he was 26. That brings me a lot of comfort. There’s no shame in starting ‘late’, and there’s no shame in waiting for the right chance to come before starting.

Do you have any advice for fellow or future songwriters who want to branch out of their comfort
zone?

Yes, accept that you will not make your best work today. Tomorrow, maybe you’ll write something better. Then the day after you might make something that you think is trash. Then perhaps you start a two-year project which becomes your magnum opus. The point of the process is to go up. You don’t start at the top of your game. Assume that you’ll write something better tomorrow, and you’ll learn to accept any flaws in what you write today. And then you can release anything without guilt. It might be 95% good, but next time you’ll work on that 5% that’s leftover.

What are you grateful for right now at this moment?

Time. When I felt like I had none left, I actually realised had plenty. Making music took a back seat in my life until I turned 24, and now suddenly it’s my shadow. It’s connected to me all the time, everywhere I go. I’ve also been able to reconcile with my mistakes thanks to time. The things I did wrong, the people I didn’t treat fairly. The people who distanced themselves from me along the way. I can forgive myself that now. Plus I’ve been very grateful to spend time with my grandparents. I know they’re finite, just like I am, and I’ve been blessed with more time than I could have ever expected with them. Every day is a gift.

All of the songs you listened to most in 2023, which one are you carrying through to 2024? And
why?

Ferris & Sylvester have been drip-feeding their new album since last summer. I can’t get enough of it. I can’t think of another band that so openly and boldly wears their story on their sleeves. I feel like every song needs a little sticker saying ‘based on a true story’, because I think they all are. ‘Mother,’ is a song they released recently about a beautiful fantasy. It hurts me to listen to that, and that’s why I keep coming back to it.

Do you have an album that you can’t get enough of?

I love ‘Some Nights I Dream of Doors’ by Obongjayar. I know there are parts of that album I’ll never fully understand. It’s like a secret area in a video game. There are parts of the game I’ll never get to see with my eyes, and I feel the same with that album. In my opinion he’s a new D’Angelo, someone who will define a genre. I cannot wait to see what he does next.

Who would be your dream collaboration?

I’d love to play live with John Mayer. I know every guitarist says that, but I’d love to do that. Separately, I’d love to collaborate with the folks I know in real life. I moved to Bristol 12 months ago, and I’ve never seen such a concentration of musical skill and energy. I want to make something where I could play with each of them. Singers, brass players, drummers, rappers… jazz, r&b, indie, funk, everything. They’re all wicked, and I just want to share them with everyone I know.

And lastly, what can fans expect from Tom Haven this year?

Some perspective. Isn’t that what the restaurant critic in Ratatouille says? ‘I’d like you to serve me some fresh perspective.’ That’s what I’m cooking up in the kitchen.

You can also listen to ‘Lemons’ in our Soul & Grooves playlist.

Follow Tom Haven:

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