CONOR MAYNARD CHATS TO BN1

Brighton YouTube sensation Conor Maynard has just won the prestigious MTV Brand New for 2012.  Gary Marlowe caught up with him for BN1 on the day of his first ever live show at The Haunt.  In this exclusive interview we find out what it’s like to beat Lana Del Rey and what the future holds for what many are calling Britain’s Justin Bieber.

Where were you when you heard you were shortlisted for Brand New for 2012?
I was in the EMI building when I was told that MTV really liked what was going on and I’d been shortlisted. To be honest, I didn’t know anything about it. Then I realised that people like Tinie Tempah and Jessie J had won in the past and I thought ‘Oh wow, to win that!’  But when I saw Lana Del Ray was on there I thought nobody was going to catch her!

Not only did you beat her, but you received 45% of the vote...
I think it reached 48% in the end!  

Do you think your success with social media helped?
Most definitely.  It started with YouTube and now it’s spread to Twitter and Facebook.  My fans are brilliant.  They call themselves the Mayniacs and even the name came from them. Someone did suggest the Condoms, but I thought that wouldn’t be such a good idea!

Winning must put huge pressure on you.  Are you feeling that pressure to live up to expectations and how are you coping with your new found fame?
It’s really crazy.  No one can tell you what it’s like because it’s different for everyone and different people handle it differently. It does create a bit of pressure because you realise all these people are starting to believe in you and you’ve got to make it happen.

What about walking round the streets of Brighton?  How has that changed for you?
Lots of people in Brighton know me as the YouTube kid that got signed with a major label.  But now after this MTV thing it doesn’t matter where I am there are people who recognise me anyway.  That’s really weird and you do start to wonder what if it gets to the point where I literally can’t go out!

What things do you like about Brighton?  Where do you hang out?  Where do you shop?
Well, I’ve just moved to London, but the one thing I absolutely love about Brighton is that it’s by the sea.  In the summer, everyone goes to the beach and a lot of people don’t know what it’s like having a place like that to chill.  People refer to it as London by the sea and it really is. In terms of fashion and stuff it’s definitely one of the best places. Two of my favourites shops here are Size and Urban Outfitters.

Tonight it’s your first show, how nervous are you?
It’s kind of nerve-wracking because it’s my first show, the first time I’ve ever performed my original material in front of an audience.  Also, a lot of people I know will be here.  I’ve been away from YouTube for a while because I’ve been busy recording my own material and there’s quite a difference between my covers and my own songs.  It’s more urban.  And who knows what people will think!

What have been the most memorable gigs you’ve been to?
I haven’t been to many live shows.  When I was younger, music wasn’t my biggest interest. Last year I did see Tinie Tempah at the 02 which was massive and I also saw Jessie J who I think is one of the best.

What do you think it is about Brighton that keeps producing so many musicians?
I think Brighton’s just one of the coolest places to be at.  It’s a city people see as being really cool to live in, and we’ve got a lot of people with creative ideas, especially right now in music.

Not content with having one YouTube sensation, with you and Hobbie Stuart, Brighton now has two...
Yeah, me and Hobbie speak all the time about the whole YouTube thing and we follow each other on Twitter. He actually played guitar on two covers I did after Amy Winehouse passed away. It’s amazing we both got noticed on YouTube and we both got signed!

You’re 19 now and 2012 looks set to be a huge year for you, what are you hoping it will bring?
For me, it’s about trying to reach for the success I’ve been working so hard to get to since I started. I’ve been working on my album and went to New York, LA, Atlanta and Stockholm to record it.  More than anything, I want to make sure that whatever success comes my way I keep level-headed.  I don’t want to become someone I’m not.  I’ll always want to be true to myself.

Conor Maynard’s debut single ‘Can’t Say No’ is out on 28 April 2012.  You can follow him on Twitter @ConorMaynard

Interview and Images by Gary Marlowe - Images Out of The Ordinary