Citizen Papes releases ‘Gramophone’ the follow up to his debut EP ‘For You’ out now

Music is powerful. It has the ability to conjure and elevate all human emotions; joy, sadness, comfort, melancholy, defiance, love, anticipation, happiness, inner calm and everything in between. Citizen Papes – a fledgling singer songwriter wearing his heart on his sleeve – offers up ‘Gramophone’ – an ode to this power. ‘Gramophone’ received its first play after Mollie King made it her Future Pop track on BBC Radio 1 last night.

This new wave of music from JP O’Grady possesses the same tangible charm as found on his recently released debut EP ‘For You’ but with a new sparseness of production that allows the songs’ meanings and Citizen Papes’ moving voice come to the fore. ‘Gramophone’ lets his Scottish accent shine over a delightfully sunny chord progression as he pays homage to how music got him through some of his most poignant times of his life.  

JP explains, “Gramophone definitely feels like one of the most heartfelt songs I’ve ever written. Me and my friend Ross were toying around with this piano idea for ages in his studio in Glasgow. At first I was really struggling to figure out what I wanted to say over the top of it. I went home, frustrated at having only written a little piano part in a day’s work, sat down and played the voice memo back. I instinctively sang the opening line ‘Gramophone, when I need you, put some records on’. It made so much sense to then make an entire song about the power of music and how it can give us strength through difficult times. I think almost everyone can relate to that sentiment.”

Inspired by the world, the elements, connection, family, love and of course music (notably Bon Iver, Vampire Weekend, Big Thief, Dijon, Medium Build et al), JP is, geographically and emotionally, a wandering soul who has found solace and purpose in songwriting. Born and bred in Scotland, his roots remain deep there but his move to Texas at 16 with his American mother brought a whole new perspective on the world around him. Now, following his heart to the coasts of Cornwall, JP spends much of his time in Newquay perfecting his surfing and assiduously writing music in his shipping container studio, which he carries his house cat to and from in a rucksack daily. 

Citizen Papes began in earnest as a bedroom project in Glasgow during the pandemic. The fruits of these sessions will be shared across his forthcoming EPs that are set to showcase an innate knack for irresistible melodies and tracks full of warm depth. Having developed a huge following online via his artist to fan uploads on TikTok and YouTube (covering The Magnetic Fields, Counting Crows, Taylor Swift and more), JP finds strength in this connectivity with his growing audience. 

And so he continues, be it riding the waves or writing his off-beat, heartfelt love songs; hoping someone, somewhere will align with their meaning and bring joy to their lives.  

Catch Citizen Papes live this summer at Boardmasters Festival in his hometown Newquay in August.