EQUATE Meets Jack Fowler
"I wanted to write something that everyone can relate to, whether you’re a man, woman or teenager. I wanted to write something that people can really resonate with."
Reality TV superstar Jack Fowler has ironically been boxed in as soon as he came out of the Villa. Jack captured the heart of the nation in the fourth season of the ITV2 hit reality show, Love Island, in 2018, through his likeable personality and jovial/ happy-go-lucky nature. Constantly rapping, singing, dancing and more during his time in the Villa, it was clear he was an entertainer at heart.
Now he is transitioning to a music career, building on his deeply-steeped passion for music more broadly, signing a deal with Island Records, and releasing the Ibiza-soaked club banger ‘Foolish‘ and its bouncy remix featuring legendary DJ and producer Tom Zanetti. Equate caught up with Jack to learn more about his musical inspirations, being boxed in as a celebrity, the Euros 2020, and his latest release.
Read the full interview below..
Words by Oliver-James Campbell
EQ: Nice to meet you! Diving in at the deep end, what do you think are some of the challenges of trying to do something you’re passionate about when you’re already known for something else?
JF: Yeah, I mean, obviously, when you’re going into the Love Island villa, your life changes really, if you’re lucky. Some of the doors that you’ve worked hard to open become closed, but then a lot of other doors open. When it comes to music, it can sometimes be difficult being taken seriously when you’re coming from reality TV, but I feel like, if you’ve got the talent, and you’ve got the passion, then it shouldn’t prevent you from pursuing it. The difficult thing is having people take you seriously - I feel like if you’re good at what you do, do it regardless. I think you’re right, true talent overcomes that, doesn’t it? I mean, real talent and real passion, it breaks through.
EQ: How do you break out of that box? I see you’ve just dropped a clothing line with I Saw It First, and you’re always being a part of charity football games and YouTube culture.
JF: I’ve got that one out at the moment and I’ve got the second collection dropping on Thursday 22nd.
I’m a big football fan. I’m so proud of the boys. What they did at the Euros and getting to the finals is amazing. You don’t think they realise how much of an impact that has on the whole country, obviously with COVID and everyone not being able to see everyone, it was uncertain times and they completely changed the vibe around the country. In London it was crazy, and it made me happy that everyone was out in the sunshine, going for dinner and watching the football. It didn’t go our way, but ultimately, I’m very very proud of the team.
EQ: After 26th July, things are opening up once again, and events are going to be going forward for the first time in a while. Do you see these places as great showcases for your new music?
JF: Yeah, I think everyone’s itching to get into their clubs and have a good time, getting abroad, on the beach and stuff. I think ‘Foolish‘ is just a song that just caters for that kind of feeling. You know, I’ve done a lot of club appearances, and I’ve done a lot of clubbing myself, and ‘Foolish‘ is something that I would like to listen to myself - you can’t not bob your head.
EQ: When did you first have this desire to create music? It’s clearly something within yourself pre-Love Island. There’s a great scene of you all rapping in the bedroom on the show that really demonstrates this.
JF: Growing up, I was always listening to a lot of music. Whether it was Reggae music or soul music, or just straight up the R&B and rap - I listened to a wide range. I’ve always been singing, acting and dancing from a young age. I was in drama school so I’ve always been quite confident on camera. I just found myself on Love Island. It was very natural for me, just being on camera. When I came off Love Island, a lot of doors closed but a lot of those also opened up naturally. My manager, Simon Webbe, was a huge help. He’s been in the news forever since he was in Blue.
EQ: Who has been the biggest inspiration for you, sonically and in terms of long-term career wise?
JF: I think a lot of Marvin Gaye was on in my house. So I like real percussion music. You can really hear that in the background. It was quite rich when it came to music that we listened to as a family. Chris Brown, Michael Jackson and Bob Marley; a lot of those big entertainers. That’s what I see myself doing. I love being on stage. I want my appearances on stage and at the club to be events. You know, [the promoters] are happy to get more than what they probably paid for, and I’m happy because I’d rather do that than stand in a corner and take pictures. So it kind of worked hand in hand.
“If you’ve got the talent, and you’ve got the passion, then it shouldn’t prevent you from pursuing it.”
- Jack Fowler
EQ: Talk to me about Foolish.
JF: I wanted to write something that everyone can relate to, whether you’re a man, woman or teenager. I wanted to write something that people can really resonate with. This is what it’s all about.
EQ: As the tune is drenched in Ibiza vibes - talk to me about the best summer hotspots. The best clubs, events and festivals.
JF: Ocean Beach is one of the top party places in the world. Miami and Los Angeles are also up there.. So, you know, I’ve been very, very lucky to be able to kind of move around the world and party and those places just really standout.
Watch the visuals for ‘Foolish’ ft. Tom Zanetti below!
Youtube/Jack Fowler
Stream ‘Foolish‘ HERE
Keep up with Jack Fowler on socials
Instagram: @_jackfowler_
Twitter: @_JackFowler_
Tik Tok: @IAmJackFowler