Tom Williams has unveiled the stunning video for his new single ‘Early Morning Rain’, which was given its radio premiere by Steve Lamacq on BBC 6Music earlier this week. Directed by Abbie Brandon, the video features the dancing and choreography of Chad Taylor, an acclaimed hip-hop dancer whose recent work has been inspired by his struggles with mental health. Diagnosed with depression and psychosis in 2016, he now choreographs dance that breaks the stigma around mental health.
“Seeing as the song deals so directly with themes of mental health, Abbie and I didn’t want to make a video that was too mournful,” says Williams. “When we found Chad Taylor’s dancing and choreography we fell in love with him. His energetic, vibrant and joyous work is deeply moving, especially when considering his experiences with mental health.”
‘Early Morning Rain’ is taken from Williams’ new album ‘What Did You Want To Be?’ (released March 29, 2019), which was produced by Tim Rice-Oxley (Keane) and recorded at his home studio in East Sussex. The album is the follow up to 2017’s career high ‘All Change’, whose singles were playlisted at 6Music and Radio X, and saw Tom headlining a sold-out Bush Hall as part of a major UK tour. Earlier this year, Tom joined Gaz Coombes for the 6Music special ‘Steve Lamacq on Tour’ during Independent Venue Week.
Williams will embark on an extensive headline tour in January 2019, with further dates in the Spring, including a show at London’s Scala on May 16th.
When not recording and touring, Hastings-based Tom works as a music teacher, teaching guitar and song-writing to primary and secondary school children. “What did you want to be? Is a question that a young guitar pupil asked me once during a lesson,” says Tom. “I think when a child asks that question they are often meaning, did your life go to plan? Is what you are doing now what you always wanted to do? It’s also a way of that child asking, ‘will I be ok?’ It seemed to fit nicely with the themes of the album, mental health, personal expectation and young adulthood.”
Headline Tour 2019:
January
Jan 23 Guildford Boileroom
Jan 24 Southampton Joiners
Jan 25 Hastings Printworks
Feb 1 Huddersfield Parish
Feb 2 Stockton-On-Tees Georgian Theatre
Feb 3 St Albans The Horn
April
April 6 Cardiff Clwb Ifor Bach
April 7 Cambridge Portland Arms
April 9 Leeds Brudenell Social Club
April 10 Newcastle Cluny
April 11 Sheffield Picture House Social
April 12 Glasgow The Hug & Pint
April 13 Oxford Jericho Tavern
April14 Birmingham O2 Academy 3
May
May 16 London Scala