JP Cooper is an English singer and songwriter. Known for playing on the Jonas Blue single 'Perfect Strangers'. The song was widely popular and was certified platinum in the UK.
Cooper later released his solo single 'September song'. He is currently signed to Island Records.
Childhood and Education
John Paul Cooper was born on November 2, 1983 in Middleton, Manchester, England. He was raised in Manchester in the north of England by his father along with four older sisters. Born into a Catholic family, he spent several years in Darlington with his grandparents. His grandfather and dad were artists, so the creative nature lived in him straight.
Cooper attended Prince George Elementary School. He later studied biology and English in college. He was also fond of sports and was active throughout his childhood and went to different sections. Later, he became interested in music, somewhere in his teens, and taught him how to play the guitar.
The first step to success, Cooper took when he created his own rock band when he was in school. He was inspired by artists such as Danny Hathaway and Ben Harper. Thanks to them, I discovered soul music.
Something more than just music
Cooper is a self-taught musician. He manages to exist without much effort at different poles of the sound spectrum. The artist perfected his skills in indie rock music. But later joined the Gospel Choir "Give the Gospel". Cooper's exquisite vocals and expertly played guitar flawlessly combine the best of both worlds. This is indie with a soul and from a pure heart.
He defines the idea of what it means to be a truly unique artist. An artist who defies convention and resists comparison.
“I don’t want to be considered a singer/songwriter because people put you in this dark troubadour box,” JP notes with a smile. “I want to be a little more than that. I want to make great music and grow. I have always loved and admired artists who develop; people like Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder, Bjork. I hope I can become an artist who explores and transforms in the same way."
Great musical experience of JP Cooper in his youth
Like many young Manchester teenagers, JP played in various bands throughout school. He expanded his musical tastes. Regularly visited the Vinyl Exchange record store. It was there that the young music lover discovered Björk, Aphex Twin, Donny Hathaway and Rufus Wainwright.
By deciding to go to college, JP was finally able to fully tap into his various influences and start experimenting with the kind of artist he wanted to be. “I realized that I didn’t want to rely on anyone - as long as I can act and write, I will be completely self-sufficient. And I could make the music I wanted to make without having to compromise."
While learning guitar, JP started testing his sound at Open Mic nights and quickly started getting bookings all over Manchester. However, since he was a white guy with a guitar, he became more and more busy at folk/indie/band parties. Uncomfortable with the scene into which he was pushed, his audience gradually began to diversify as the subtleties of his music began to emerge.
He joined the Sing Out Gospel choir in Manchester and released a series of three mixtapes, marking a growing fan base in the urban world. Soon he was not only selling out places like The Gorilla in Manchester, but also showing off his skills at exhibitions in London. “Once I found my way into the soul and the urban world, everything changed overnight. Since then I have grown and grown and I have found my audience. It's very nice to be in this world."
Choice: Son or music?
Four years ago, he became a father for the first time and faced a difficult decision a year later. Providing for his family, working in a bar, being with his son every morning and night, at the same time, Island Records offered him a development contract. He knew that this would mean many trips to London.
“I didn't want to miss my son growing up, but I also had to build a future for both of us. It got to the point where I had this huge dream of making music and all these amazing things were happening, but at the same time I was away from everything that is home to me."
This is the topic he covers on Closer. He recorded this single on his 2015 EP. After signing with Island Records 18 months ago, JP released two EPs with over 5 million purchases recorded.
The first one, Keep The Quiet Out, was produced quickly, as were the next ones, up until the very last one (When it's dark) by the duo One-Bit. EP is deeply representative, but at the same time very close to me. “It's about relationships, people's struggles, family and the human mind, the oddities and complexities of this world,” explains JP.
JP Cooper fans
He not only has a large online following, but also a large and offline fan base. Last year he held four concerts in London, including The Scala the Village Underground and Koko.
The EPs, along with his live performances, have won JP a following as disparate as his sounds; the likes of Boy George, the cast of EastEnders, Maverick Saber, Shawn Mendes and Stormzy have all praised him, while recent collaborations with the likes of George the Poet have seen Cooper diversify a little on the global conversational stage.
“This is not my world at all, but it taught me a lot,” he reflects. "All the imagination behind it all inspires me to strive to be better."
The debut album
What follows is JP's debut album, which promises to be bigger and bolder while maintaining a sense of simplicity and honesty. It has elements of hip-hop, strong spirit and country-style guitar, as well as unexpected twists.
"It's going to be a bold album," he said. “I liked some of the spots on the radio and I know I'm lucky to have them because what I do is really like nothing else. I would like to continue this path. I don't want my music to sound like everything else."
JP Cooper is not one of those artists who is happy about some kind of award. That's not why he makes this music. He doesn't want to write mind-numbing lyrics that cynically appeal to the mass market.
However, it was dubbed the "Future Sound of 2015" by Zane Lowe of BBC Radio One, his soul singer Angie Stone. He embarked on his own UK tour and won a coveted slot at the SXSW festival in Austin, Texas.
