After creeping into our hearts and ultimately winning the first season of The Voice South Africa, Richard Stirton went straight into the pre-production phase of his new album. He released the record’s lead single ‘What Tears Me The Most’ to rave reviews and today, the singer drops his debut album ‘Middle Ground’.
The 10-track album saw the singer work with some of the most talented songwriters in South Africa such as Brad and Josh Klynsmith from Gangs of Ballet and Jethro Tait from the group Four. After a three-month writing process, Richard recorded the album at the legendary B-Sharp Studios in Boksburg.
“The goal of this album was to be as true to who I am as a person as possible. The goal was to make music that I believe in, because I feel like if you believe in what you are doing, others will believe in it to. I never want to be putting on an act. Denholm really helped me achieve this with his unbelievable understanding of music, instruments and sounds,” Richard says of the album.
The singer adds that although that every track on the album sounds different sonically, the message throughout remains similar and the core sound of the album is consistent and identifiable. Richard’s signature vocal dynamics – the creative placement of his voice to create different moods and feel – is a prominent feature of the album.
Richard adds that he has learned a lot during his time on the reality show. Before the competition, he saw music as an outlet and less as a means of communication. Working with the guidance of the likes of Denholm in studio and Kahn Morbee during the show, he learned not to overdo his vocal deliveries and learned to understand the importance of structure in a song. “The Voice and the experiences opened my eyes to a lot of different aspects of music, the writing process being one of them. It helped me to deliver a diverse, emotive and honest album,” Richard reveals. “I am exceptionally proud of the album. I think it shows a range of what I can do but also stays true to who I am and the kind of sound I want to be associated with. The messages of the songs are honest and true and the efforts put in by everyone involved are aligned with this. I feel very blessed to have had the opportunity to record this debut album, with the people I have worked with and the product that has been created as a result.”
Naturally, Richard hopes that his debut album will touch many of those who listen to it. “I hope that the album will be able to be the soundtrack to many memories for the people who support me by buying and listening to it. They can expect emotion, energy, cool beats, uplifting moments and sometimes very raw, vulnerable deliveries. I hope they feel my heart in this album.”
Middle Ground Tracklist:
1) Break The Silence
2) What Tears Me The Most
3) Catching The Tears
4) Our Night
5) Skinny Love
6) Dance
7) Fall Apart
8) If I
9) The Sound of Silence
10) Call It Luck
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