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Music Interview: Rizzle Kicks
RIGHT now Jordan Stephens and Harley Alexander-Sule must be two of the best-connected pop stars in Britain.
The duo, otherwise known as the pop-rap group Rizzle Kicks, can count among their friends Ed Sheeran, the chart-topping singer-songwriter, Olly Murs, one of X Factor’s most successful graduates, and James Corden, the actor famed for co-writing and starring in Gavin and Stacey.
They’ve toured with Dizzee Rascal, The Streets and Professor Green, remixed songs for Jessie J and Foster the People and are about to perform with JLS at the O2 Arena in London for the charity Sport Relief.
Their fans include Stephen Fry, the comedian and writer who has tweeted enthusiastically about them on Twitter, and David Beckham, the world’s most famous footballer. Next week they’re in the running for a Brit Award, with Olly Murs.
Not bad for two 20-year-olds from Brighton who only released their debut album four months ago.
Reunited
The pair first met at the age of four, when they were both living in north London; their families moved independently to Brighton, where Jordan and Harley were reunited at the age of 11, playing Sunday league football.
“We’ve crossed paths through most of our lives,” says Jordan. “It culminated in us going to the same college [the Brit School, where Jordan studied media and Harley theatre].
“Call it destiny if you want bit think that’s a bit cheesy.”
In 2008, when Jordan was making a mixtape, rapping along to samples from their favourite artists, he invited Harley to sing. The combination worked, and Rizzle Kicks was formed.
They began posting lo-fi videos on YouTube and by 2010 they’d created such a buzz that Island Records came calling.
Last year they scored two top 10 hits, Down With the Trumpets and When I Was a Youngster, and guested on the Olly Murs chart-topper, Heart Skips a Beat. Stereo Typical, their debut album, has to date sold more than 100,000 copies.
Last month they came within a whisker of their first No.1 in their own right with their single Mama Do The Hump. The track was produced by Norman Cook, the former Housemartin turned superstar DJ known as Fatboy Slim. As a fellow Brighton resident, Jordan says “we dreamed of working with him when we first started.
“When we had an A&R he said, ‘Why don’t you approach him?’ We had a meeting and it so gelled he stays in touch. He signs emails ‘Uncle Norman’ too. We’re very happy.”
The video for Mama Do the Hump features a dancing cameo from James Corden. “I love James,” says Jordan. “We had tickets to see his play [One Man, Two Guvnors at the National Theatre] last week. He’s amazing, such a wicked guy.”
Their friendship began “through the magic of Twitter, then we bumped into him in Birmingham – that’s where it all happened”.
Last week Rizzle Kicks met another of their heroes, David Beckham. “That was wicked, he’s a really nice dude,” enthuses Jordan. “He told us he likes our music. I felt like a little kid again, watching the Euro 2002 qualifiers.”
Social
Does he ever get nervous in the company of celebrities, I ask. “I’m quite good a being social. Sometimes if it’s someone I particularly admire I’m conscious of how I word things. I don’t want to say anything silly.”
He’s looking forward to sharing a stage with JLS and Olly Murs for Sport Relief on March 23. “We were asked to do it and we said of course we would. The O2 is a brilliant venue. We’re super excited; it should be a brilliant gig.”
Before then there’s the Brit Awards to look forward to and their first headline tour. Of their chances of bagging a Brit – with Olly Murs for best British single – Jordan says: “I haven’t a clue, to be honest. We’re over the moon to be nominated with Olly but what we really want is to be nominated for ourselves. That said, we’d love to win it.”
The awards ceremony may also offer them a chance to meet another of their heroes, Damon Albarn, whose band Blur are to receive an honorary Brit award for their outstanding contribution to British music. “We love him,” says Jordan. “We heard recently from his cousin, who we worked with, that we might work together which would be awesome. He’s one of my idols – the guy’s a genius.”
Jordan is excited about touring too. “Once we do the first gig I’m going to want to do them all at once.” Playing live, he reckons, is “the best thing we do”.
“I think one of the things is, we give 100 per cent to our shows. We gig as though no-one knows who we are. We want to give people a great night.”
This year he and Harley will also crack on with their second album. They’ve already been recording with Jamie Cullum, the jazz pianist and singer. “We were in the studio with him last and made some stuff,” reveals Jordan. “It sounds wicked.”
They’re not consciously aiming to change musical direction but “our head sets and our ears are going to be different from the experiences we’ve had in the last six to eight months. I’m happy to see what comes naturally.”
Naturally too, they aim to round the year off with another tour. For those that miss their sold-out show at the Leeds University next month, they’ll be revisiting the city in December. “I love performing,” says Jordan. “I’m never shy to do a gig.”
March 1, University of Leeds, Albion Place, Leeds, 7.30pm, returns only. Tel 0113 380 1342.
December 2, O2 Academy Leeds, Cookridge Street, Leeds, 7pm, £16.50. Tel: 0844 477 2000. www.ticketmaster.co.uk
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