JP’s debut EP ‘For You’ is full of charm but with a new sparseness of production that allows the songs’ meanings and Citizen Papes’ moving voice come to the fore. His Scottish accent shines over an always jovial melody as he pays homage to how music got him through some of his most poignant times of his life. His second EP Gramophone possesses his signature sound of gentle guitar chords and mellifluous melodies, this EP was written in the months following the first, possessing the same charm as the debut collection but with a new sparseness of production that allows the songs’ meanings and Citizen Papes’ moving voice come to the fore. Title track ‘Gramophone’ lets his Scottish accent shine over a delightfully sunny chord progression, while ‘Cool Girl’ lets his Bon Iver influence show. “I've been trying to write more intentionally,” he says of the progression between the two EPs. “I want it to connect more with people; I realised it's not just music, and you can actually relate to it in a way. The second EP is a lot more personable.”
The focus track ‘Genevieve’ follows summer singles ‘Half Way Home’ , ‘Gramophone’ and ‘Unbelievable’. It is a bittersweet track, recapping a fiery time between two lovers that ended in a blaze of glory. It’s accompanied by a charming video in which JP channels his inner Dylan, honing in on key lyrics from the song Citizen Papes explains, “It’s definitely over the top, but that’s the frame of mind a lot of us find ourselves in right after a breakup - romanticising the best bits and dramatising the worst.” He adds, “I wrote it on my own in my bedroom in Glasgow a couple years ago, and it’s crazy to think it’s finally coming out in the world. Genevieve is a little more bold lyrically than the other songs on this EP, and I hope people can resonate with it!”
The Gramophone EP is inspired by the world, the elements, connection, family, love and of course music (notably Bon Iver, Vampire Weekend, Big Thief, Dijon, Medium Build et al), JP O’Grady is, geographically and emotionally, a wandering soul who has found solace and purpose in songwriting. Born and bred in Scotland, he moved to Texas at 16 with his American mother which brought a whole new perspective on the world around him. Recently JP relocated to the coasts of Cornwall, where he could spend much of his time in Newquay perfecting his surfing and assiduously writing music in his shipping container studio drawing inspiration from the elements and people around him.
The fruits of Citizen Papes’ early bedroom sessions are shared across these early projects and showcase JP’s ability to write irresistible melodies and tracks full of warmth and sincerity. Having developed a huge following online via his artist-to-fan uploads on TikTok and YouTube (covering The Magnetic Fields, Counting Crows, Taylor Swift and more), he increasingly finds strength and drive in his connection with his growing audience.
Citizen Papes began in earnest as a bedroom project in Glasgow during the pandemic. The fruits of these sessions will be shared across his forthcoming EPs that showcase his ability to write irresistible melodies and tracks full of warmth. Having developed a huge following online via his artist to fan uploads on TikTok and YouTube (covering The Magnetic Fields, Counting Crows, Taylor Swift and more), JP finds strength in this connectivity with his growing audience.
Citizen Papes is the brainchild of Scottish-American born singer-songwriter JP O’Grady. CP has an undeniable knack for taking serious subject matters and sprinkling them with a hopeful joy that dispels any pessimistic undertones. Despite singing about and dissecting his trials with heartbreak, there is little time for wallowing here - as he explains: the light at the end of the tunnel is always there to reach for and it’s this that will pull you out of any sadness and gloom.
JP’s debut EP ‘For You’ is full of charm but with a new sparseness of production that allows the songs’ meanings and Citizen Papes’ moving voice come to the fore. His Scottish accent shines over an always jovial melody as he pays homage to how music got him through some of his most poignant times of his life. His second EP Gramophone possesses his signature sound of gentle guitar chords and mellifluous melodies, this EP was written in the months following the first, possessing the same charm as the debut collection but with a new sparseness of production that allows the songs’ meanings and Citizen Papes’ moving voice come to the fore. Title track ‘Gramophone’ lets his Scottish accent shine over a delightfully sunny chord progression, while ‘Cool Girl’ lets his Bon Iver influence show. “I've been trying to write more intentionally,” he says of the progression between the two EPs. “I want it to connect more with people; I realised it's not just music, and you can actually relate to it in a way. The second EP is a lot more personable.”
The focus track ‘Genevieve’ follows summer singles ‘Half Way Home’ , ‘Gramophone’ and ‘Unbelievable’. It is a bittersweet track, recapping a fiery time between two lovers that ended in a blaze of glory. It’s accompanied by a charming video in which JP channels his inner Dylan, honing in on key lyrics from the song Citizen Papes explains, “It’s definitely over the top, but that’s the frame of mind a lot of us find ourselves in right after a breakup - romanticising the best bits and dramatising the worst.” He adds, “I wrote it on my own in my bedroom in Glasgow a couple years ago, and it’s crazy to think it’s finally coming out in the world. Genevieve is a little more bold lyrically than the other songs on this EP, and I hope people can resonate with it!”
The Gramophone EP is inspired by the world, the elements, connection, family, love and of course music (notably Bon Iver, Vampire Weekend, Big Thief, Dijon, Medium Build et al), JP O’Grady is, geographically and emotionally, a wandering soul who has found solace and purpose in songwriting. Born and bred in Scotland, he moved to Texas at 16 with his American mother which brought a whole new perspective on the world around him. Recently JP relocated to the coasts of Cornwall, where he could spend much of his time in Newquay perfecting his surfing and assiduously writing music in his shipping container studio drawing inspiration from the elements and people around him.
The fruits of Citizen Papes’ early bedroom sessions are shared across these early projects and showcase JP’s ability to write irresistible melodies and tracks full of warmth and sincerity. Having developed a huge following online via his artist-to-fan uploads on TikTok and YouTube (covering The Magnetic Fields, Counting Crows, Taylor Swift and more), he increasingly finds strength and drive in his connection with his growing audience.
Citizen Papes began in earnest as a bedroom project in Glasgow during the pandemic. The fruits of these sessions will be shared across his forthcoming EPs that showcase his ability to write irresistible melodies and tracks full of warmth. Having developed a huge following online via his artist to fan uploads on TikTok and YouTube (covering The Magnetic Fields, Counting Crows, Taylor Swift and more), JP finds strength in this connectivity with his growing audience.
