Jordan Mackampa’s ‘Welcome Home, Kid!’ Celebrates Growth, Love and Acceptance [Interview]

Jordan Mackampa’s ‘Welcome Home, Kid!’ is a heartfelt reflection on the artist’s experiences over the past few years. Discussing themes of friendship (‘Friends You’ve Made’), renewal and gratitude (‘I Know’), Jordan unveils a new era of his musical career where he is looking back to move forward. Recent R&B and soul-influenced single releases ‘Proud Of You’, ‘Mary’ and 'I've Found My Home In You', serve as an introduction to fans in anticipation of the upcoming album. With the tender message of being proud of his younger self, the single ‘Proud Of You’ was a stand-out return for the soul star which went on to become the BBC Introducing Tune of the Week.

After receiving support from Radio 1 DJs Clara Amfo and Jack Saunders, Jordan MacKampa anticipates a headline UK and Europe Tour in February 2024 ahead of the release of his project. New Wave magazine sat down with Jordan to discuss some of the three years making the project, how COVID-19 helped him to slow and practice gratitude and how some of his favourite Black movies were a big inspiration behind the album. Jordan recognises the importance of being proud of oneself, as well as how the transience of life must allow us to practise gratitude for the present.

What would you say is the central theme behind the project?

The three central parts of the record come in three parts: growth, love and acceptance. It was a lot of realising that being comfortable in yourself is more important than trying to impress anyone. It's more important than any audience, press, label or management. At the end of the day, the only thing you’re seeing when you look at yourself in the mirror is you.

How does this album differ from your previous projects?

This record has been the most introspective one yet in terms of writing. I wasn’t trying to include anyone else's perspective or view because it felt so interpersonal, more so than any other songs I’ve written. It felt important for me to express my experiences over the last few years. Especially during COVID-19, I was able to sit down and look at everything I’ve been through and put that into my writing. This project felt the most inward-looking as I reflected on where my life had taken me and how I’m feeling moving forward.

You’ve spoken about how ‘I’ve Found My Home In You’ was inspired by the soundtracks for some of your favourite Black movies. Could you tell me a bit more about this?

Recently I watched a movie called ‘Brown Sugar’ which has now become one of my favourites. It features Sanaa Lathan and Taye Diggs. There’s also ‘The Last Holiday’ which is a Christmas movie featuring Queen Latifah: I love that woman until the day I die! I think it's one of the best Christmas movies ever made. There are other movies like ‘Love and Basketball’ which were important for me to watch at such a young age. The last one that I haven't watched yet but have read is ‘If Beale Street Could Talk’: it's hauntingly beautiful.

Were there any artists that you were listening to during the making of the project that influenced its sound?

I was listening to Frank Ocean, Tyler the Creator, D’Angelo, SZA, Jill Scott, Kehlani, Smino, and Anderson Paak. A real eclectic mix of artists. I was also listening to a lot of 90’s East Coast rap like Slick Rick and De La Soul. I tried to tap into that New York sound, especially on a production level.

‘Proud Of You’ is a heartfelt message to your younger self. What was your thought process behind making this song?

I got to the point where I felt it wasn’t beneficial for me to move forward in life without addressing the things I’d been through to get to this point. As we move further into adulthood we tend to not speak up about our experiences perhaps because of potential shame or fear of what others might think of us.

The funny thing is that most of us have had either if not similar or the same experiences but we condition ourselves not to be honest about certain truths or shared emotions. I didn't want to move into the next phase of my life without acknowledging the things I’d been through and how I was strong enough to make it out to the other end. I’m proud of myself for that because not everyone can say that they made it through.

So just getting that message out was important for me and I know that it's been beneficial for other people to hear that too.

The final song on the album ‘I Know’ ends with a sense of gratitude. What are some of the things you’re most grateful for at the moment?

I’m grateful for being able to be busy. Even though it can feel overwhelming and stressful at the time, I’d rather be busy rather than stagnant. This was the first song I wrote when I went out to LA last April to write. I was listening to a lot of Mac Miller so he was a big influence on that song in particular as well as some other themes on the record. I wanted to champion some of the things he used to say about how life is beautiful and just taking that moment to appreciate how far you’ve come. It's so important to appreciate life because it could all disappear within seconds without a warning or sign.

Is there a particular reason why there aren’t any features on the album?

There were definitely plans to have some collaborations but with timings, it wasn't easy to execute and I also didn’t want it to feel rushed. I also feel like this project is going to be a big stepping stone for where my career is headed in the next five to ten years so I felt like it was important to be thoughtful about that. The last thing I wanted was to feel like I hadn’t given 100% to a song or record.

I’m always open to collaborating in the future but I think making it a solo project allowed me to elevate other aspects such as the production and lyrical value. Maybe in the next few projects, there will be more chances for collaborations as well as elevated production and lyrical content.

You have an upcoming UK tour in February.. Are there any cities in particular where you’re looking forward to performing?

I’m very happy to be going back to the US after trying to do a headline tour there for a long time. Being able to play in Seattle, Washington and Toronto will be amazing. I’m also really looking forward to the New York and LA shows. Being able to play at King Tuts in Glasgow has been on my bucket list for a long time so that will be great. Also the London show at KOKO... I can't tell you how many times I’ve been to gigs at KOKO so being able to say I’ve played there will be a big moment.

The AB Club in Brussels has had a hold on my heart for a very long time so going back there for a headline show will be very special. I played there in 2017 and didn’t expect anyone to turn up. I walked out and the whole place was packed with no room to move and I couldn’t believe it. That was one of the best shows I’ve played in my life so going back there next year will be a nice full-circle moment.