I think Passenger is a bit of an ambiguous thing because in the past, it's been a band, or it's been just me, or a duo or whatever, but I kind of like that as well. I think it's whatever that I'm doing with whoever I'm doing it with!
You can say I'm mad you can say I'm crazy But I'm only as bad as the maker who made me
When I sat down with all the songs before recording, I realised I'd written a few songs specifically about places in America - there was this song about Detroit and another about Yellowstone National Park. My dad is actually American, so I wrote another song about that side of my family.
I've grown up on American songwriters my whole life - listening to Paul Simon and Bob Dylan and people like John Prine - you know, classic, real songwriters. They've been the lion's share of what I've really focused on as a writer and as influences, too.
'Hell Or High Water' was written after the end of a relationship, and I do feel like every Passenger album has the obligatory break-up song.
I don't think I've ever really fitted into the industry and the scene. I feel like I've always been on the cusp.
