Philip Baldwin speaks to John Galea.
John Galea is an award-winning singer/songwriter, originally from Great Yarmouth. He started songwriting at the age of 13. John went on to support McFly on tour and subsequently released his first of five EPs. His 2016 hit When You Truly Love Someone was a Top 20 Chart topping track, its lyrics exploring love and expanding the national conversation around bi identity. John scored his first iTunes number 1 in 2020 with Hero Within You His latest release Don’t Wanna Die featured DJ Ironik.
How would you describe your music?
I would say my music is a mix of Soul and Pop. Growing up I was influenced by many different genres and songs, but for me a well-written song transcends any genre.
You’ve had a number of hits and released five EPs. Which song means the most to you?
I’m torn between a few, but I Am A Survivor has a special place for me. It comes from a very honest place about me overcoming cancer as a teenager. I was amazed by the reaction when it came out and also on TikTok, with people creating their own videos in response to the song. It blew me away. People really seem to relate to the track, reflecting the emotions when I wrote it. It’s a very special song.
How does your identity as a bi man impact your music?
All my songs are written about emotions or events which I’ve experienced, so my identity as a proud bisexual man comes out as well.
You were a headline act at Bi Pride on 2 September. Could you sum up some of the challenges bi people face?
Biphobia is a real problem in society broadly as well as in the LGBTQIA+ community, which is something every bisexual person has to deal with. I am more than happy to do anything I can to raise awareness and shine a light on bisexual identities. People often think it’s a phase or just being greedy. These stereotypes are very unhelpful and TV shows like Heartstopper where the lead character Nick Nelson, played by Kit Connor, is out and proud of his bisexuality are needed to tear down the bigotry.
You have over a million followers on TikTok and Insta. How is social media changing the music industry?
In a big way. A song that was released 10, 20 or 30 years ago having a revival because a younger generation start a dance trend is amazing. Old songs have a new life. And, debuting new songs on TikTok is so easy for independent artists if the algorithm is running right. You can reach audiences you couldn’t previously have imagined. For me, seeing all the videos in reaction to my songs really blows me away. It’s definitely a game changer for the music Industry.
Check out John’s Insta: @johngalea or his TikTok: @johngalea24
Photo credit: Mark Brown
