On Language

As one of the most strikingly original lyricists going, it's entirely unsurprising that John Grant has a life-long interest in language and languages-from the academic solace he found in his school days upon discovering his talent for German, through to his love of Russian and the Icelandic language of his current home, Grant has found succour, relief and stimulation in words and how they work. In this fascinating interview with the writer Will Burns, John Grant's passion for language provides the foundations for hilarious and heartbreaking digressions on his own life, on politics, on history, on music and much more-John Grant On Language functions as a compelling and unique portrait of an artist in, and through, words.

John Grant is without question one of the most celebrated singer-songwriters of the past decade. His debut solo LP Queen Of Denmark was voted MOJO magazine's Best Album of 2010 and his profile has continued to rise ever since through a series of rapturously received releases that combine acutely melodic chamber-pop with darkly glittering dance music centred on synth-pop and disco. Against this brooding and inventive backdrop and channelled through his glorious dulcet baritone, Grant unleashed autobiographical laments and diatribes, as beautiful and intimate as they were caustic and savagely funny. 2013's Pale Green Ghosts helped earn him Attitude Magazine's Man of the Year award and, in what is perhaps his biggest accolade so far, an International Male Solo Artist nomination at the 2014 BRIT Awards. His most recent album, Boy From Michigan was released in Summer 2021 via Bella Union