‘Down at Dawn’ can now be streamed on Spotify
By Skye MacDonald
Image cover, courtesy of Kathryn Joseph
It has been two weeks since Craig John Davidson- musician from our own Granite City- released his new single Down at Dawn. While this is his first song ever composed on piano, Craig is not new to the music scene: working on his 10th album, you can find his tracks on all major streaming platforms. Produced from his studio in Aberdeenshire with City Sessions Sound Studio in Florida, this new track resonates with Craig’s alternative acoustic sound, with Rough Trade describing it as “Hauntingly beautiful.” As part of Gaudie Features, we were lucky enough to interview Craig to chat to him more about the song, his music journey, and how the pandemic has affected his work.
Sitting down via Zoom, Craig started to speak about his music career and how it began. In school, he knew that music was the only thing he wanted to pursue, and by the age of sixteen he was playing gigs in Aberdeen’s Lemon Tree. In his mid-20s he was signed to Aberdeen Record producers, Fat Hippy Records, later landing himself in Los Angeles where he played at two Industry Showcases. His music career has taken him around Europe, and particularly created a platform in America, where he says the “fans are crazy… you see the same people at different shows and you wonder where they get the time and money from!”
Unfortunately due to the Pandemic, he hasn’t been able to tour, but that hasn’t stopped him from making music. Writing on average a song a day, he says that “playing instruments gives him an inner peace”, stressing that music is not just a job but also a passion and need. When it comes to the creative process of writing songs, it is always the music that comes first and then the lyrics. Learning the piano in lockdown, Down at Dawn came to be, boasting a photo cover by award-winning Scottish musician, Kathryn Joseph. When talking about the song lyrics, jokingly he commented on the fact that when you’re on your tenth album you start to repeat yourself, so you have to scramble words together. He also emphasized that his music has been influenced by his moods and inspired by other cultures when traveling abroad.
“During the pandemic, I have still been able to release music, so the biggest thing Covid has impacted has been connecting with an audience. And I miss that…but hopefully everything is still standing when I get back at it.”
Asking Craig if he has any advice for students wanting to pursue a musical career, he says: “I believe if you’ve got it, you’ve got it. If you feel completely dedicated to it, if you believe in yourself … to just go for it. If you have doubts, keep trying. I think if you’re a person who is meant to do this… if you believe in yourself, to just go for it. Take risks!”
From leaving school and performing in Aberdeen to traveling around the world with his music, it can be said that Craig’s artistry is not redundant. The track, Down at Dawn can now be streamed on Spotify and Apple Music, along with his nine previous albums.
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