Willie J Healey - 'Thank You' feat. Jamie T
Synonymous with funky bass lines and R&B tones, Willie J Healey has made a name for himself through soulful cuts and fresh contemporary beats. Having received support from the likes of BBC Radio One, NME and The Line of Best Fit, Healey’s musical career is off to a shimmering start.
His latest venture into the Philly soul soundscape comes in the form of the tongue-in-cheek lyrics (“I wanna thank you for laughing every time that I fall”) found on new track ‘Thank You’. Enlisting the aid of indie-rock king Jamie T, who released his fifth album, ‘The Theory of Whatever’, last year, Healey stuns and shines in an utterly spectacular manner.
Vibrant and breezy, the track features sultry basslines and soulful vocals that offers up a sound akin to Leon Bridges. Following on from previous single releases ‘Tiger Woods’ and ‘Dreams’, ‘Thank You’ offers an insight into the enchanting and magical musicianship of Healey.
Commenting on the single, Healey notes: "I was tired and flat and didn’t know what to make & then my friend Jamie said ay willie I’ve got this drum machine it might inspire you.. I picked it up and wrote 'Thank You' the next day, it was my way of thanking Jamie for being a good friend. I dedicate it to anyone trying to do their own thing."
Healey is due to support Florence + The Machine on their UK tour, and Arctic Monkeys across Europe – it seems 2023 is going to be a big year for the Oxfordshire artist. Setting off on his own acoustic tour in August, Healey’s upcoming album ‘Bunny’ is set for release on March 24th. If ‘Thank You’ is anything to go by, his fourth album will be a sure-fire fan favourite.
His acoustic tour dates are as follows:
Fri 25 Aug - Rough Trade East, London, UK
Sat 26 Aug - Sound Knowledge, Marlborough, UK (Matinee show)
Sat 26 Aug - Rough Trade, Bristol, UK
Sun 27 Aug - Resident, Brighton, UK
Mon 28 Aug - Banquet, Kingston, UK
Tue 29 Aug - Rough Trade, Nottingham, UK
Wed 30 Aug - Jacaranda, Liverpool, UK
Thu 31 Aug - Truck, Oxford, UK
Words by Lana Williams
