MELISSA BLOCK, HOST:
A couple of years ago in England, a baby-faced singer sat down with his guitar on an inflatable red sofa to make a rough video.
(SOUNDBITE OF VIDEO)
GEORGE EZRA: Hi I'm George Barnett. I'm here in Clifton with the Bristol Couch, and I'm going to do a song called "Angry Hill."
BLOCK: George Barnett was 18 years old, and this song would change his life.
(SOUNDBITE OF VIDEO)
EZRA: (Singing) All the angels take him away. Lay six feet 'neath clay, and it grows.
BLOCK: In quick order George Barnett was snapped up by a manager. He landed a big recording contract with Columbia Records. Now at age 21 he has a debut album that vaulted to number one in England, and he goes by a different name, George Ezra.
EZRA: So my name is George Ezra Barnett, and there comes a point when you realize a name with a Z in it is just that bit cooler.
BLOCK: George Ezra has a voice that can float high and delicate, or it can do this.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "DID YOU HEAR THE RAIN?")
EZRA: (Singing) Woah. Why do you treat me so?
BLOCK: Before he made this record, George Ezra took a train trip around Europe for inspiration. He went by himself, eavesdropping on conversations, taking notes to find starting points for songs, and he told me his first hit single takes its title from a city he never made it to, Budapest.
EZRA: Before I took this trip, I wrote down the cities that I'd like to visit, and Budapest was one of these cities. And I got to Malmo in Sweden, and these girls had agreed to put me up in their place, and it was the Eurovision song contest final in Malmo. Of course, we went to watch it, and I ended up getting a bit drunk. And I missed my train the next day. So I never made it to Budapest, and then when I got home I think that was the first time I tried to tackle writing a love song of sorts, and I had the idea, OK, you know, you can list everything that you've got and suggest giving it up for somebody. And then I thought, well, I think it would be funnier or sweeter if I list beautiful things that I don't have.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "BUDAPEST")
EZRA: (Singing) My house in Budapest, my hidden treasure chest, golden grand piano, my beautiful castillo - you.
EZRA: By beautiful castillo, which is Spanish for castle - yeah, my acres of a land.
BLOCK: You have none of those things?
EZRA: Oh, I don't have any of those things. No.
BLOCK: But you'd be willing to give them up for love?
EZRA: Of course, yeah.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "BUDAPEST")
EZRA: (Singing) But for you, you, I'd leave it all. All for you, you, I'd leave it all.
BLOCK: You know, I always love watching musicians listen to their own songs. And you were quite engrossed in what you were hearing just now, George.
EZRA: (Laughter) Oh, I still love it, you know? Like it's still - the whole - well what I have to remind myself is you're doing this and being a touring musician. You're away from home and away from family and loved ones a lot. So if you don't love it, then there's no point in doing. And I do. I love it. And I remember, you know, the whole writing process, the recording process are some of the best memories I think I'll have. So I do - it reminds me of good things.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "BUDAPEST")
EZRA: (Singing) Give me one good reason why I should never make a change. Baby if you hold me, then all of this will go away.
BLOCK: I'm talking with George Ezra. His new album - his debut album is titled "Wanted On Voyage." Talk a bit about the title, George.
EZRA: So wanted-on-voyage has always been something I've been aware of because it's on Paddington Bear's suitcase. So Paddington Bear is this character I'm sure you're aware.
BLOCK: Yes - yeah.
EZRA: So when I was a kid, my mom used to dress me up as him if it was cold out. I'd have a blue duffel coat and I'd have my wellies on and whatever. And I grew up watching him. This sounds really bizarre.
BLOCK: (Laughter) Yeah.
EZRA: Anyways, so I was always aware of wanted-on-voyage. And then I learned that wanted-on-voyage people used to write on their hand luggage equivalent when traveling by boat because if you're taking a long boat journey, anything that goes in the cargo, you're not going to see for the two weeks you're on the boat or whatever. So wanted-on-voyage was the sticker that meant this - you know, I want this on my person.
BLOCK: Right. I need this.
EZRA: Yeah. So I liked the idea of people listening to a record that I wrote while I traveled while they traveled and wanting it on their journey. I liked that idea.
BLOCK: I have to ask you about the video for your song, "Listen To The Man," which is hilarious.
EZRA: (Laughter) Yeah.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "LISTEN TO THE MAN")
EZRA: (Singing) I feel your head resting heavy on your single bed. I want to hear all about it. Get it all off your chest.
BLOCK: And we should explain it. You're sitting on a park bench with none other than the great actor...
EZRA: Sir Ian McKellen.
BLOCK: ...Sir Ian McKellen.
EZRA: Yeah.
BLOCK: And he hijacks your song.
EZRA: He does. Very well.
(SOUNDBITE OF MUSIC VIDEO, "LISTEN TO THE MAN")
EZRA: Wait. Wait, wait, wait. Hold up. Ian.
IAN MCKELLEN: Yes?
EZRA: What's going on?
MCKELLEN: McKellen.
EZRA: I'm trying to shoot a video for my song.
MCKELLEN: Well, I'm just trying to sing the song. It's such a fantastic song.
EZRA: Thank you very much.
BLOCK: At some point in the video, he's handed a drink out of a coconut.
(LAUGHTER)
BLOCK: He's got every - he's getting all the attention.
(SOUNDBITE OF MUSIC VIDEO, "LISTEN TO THE MAN")
EZRA: There was someone bringing you a gong, he was taking it off. You got a drink. I don't even get that.
MCKELLEN: Oh, well, I'm sorry. But I'm just so excited to be here, you know?
BLOCK: And he's not entirely sure who you are.
EZRA: No.
BLOCK: He has a pretty good sense, but he's a bit confused.
(SOUNDBITE OF MUSIC VIDEO, "LISTEN TO THE MAN")
MCKELLEN: You know, Jeff - George, I love all your music from Bucharest onwards.
EZRA: Budapest.
MCKELLEN: Budapest, yeah.
EZRA: So what happens with videos is one thing I'm aware of that I'm not very good at - creating a music video. So with this song all I said was, I don't want to be singing the song. You know, that was all I knew.
BLOCK: That was it?
EZRA: And now this guy Rob Brandon, who is awesome...
BLOCK: He's the director.
EZRA: Yeah, of the video - so I got a call from Rob, and he said, George, how would you feel about having Sir Ian McKellen in your music video? And I said, well, Rob, that would be lovely, but you need to see if Sir Ian McKellen wants to be in my music video. And he went, no, no. I've already asked him. He wants to do it. So, I mean, that's crazy, isn't it? To get there, and you're kind of pinching yourself all the way up until you get there. Oh, no, it really is him.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "LISTEN TO THE MAN")
EZRA: (Singing) Won't you listen to the man that's loving you?
BLOCK: When you think about where you are now and at age 21 think about longevity in the music world, where does that take you? What - how far down the road can you see?
EZRA: I always say if this is the only album I ever get to release, so be it. I've had the best time, and I'll continue writing and creating. If people get to hear it, then that's amazing. I don't want people to think that I don't love this. I do. But I just - you know, I think also that things move so quickly now as well. I think that's the same with audiences in music. I think there's a - before they know it, they're being pitched the next act that they should be getting into, and it's a lot more accessible now. So I mean, if I can be sat here when I'm 60 and talking about my 15th - 20th record, happy days. I'd love that. But, you know, we'll see.
BLOCK: George Ezra, thanks so much for coming in. It's been fun having you here.
EZRA: No, thank you for having me.
BLOCK: And you've brought in one of your guitars.
EZRA: Yeah, yeah.
BLOCK: It's a 1959 Gretsch.
EZRA: Yes.
BLOCK: And would you take us out with a song?
EZRA: Yeah, I'm going to play a song of mine called "Blame It On Me."
BLOCK: Terrific.
EZRA: Thank you for having me.
(Singing) The garden was blessed by the gods of me and you. We headed westward to find ourselves some truth. What you waiting for? What you waiting for?
BLOCK: You can hear the full live version of this song at npr.org. George Ezra's album is titled "Wanted On Voyage."
EZRA: (Singing) When I dance alone and the suns bleeding down, blame it on me.