Often in life, putting yourself out of your comfort zone and experiencing something new can you tell you a lot about your own character. For singer Jeremiah Lloyd Harmon, this act was taking part in the star-studded reality TV show, American Idol. The singer won the hearts of the nation through his appearances on the show, had the opportunity to singing alongside pop superstar Katy Perry and even received a personal phone call from Sir Elton John.

Ultimately however, this path of public stardom wasn’t for him – and it’s this subject he beautifully reflects on in new single, “Mama, I Don’t Wanna Go To Nashville”. Jeremiah has since self-released his music, organising a Kickstarter to raise funds for the release of his debut LP Namesake – released last year – and generally lives a more serene, wholesome life away from the harsh spotlight of Hollywood stardom. And he’s doing just fine. We caught up with Jeremiah to find out a little more about the new single, its message and what else we can expect from him this coming year.

Hi Jeremiah. What have you been up to in these first few weeks of 2021?

I feel like I’ve been trying to cleanse myself from the residue of 2020 mostly… that heavy energy definitely carried over into the new year for me. Mostly, just working on new music, trying to get some regular exercise in, spending time with my partner at our home in Baltimore and luring stray cats into my apartment – I’d really like to have a cat soon.

How does it feel now your single “Mama, I Don’t Wanna Go To Nashville” is out in the world?

It feels very satisfying to have finished the work. There can be so many obstacles between a song’s inception and delivery into the world. I’m just glad I didn’t over think it and sabotage the whole thing. At one point, I did almost let the song go altogether because I just couldn’t get the right take on vocals.

How long did you spend on the track? It’s such a beautiful yet simple song in its structure – but sometimes the simple things can take longer than those more complicated.

I actually wrote the song in just a few hours, but recording it took me about a week. I had to really pace myself so I didn’t get burned out or too discouraged with the track not turning out the way I wanted it to. I wanted it to feel effortless, light-hearted, whimsical, but damn did it make me sweat.

Were you perhaps inspired by any other musicians or forms of art and culture when writing this song?

I feel like I really drew inspiration from listening to The Roches, Labi Siffre, Art Garfunkel… There’s a spirit in their music that I think comes from this deep strain of American East-Coast and British folk music, it feels like home to me. And ultimately, I think that’s what this song is about – feeling at home.

You’ve said that this song is your “renunciation of the “fame machine”. Can you please elaborate on this?

HA! Yeah, the fame machine is almost synonymous to the American dream to me, only filtered through an entertainer’s perspective. I think for a while I had it in my mind that in order to be successful, I had to become famous, which may or may not be true. But I think it brings up an interesting question about what success really is. Is it synonymous with happiness? Is it a quantifiable external achievement or a state of mind? I guess I’m trying to play the game without becoming played by it maybe, in but not of.

I’d imagine part of its influence comes from your time from American Idol. Was it an experience you enjoyed on reflection?

I can’t say that I enjoyed it. I learned a lot from the experience, and it gave me some exposure. It put my song “Almost Heaven” in the living-rooms of millions of people around the world, which I am grateful for. And I think that song tapped into the hearts of a lot of hurting people who needed to hear it. So, I’m thrilled that I was able to be a part of something bigger than myself on one hand. But on the other hand, I feel like being thrusted into the public eye so dramatically was very traumatizing for me.

You had some amazing moments on the show from singing with Katy Perry to receiving praise from Elton John himself – that must have meant a lot to you.

Sure. I guess there’s a sense in which I felt validated on some level by all of that. I’m prone to be very self-critical, it’s like I always think I’m not good enough. But every now when I get really discouraged, I’ll remember that phone call with Elton John and use it as fuel to keep going.

Since then you’ve gone out independently. What does being an independent artist mean to you?

Well, at the time it was a choice between being independent or getting locked into a shitty contract. So, while running a business independently can be very challenging at times – and believe me, I’m not just doing it on my own – I’m grateful to own the rights and publishing to my own music. I hope it gives me some longevity.

Is this the first release of many for 2021? Any other plans for the year?

I’ve been working on lots of new music. But one of my new year’s resolutions was to not talk about my goals before I achieve them so I can’t tell you my plans just yet. You’ll just have to keep an eye out for whatever happens next.

Coronavirus has badly impacted the music industry with venues around the world having to close down, some permanently. How do you think artists & the industry as a whole can adapt to make the most of the situation?

I can’t speak on behalf of artists and the industry as a whole, but I can tell you I wrote a bunch, used my time in lockdown to heal some childhood trauma, volunteered at a permaculture farm down the road, and am still learning how to make my business more resilient by diversifying my income. If 2020 taught me anything as a musician, it’s that I can’t rely on gigs alone for my income anymore.

And finally, what has been the most unusual thing to happen to you since you started as a musician?

I’ve had lots of bizarre moments. But the weirdest was definitely singing Disney covers for Katy Perry dressed as Ursula from The Little Mermaid on reality TV. It doesn’t get more dystopian than that for me.

Give “Mama, I Don’t Wanna Go To Nashville” a listen below and for more information on Jeremiah Lloyd Harmon, visit his website, give his page a like on Facebook or follow him on Twitter and Instagram.