Stick with making music, singer Nathan Sykes tells pupils
5th October 2015
A 22-YEAR-OLD singer songwriter who performed in one of the borough’s schools this week is urging young people to stay passionate about making music.
Nathan Sykes, who was in boyband The Wanted until their split in 2014, played at Oasis Academy Enfield, in Mollison Avenue, Enfield Lock, on Monday.
The Prince’s Trust ambassador urged those with a passion for music making to keep it alive during their schooldays particularly if they have ambitions to pursue a career in show business.
Asked if he felt it was important to tell young people to have qualifications in the bag in case their ambitions do not work out, he said: “I wouldn’t say you need it as a fallback, but the skills that school teaches you are needed in the business. The music industry is a lot of hard work and education really helps with the job.
“English literature helps me with lyric writing. Business studies helps with knowing about being self-employed or starting your own business. All you learn at school – even just about how to concentrate and work hard – can be used in your life as a musician.”
Nathan describes himself as a passionate advocate for music education in schools and used his appearance in Enfield to urge young people not to be embarrassed to embrace their passions.
He told the Gazette: “You can be a bit nervous about what your friends think about your song or your drama performance, but I think it is so important to encourage young people to get creative and that is where fantastic music teachers come in who are passionate about the subjects they teach.”
The singer, whose debut solo venture Kiss Me Quick was released in July and reached number one in the US dance club songs chart, was impressed by the Oasis pupils.
“It is me and my guitarist up there and it was fantastic to see how involved the students were,” he added.
“I got to do a question and answer session after the performance and it was great how interested all the kids were.”
Nathan’s second single Over and Over Again will be aired on the radio in the next few weeks and he will be touring schools nationally as part of his work for the Prince’s Trust.
