Pop
Interview: ADMT talks broken hearts, arena jitters and why Louis Tomlinson’s tour catering has ruined his mum's cooking
ADMT reflects on the making of his debut album, the personal stories behind his songs and how touring with Louis Tomlinson has shaped his journey so far.
ADMT (real name Adam Taylor) is preparing to release his debut album From Good To Bad And Then Back Again on May 15, marking a major moment in the Doncaster singer‑songwriter’s rising career.
Fresh from supporting Louis Tomlinson on his How Did We Get Here? tour, he speaks to ContactMusic.com about the long road to finishing the record, the real‑life experiences behind songs like Burn Brighter and Homeless — from factory and fish market shifts to heartbreak — and how therapy, hometown roots and creative honesty continue to shape his music.
CM: You are gearing up to release your debut album From Good To Bad And Then Back Again on May 15, why was now the right time to release it?
ADMT: It's been a labour of love, I guess the last year and a half, maybe, just writing the songs and stuff, and then I wasn't going to release an album. And then I just spent some time with myself, and I was like, Look what is so hard. I think sometimes when you're the artist, you're the person, but yet there's so many people around you, first of all, you trust, and also I'm the sort of person who I like to see other people's perspectives. So I was like, Maybe we don't release it. And I think I just sat with myself and it's like, Nah, I want to release it. So I think it's just got to point out, I guess in my career, where I'm like, I feel like people who follow me deserve that as well, to have, like, a body of something to listen to over just a song every now and again. But yeah, it's been a beautiful battle.
CM: The song Burn Brighter has been going down a treat on your support tour with Louis Tomlinson. Tell me about that track?
ADMT: Burn Brighter is about working in a place that just sucked the soul out of me. I think it was a great job, a lot of amazing people there, but, yeah, it just wasn't for me, and I wasn't living my truth. It was a really loud factory. There's loads of chemicals and dust, and it was my celebratory tune of breaking free. Sometimes you gotta take risks. I think nothing good ever happens from staying in your comfort zone. As much as I really like my comfort zone. I mean, it's really comfortable there. So Burn Brighter is my story of going like I had to leave and I had to break free and go to the top of the mountain, and just be myself. And I think that's really important. I think that's another thing that I like to try and lead with, is that regardless of what you're into, as long as it's like not hurting anyone, then everyone should be entitled to love what they love and enjoy life as they want to enjoy it.
CM: Homeless is heart-breakingly beautiful. Was that inspired by anyone in particular?
ADMT: It is about one person. We all experience loving, and we all end up heartbroken as well. And I think this was actually, I mean, a lot of the issues came through. I've done a lot of therapy since then, actually ... this person was my home in so many ways. And I think it just got to a point when I was writing the song with two really good friends of mine, I was just like, it just feels like you don't have anywhere to go anymore. It's grieving. It's the weirdest thing about losing someone, it almost feels worse than [losing someone], if I'm honest. God forbid, anyone ever loses anyone that they love. It was the hardest time. And I think I was struggling as well with my with my head at the time, and that was one of the reasons, I think. But there were many factors, and it sort of made me reflect on my whole being as a person.
CM: How surreal was it opening for Louis Tomlinson?
ADMT: I just have the strangest brain, I'm not sure, just ADHD, or I don't even know, I don't know how to process anything, so I'm just doing it and like, yeah, it's been the best experience of my life so far. Definitely up there. Like, you know, top two or three. It's beautiful, it's everything you would ever dream of. It's pinch-me. It's just silly imposter syndrome, going, do you deserve this? And like, there's all these things. It's just been such a blessing. I am beyond grateful to Louis. And, you know, for having me, he didn't have to do that. It's made all the world of difference to me and my life. It's insane.
CM: Have you had a chance to hang out with Louis backstage?
ADMT: Not yet. I mean, it's so busy, it's such a tight thing, and obviously sound checks and everything else you get there at a certain time. And, you know, I think Louis being Louis, like, you know, he's a megastar, it's always that thing of, like, this is his show. I'm sure he's got his own pressures and his own things. And I don't really want to be that guy. He's a Donny boy. And you know, you only ever hear great things about him, and we have chatted briefly in the past on social media, but I am sure we will at some point, but I'm not going to be knocking on his dressing room door like a weirdo at any point.
Credit: Avalon
CM: Are you getting the VIP treatment?
ADMT: Well, the catering on this tour on Louis' tour is unbelievable. I literally said to the boys, I've got to go back to my mum's cooking after this, it's gonna be horrendous. I love my mum by the way, buy she's not the best cook. It's been insane. It's like Disneyland, it's all anyone talks about. I've got a tour coming up. I was like, I wonder how much they cost to get them on my tour. If I've got a £50,000 budget for my tour, and these guys are £46,000, I think we should do it.
CM: How do you settle the nerves before a big arena show?
ADMT: I'll have a couple of beers because it just makes me not feel like a psycho, if not, I'm just doing laps, like 15 million things going on in my head at once, all arguing with each other. It's a terrible way to do it and I don't recommend anyone should do it. But for me, it works at the minute. Eventually, I don't want to do it right now with the pressures and everything else, just two bottles of beer before a show.
CM: Speaking of good things, he was praised by fans on the tour for offering refunds to those who bought restricted view tickets...
ADMT: I think it really shows character, because he didn't have to do that. And I think that shows you don't have these delusions of grandeur, or you don't think you're too good, like, you'll go, okay out of my pocket. I'll look after you, because that's the right thing to do. And I think that's really important and really special, actually, and almost I don't want to be like a pessimist, because I'm not. I'm an optimist, but I think it's not something you see all the time these days.
CM: Louis has in the past been an open book about not always being where he wanted to be sonically with his solo music after One Direction, is that inspiring to yourself and other artists coming through?
Massively. His latest album (How Did I Get Here?) is that thing that I always hope to, you know, to live in line with, and it's just honest. And it's like something that I always want to be is honest, whether I'm happy or sad or frustrated, we all feel these emotions as humans. So everyone feels them at some point, even if some people deal with them better than others, you know, like, it's still something we all feel. And I think it's really special that he just keeps it real, like, in a non cliche way, he's just honest. And I think that is the reason, or one of the reasons, alongside his talent, that people resonate with him. And I think that's really important.
CM: Fans know when you are not being authentic, don't they?
ADMT: [Laughs] I don't write about booties and strip clubs because I don't go to them.
CM: Like Louis, Yungblud has put your hometown of Doncaster on the map, hasn't he?
ADMT: I actually met him at Christmas, I was having a beer with his manager, and I met him, and he was absolutely lovely. I was just sat down. He came to me, which, again, shows humility. He said, Hey, nice to meet. I was like, for me again, these little gestures of just humility and honesty and realness, like they're the things that matter, like in humanity, they're the things that are super important, regardless of, you know, what we do for a living. He's a wicked guy.
CM: Did you coin the term Donny Swag?
ADMT: Potentially. It's a bit of tongue in cheek. Donny (Doncaster) is its own island. It's a weird place. Culturally, it's just such a mix of different people, different music lovers, different types of people. You know, there's affluent people, and the majority are working class people. I used to try and escape it constantly, as I needed to get out of this place so I could be myself, especially at school, I didn't really fit in and stuff. And then I think it just got to a point I was like, now you are part of where you come from. You can change, but it's part of the ingredient, even if some people think it's not the best ingredient. I think it's wicked. I'm embracing it.
CM: With album two coming soon, are you preparing for the next one yet?
ADMT: The two things I come back to in this is always creating music and playing music, and that's it. That's the best things about it. Everything else, you know, I love it, all parts of it, but there's also a lot of technical things going on, you know, whether it's social media or whatever.
I always say, being in this industry to a certain level, is 95 per cent b******s, and then there's five per cent doing the thing you love. And I think you just gotta hold on to that. But yeah, as soon as I get time, I'll be back writing. I miss it. I love it. I'm not addicted to anything really in life, but that's something that I need.
CM: You've done therapy, does that help with songwriting?
ADMT: Massively. It definitely helps with with my perspective, perspective on self, and also how I go into the world, and how I come across to people. I've sort of second guessed myself, my whole life, in lots of ways. But yeah, the therapy has been life changing for me. I've made a lot of mistakes, a lot a lot of mistakes. I think it's really important that you address those with yourself, and make your peace with that as much as you can.
CM: What's on your bucket list after playing arenas?
ADMT: So many things have happened that would have been bucket list. Like this tour is one. But like, playing arenas was the dream. Do you know what I mean? And like to say that I just did it last night, and then the night before and a couple of nights before that. Stadiums would be the dream. You know, obviously, I think it's one of those things where I look at this and go my ambition has always been to do stadiums. I think the way we speak to ourselves is important. I'm not being arrogant or anything else. I've worked with Ed Sheeran's producer that was a bucket list.
ADMT's album From Good To Bad And Then Back Again is released on May 15. Check out his 2027 headline tour dates here.
