Exclusive: Liam Horne Covers Prince’s “Nothing Compares 2 U”
Liam Horne has got the bad boy look down pat, but he’s got a soft spot for Prince.
The 20-year-old musician cites Prince as one of his biggest influences. Growing up in a housing project in Aberdeen, Scotland, Liam was surrounded by violence and negative influences from a young age. One of the things that always had a positive impact on him was music, and when Liam’s uncle and producer Graham Edwards convinced him to fly out to LA and pursue music, that’s just what he did.
“Music has always been a big part of my life,” explained Liam. “My neighborhood was tough and I was around a lot of bad stuff, but music was always an escape for me. I listened to everything from classic R&B to rock to hip-hop. I remember loving Al Green and Coldplay, but also hearing 2Pac and Eminem, and it all spoke to me and made me feel like there was so much more out there in the world than just the violence and sadness in my neighborhood.”
At 17, he wrote “Out of Town Girl” for Justin Bieber, and he has also written songs for Neon Hitch and Pixie Lott. Now 20, Liam is pursuing his own music and is currently recording an EP that will be out by the end of 2016. In the mean time, Liam has recording a cover in honor of the late Prince, check it out below, exclusively on Galore, along with some questions we had for Liam.
You wrote a song for Justin Bieber when you were only 17, how did that set you up for the musical career that you have now, three years later?
It was a great experience which I’m grateful for and of course writing for an artist with a platform like Justin’s has helped me get my foot in the door more. But since then I’ve taken time off from writing for other people to focus on my own music.
Can you tell us about Prince’s musical influence on you growing up?
it’s Prince, man. I don’t think you can do pop and R&B music and not in someway be influenced by him. He’s a genius. It’s so unfortunate the world has lost him so early.
At first glance, you definitely rock the “bad boy” image, do you think you live up to your looks? Why or why not? Why do you think girls love bad boys so much?
I don’t think of myself as a bad boy. I’m just me. People often associate tattoos with having a rebellious perspective. I do go against the grain, but that’s not from trying to be a bad ass, it’s just I don’t always agree with the norm. And some girls love bad boys because they feel a sense of danger.
What can we expect from your next EP?
I’m just pouring my soul out and hoping I move some people along the way.
