Rory Graham has been getting a lot of buzz these days -- although you might know him better as Rag 'n' Bone Man. The singer/songwriter from East Sussex, England recently released his debut studio album Human, which features the title track and his latest single "Skin," and at this year's Brit Awards was named British Breakthrough Act, and also took home the Critics' Choice Award. This soulful, bluesy artist is definitely one to watch out for this year.
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Rory's name Rag 'n' Bone Man was inspired from British TV show Steptoe and Son, which he used to watch with his grandfather. The show is about a father and son's rag-and-bone business, which as Graham describes is 'someone who traditionally went around on a horse and cart, and they took other people's rubbish, like scrap metal, all kinds of stuff." The show was remade in the US as Sanford and Son. Rory explains, "The name Rag 'n' Bone Man seemed kind of synonymous with blues artists, the way their name sounded. Like, I remember flipping through my dad's records and seeing Bessie Smith, and John Lee Hooker, and Sonny Boy Williamson. And I heard Rag 'n' Bone Man, and I was like, it sounds like that, rhythmically, when you say the word. So, it just stuck."
Rag 'n' Bone Man's debut studio album Human includes 12 tracks -- 12 of which he narrowed down from a "plethora of songs" from which he would have no problem making another album out of -- and features his latest single "Skin." Human is already certified platinum in the UK and France, and Rory explains the meaning behind its title:
"I called it Human because I wanted every song to have a human element. It has to come from a real place, or from a real situation, no matter what the song's about. I'm kind of glad I achieved that. It means that all the songs have something behind them."
Watch Rag 'n' Bone Man's "Skin" music video below:
Photos: Getty Images & Rachel Kaplan