“There’s not much new music based on the afternoon of life.”
Twenty years after his debut, Jack Savoretti, now residing near Chipping Norton in Oxfordshire, admits he was “very prepared for nobody really caring” about his ninth album, *We Will Always Be The Way We Were*. However, upon its release in April, the album climbed to number 2 on the UK Official Albums Chart, building on the success of his previous chart-toppers: *Singing to Strangers* in 2019 and *Europiana* in 2021. Ahead of his autumn tour across Europe and the UK, the singer-songwriter reflects on creating music for “the mothers and the fathers in the world” and his first collaboration with long-time friend KT Tunstall.
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Savoretti likens the thematic choice for his latest album to “a bit like leaning into a midlife crisis.” He observes, “As great as the music is right now, there’s not much that I listen to that I relate to.” He expresses admiration for contemporary UK artists like Sienna Spiro, Olivia Dean, Sam Fender, and Lewis Capaldi, noting their youthful themes. At 42, Savoretti draws from his own life experiences: becoming a father of three, mourning his own father, and navigating the concerns of middle age.
“I don’t know if there’s much music for all the mothers and the fathers in the world, especially for men,” he shares. “I felt like as a man, there wasn’t much music that I could lean on during these strange times in my life. I really wanted to make an album that was useful to anybody in the afternoon of life.”
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The album’s title reflects Savoretti’s philosophy that individuals may not change fundamentally but, “hopefully, they grow.” He recounts his apprehension before releasing the album, following a previous Italian-language project: “I was very prepared for nobody really caring about it. I was like, is anybody still interested?” The overwhelmingly positive reception from his fanbase, he says, deeply moved him.
During the album’s release week, Savoretti found himself competing for the top chart position with Grammy Award winner Olivia Dean, whom he notes is a favourite of his 14-year-old daughter and niece. “They couldn’t believe that papa was in this and I couldn’t believe it,” he shared.
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Savoretti marked another significant milestone with his solo performances at the Royal Albert Hall in April and May. “The first night really surprised me how emotional it actually made me,” he recounts. His wife and children were present, and his five-year-old daughter’s innocent question, “Why is papa walking on this stage right now?” profoundly affected him. “That really choked me up – had a lump in my throat for the whole show, but it was cool.”
John BirdSavoretti attributes his current contentment to his Cotswolds home, stating it has “a lot to do with just me loving life.” He finds the area reminiscent of his childhood in the Swiss village of Carona, near Lake Lugano, which instilled in him a deep appreciation for natural beauty. “Which is why I think I am who I am because I would sit in a classroom [where there were] a chalkboard and a window,” he says. “I always wanted to look out the window because it was so beautiful.”
His and his wife, actor-turned-painter Jemma Powell’s, move to the Cotswolds from London was “quite instinctive.” They found their children thriving in the rural environment and made the decision to stay, a move that has now lasted 11 years. “It was very impromptu… and we said ‘Let’s try, we’ll do it – in six months, if it doesn’t work, we’ll go back’ – that was 11 years ago.”
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His upcoming tour, the largest of his career, commences in Zagreb in September and concludes in Birmingham in November, with stops in cities across Europe including Athens, Milan, Berlin, Amsterdam, and Paris. Prior to this, Savoretti expressed excitement for the State Fair in Chelmsford, running from June 26-28, where he will share the stage with artists he admires: “Alanis Morissette, Skunk Anansie, and Sierra Ferrell who are three of my favourite acts all on the same line up.”
The event also features Scottish singer KT Tunstall, with whom Savoretti has collaborated on the single “Tempting Fate,” released on Friday. Savoretti sought a “strong, powerful voice” to complement his own and highlight “the struggle of the male and the female.” He explained, “I’ve always wanted to work with KT and I just thought this was the first song I felt confident to reach out to her with.” Tunstall commented that it was her “first time I’ve sung on such a soul-inspired track, and Jack’s voice just blew me away and moved me to up my game.”
“We’re both celebrating 20 years of career, so it just felt like a no-brainer,” Savoretti added. “I think consistency and longevity was something I always craved, so to actually feel like we’re achieving that is really rewarding.”
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Getty ImagesBusiness Style Takeaway: Jack Savoretti’s successful pivot to thematic music that resonates with an often-underserved demographic in their “afternoon of life” highlights a significant market opportunity. Brands and executives can learn from this approach by identifying and authentically connecting with mature consumer segments, offering products and messaging that acknowledge their life experiences and evolving needs, rather than focusing solely on youth demographics.
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