John Newman wants to take on Jake Bugg in a game of table tennis.
The ‘Love Me Again’ hitmaker, who will go up against the musician in the Best Male Solo Artist category at the BRITs tonight (19.02.14), claims he only wants to compete with him when it comes to ping-pong.
He told the Metro newspaper: "I’ve heard Jake’s really good at table tennis and I want to play him. I don’t want to smack him or fight him. I’d just quite like to play against him. I can hold my own. I could smash his a**e around the table!"
John, 23, feels "fortunate" to be nominated along with Jake, Tom Odell, James Blake and David Bowie, and insists Jake is the only BRIT rival he would dare confront.
He continued: "I wouldn’t want to take on James Blake. He is a quiet guy. Or Tom Odell – I love Tom Odell, he’s lovely. And David Bowie! Imagine punching Bowie. It would be the most surreal moment of your life and the biggest regret ever."
John insists he wouldn’t be bitter if Jake, 19, won the award at London’s O2 Arena because he feels he hasn’t yet had the recognition he deserves.
He said: "Jake hasn’t been credited for the brilliant work he has done yet.
"It is a tough category. I just see it as I am new blood and I feel fortunate to be nominated."
John is also up for Best Single for ‘Love Me Again’ and Best Video for the same song and said he never stops writing new songs.
He added: "I don’t like to stop song-writing or expressing myself and being creative – that’s why I do what I do.
"I don’t understand how people say, ‘I’m writing a new album’ – because surely you should write all the time? That way, you’ll have more practice, and can make an album with better material."
John Newman wants battle with Jake Bugg
