Stormzy doesn’t want to put himself on a "pedestal".
The 24-year-old grime artist has recently emerged as one of the UK’s biggest music stars, but Stormzy – whose real name is Michael Owuo – is determined to stay in touch with his roots.
The London-born musician – who has members of the public starring in his video for ‘Blinded By Your Grace Pt.2’ – explained: "In the video we’ve got the local community, and a lot of supporters who came down, which is so important for me."
Stormzy is intent on staying in touch with his community and was thrilled to have the public appear alongside him in the distinctive-looking video.
He said: "I never want to be this artist who’s on this pedestal, where I’m so over there, and so famous, with ten security guards around me that you can’t get to me, I was like ‘nah man’, I would love to keep that same essence no matter what I’m doing.
"If I can bring people together, like my supporters for this, and everyone can come together and we all sing – I was like ‘that will be beautiful.’"
Meanwhile, Stormzy previously insisted he deserves the same level of respect afforded to artists such as Frank Ocean or an Adele.
Of his debut album ‘Gang Signs & Prayer’, he said: "This album is good, this is incredible, this is heartfelt, this has been put together so well, so strategically, so neatly, so creatively – so respect me the same way you’re going to respect a Frank Ocean or an Adele."
Stormzy’s ‘Blinded By Your Grace Pt. 2’ music video was created in partnership of Nokia’s #UniteFor campaign, bringing people together in disconnected and divided times.
Stormzy: I don’t want to be on a pedestal
