Stormzy says making his latest album was like “having therapy”.
The 29-year-old rapper released his third studio album, ‘This Is What I Mean’, last week, and admitted it was the first time the creative process of making a record felt like a therapy session.
He said: “It felt very refreshing and it felt therapeutic.
“A lot of artists say that it felt like therapy but it’s never really felt like that for me. I don’t know why but when I’ve heard artists talk about that I’m like ‘Ah that’s interesting’.
“For me, it’s just always been something I do and something I love but it’s never felt like going in and having therapy.
“And I think this time, it did feel like that, it felt like I had to be really still and be really self-reflective.”
But Stormzy also admitted making the album was “really stressful” at times.
During a stint as a guest co-host on Jo Whiley’s BBC Radio 2 show, he added: “In hindsight, there were times when it was really stressful.
“So my memory of the camp, it was really beautiful, we went away, we made the album, but when I get into the intricate details of it there was a really stressful time and a time when everything was weighing quite heavy.”
Last week, Stormzy asked people to listen to his new album with an “open heart”.
In a letter to accompany the release, he wrote: “I feel like I overshare, which makes me feel naked at times.
“But I do it so that you guys can understand me a bit better and to give the art that I make some context.
“People been tryna to box me in for years but I hope this chapter at least makes my biggest critic say, ‘Hey, he’s s*** but he loves music and I guess he’s gonna do whatever he likes.’ Lol.
“I pray you listen to this album with an open heart and if you hate it after I promise to God I’m perfectly fine with that, I’m just grateful you listened with openness. (sic)”