Jack McManus

Jack McManus

Jack McManus is a British singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist from the United Kingdom, born in 1984. His music sits in pop and chart styles, and he is also associated with piano rock, indie pop and britpop.

Background and training

He attends the BRIT School, choosing it for its strong music focus and limited academic side. He develops a formal musical background, including the ability to read and write music and to play piano, drums and guitar, among other instruments. He also has classical trumpet training and takes part in award-winning youth orchestras. Before focusing fully on his own material, he works as a jobbing musician and songwriter, and also acts and plays trumpet in the musical 125th Street, which is set around the Harlem jazz scene.

Career

McManus starts out writing songs with the intention of selling them to other artists, but publishers encourage him to perform the songs himself. His debut album, Either Side of Midnight, is a self-penned release that appears when he is 23 and receives strong critical attention. It also gives him top ten airplay success and leads to appearances on television and at festivals including T in the Park and V. His music also finds an audience in Europe, including in the Netherlands.

He collaborates with Groove Armada and writes songs for Boyzone. He also spends time in Los Angeles writing with Jean Baptiste, known for work with the Black Eyed Peas, and with Scott Cutler and Busbee, who are associated with work for Katy Perry and Timbaland. One of his later singles, Heart Attack, is written and produced by McManus himself and mixed by Greg Wells.

Style and performance

McManus is described as a performer with a smoky voice and a low-key but charismatic stage presence. He plays piano as part of his live work, and he wants to lead his own show rather than only appear as a piano player in a band. He also has a record of formal musicianship that includes work on trumpet and involvement in orchestral settings.

Family and influences

Music is part of his family background. His father is a major pyrotechnician who works on fireworks displays for acts including Bon Jovi and Ozzy Osbourne, and McManus grows up around those shows. He also spends time at school with Amy Winehouse, Adele and Leona Lewis. In his personal life, he is in a long-term relationship with Martine McCutcheon, who is an award-winning stage performer and has a number one single. He says she is a strong creative influence and that they work well together.