ScottishNews.com

The independent artist has built his career from the ground up, playing small venues and busking before going on to sell almost 100,000 tickets across Scotland.

Ahead of his upcoming show at the Barrowland Ballroom, Callum spoke to Scottish News about his journey, his new music, his love of Glasgow and the advice he would give his younger self.

You’ve had a huge year, playing the Hydro and Edinburgh Castle. What has it been like?

It’s been the most turbulent, but amazing year of my life.

We started out selling 20 tickets five years ago and now we’ve headlined Edinburgh Castle.

I used to busk outside of the castle, waiting for the fans to come out so I could hand out demos for free that I’d printed at home. That was 16 years ago.

To think I always believed I’d be able to do my own concert there one day was incredible.

Then obviously the Hydro as well. When you walk out and you’ve got 14,000-odd people going bananas, you’re thinking, “What the f***?”

What does it feel like hearing thousands of people singing your songs back to you?

It’s incredibly emotional.

I know people know my songs, but they shouldn’t really, because I’m an independent artist. When I put a song out, there’s no budget behind it.

It’s just me trying to promote it myself on Instagram and stuff.

If you’ve got a record label, you can have millions thrown behind a single. I’m putting a few hundred quid into it if I’m lucky.

So when you walk out and play to that audience, it’s mind-blowing.

Your new album is called Indi. What does that mean to you?

I wanted to call my album a word that didn’t actually exist.

It’s a take on indie music and being independent as an artist, following your heart and making things happen for yourself.

You don’t need all these people around you to make it work. You just need yourself, your guitar, a bit of belief and some bloody good songs.

All my songs are about real life - whether it’s love, family, childhood or people.

I like writing about real things.

You’ve always spoken about creative freedom. Is it difficult working in an industry that is constantly changing?

It’s one of the hardest industries in the world.

There’s no map to make it successful, and the industry changes every five years.

When I started writing songs, people were going into shops and buying records. Now it’s about trying to get your record heard by the masses and being clever about it.

A lot of music now is designed around getting that instant reaction.

What I’m trying to do is find the middle ground where I can have a 25-second intro, keep people interested and take them on a journey with the song.

You’ve sold almost 100,000 tickets around Scotland. Why do you think Scottish audiences connect with you?

I think it stems from my childhood. My dad was a very kind, caring person and a softie, really, and I’m exactly the same.

I genuinely care about people and I want to help them, whether that’s through charity work or whatever.

It’s not about me, me, me. It’s about how I can live my dreams but give everything back as well, in ways that I can afford to do.

I think people see that.

What has been your biggest pinch-me moment?

Definitely the Hydro. It didn’t even feel like it was me.

I had a full-on meltdown on stage, crying, because it was this release of years and years of hard work to finally go, “I did it.”

And I did it myself, with my manager. We weren’t given a shortcut. We were going around every social club in Scotland and grinding it out for years.

So when we finally got there, the release was beyond relief.

What does playing the Barrowland Ballroom mean to you?

My family are all Glaswegian, although I was brought up outside Edinburgh in a wee fishing town.

I feel like Glasgow has adopted me and everybody sees me as a Glaswegian now, or I’d like to think that!

It’s probably the most prestigious venue in Glasgow, so I’m very grateful to be playing there.

You’ve spoken about meeting Robbie Williams backstage. What did that experience teach you?

It taught me that the anxiety and all those feelings when you come off stage never really leave you.

Robbie has this persona on stage, but when we were talking backstage he was actually very similar to me.

He was looking for reassurance afterwards - “I was good, I was good.”

It made me realise that even if I’m doing this as long as Robbie has, that feeling is never going to leave me.

What would you tell a young Callum Beattie who was busking and playing small gigs?

Don’t be scared to show who you actually are.

For a long time I didn’t, because I was scared people wouldn’t like me. But that’s what they’re going to love anyway.

I should have done that a long time ago.

You’ve spoken about your school days and how a teacher helped you realise you could write. How important was that?

I always felt like I had something to prove.

I left school with no qualifications, but I was determined to make something of myself.

I remember being in the bottom-tier English class and writing a story. The teacher read it and asked, “Who wrote that?”

She moved me into the top class. I’ll always remember walking into that classroom and everybody laughing when they were told Callum was coming in.

I’ve always been on this mission to prove people wrong and make something of myself.

Do you still have connections with teachers from school?

I’ve had teachers turn up at gigs. One teacher in particular is at every bloody gig and she’s lovely.

There was also a teacher who encouraged me to join a school band. He was at the Hydro and told me he was proud of me.

He said, “I always knew you had something, I just didn’t realise what it was going to turn into.”

That makes me emotional.

Where would you recommend for a night out in Glasgow?

I love Argyle Street, around the Finnieston area. Even if I’m going myself for a pint, I’ll pop my head into the Islay Inn.

Then there’s the Ben Nevis for a wee whisky, and loads of great restaurants around Finnieston.

I find it quite calming. I like listening to the traditional bands and the musicians sitting in the corner with their fiddles.

I love all that stuff.

What does Glasgow mean to you?

You can travel around the world, but if Glasgow’s home, you always come back.

When I first moved to Glasgow, I’d been in London, Budapest and Berlin, and I was quite lonely. But once I started working on myself and understanding myself, Glasgow felt completely different.

Now when I walk through Glasgow, it’s like everything is in HD. I couldn’t be in a better place in the world.

I know I was always supposed to be there, and I’ll probably be there for the rest of my life.

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