Will Joseph Cook: 'Girls Like Me' video premiere

Singer-songwriter from Kent crafts impressively mature pop lyrics to match his equally-impressive voice

Will Joseph Cook/Press image (Will Joseph Cook/Press image)

It's really difficult to get past the fact that Will Joseph Cook is still only 18-years-old.

The singer-songwriter from Kent crafts impressively mature pop lyrics to match his equally-impressive voice.

Since his first two EPs he's been working on new material, including the wonderful "Girls Like Me" - the video of which we're premiering on The Independent.

Cook says of the video: "In the middle of a north sea storm on an overnight ferry to Rotterdam, warmed only by the dim glow of an ‘I’m a Celebrity’ repeat showing; the idea of speed dating myself in drag finally came to me*.

"The video for Girls Like Me stars myself and my friends/lovers - Kaby and Billy. I got to wear many outfits but only got to use glitter once (its really hard to remove). It’s coming out this week and was a shit tonne of fun to make, so I hope you like it."

*true story."

Watch below and let us know what you think.

Q&A with Will Joseph Cook

What have you been listening to recently?

I went to an Ed Banger Records night recently and have just been binge listening to all their artists, rediscovering and discovering some smashers. The last thing I listened to on my iPod was So Lonely by The Police. Also, I know I’m pretty late to the game, but the latest Alabama Shakes album is super good and I’ve been listening to that a bunch.

Are you doing any festivals this summer?

Definitely! Lots of bookings coming in, it’s really exciting. As well as a couple of the bigger festivals, we plan to get out and do a lot of smaller ones this year (all of which I will be announcing soon). I'm off to Austin for SXSW in a couple of weeks which is beyond mad, and I’m also really looking forward to playing The Great Escape again in May as I didn’t get the chance to last year. Winter sucks, the only good thing about it is the clothes; summer is definitely my element, I can’t wait.

What are you looking forward to for the rest of 2016?

Playing a tonne of shows. I’m also releasing my album, so I guess pretty much everything that comes with that. Meeting people, seeing the world a bit more and sharing the music.

What was the first gig you ever played, and what’s been the best so far? The first gig i ever played was at a local live music night called The Grey Lady in my hometown Tunbridge Wells. I was 14 at the time, after that I played regular shows there for years. I still do sets there now when I have the time. One of my most enjoyable shows, off the top of my head, was at the Lock Tavern in Camden. Only a few people there had actually come to see us play but by coincidence a massive group of Canadians showed up. Everybody danced and the night became an unexpected party.