In early 2020 we spoke to Aitch ahead of what should have been his debut tour. His meteoric rise to a rap star with global appeal was irresistible. His excitement was unmistakable and infectious. We were ready…

Just over two years on and the déjà vu is palpable. Aitch is finally coming down under and *spoiler* he has an album on the way, too. With new tunes, a budding romance and an imminent Australian arrival to talk about, we leaped at the opportunity to catch up with Manchester’s razor-tongued, baby-faced starboy. Read on for juicy album deets, dating advice and more.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MpuIKVn5rsU

How’s it going? Where are you at the moment?

I’m good. I’m at the studio right now in Manchester, just working on this album. I’m just finishing it off which is sick. I’m excited and I can’t wait for people to hear it, it’s some of the best music I’ve ever made.

I saw you were in LA recently. Was that business or pleasure – or maybe a mix of both?

Well, originally I was there to watch the Superbowl, and then I ended up filming a video out there. LA is sick. I like to get out there, it’s good vibes.

You may not remember this but we got to have a similar chat when your original Australian tour was announced at the start of 2020 and then obviously things got pushed back with covid and everything. You’d also just been in LA that time, but you weren’t allowed to say what you’d been doing there. We know now that you were there to do ‘Rain’ with AJ and Tay Keith which was a massive moment for you. How have things changed for you since then?

A lot has happened since then. Obviously, it was shit. Just recently, like the last festival I did, I performed ‘Rain’ for the first time in over a year because of covid and what not. I got a lot of downtime and I was still working and stuff but it felt like right after ‘Rain’ that covid really hit so for me it was just the same as everyone else – I was still doing my thing but obviously not as active as I was before that. But yeah man, things have changed, everything is going well, I’m still putting sick music out and yeah, I’ve been in the studio near enough every day.

It’s good to hear you’ve been able to take some positives from that. From the outside, one aspect that’s been an interesting one has been your evolution from the rising star to really being in your element and the one who’s able to bring people up. The A1 x J1 ‘Latest Trends’ remix springs to mind. How has that been for you?

I don’t really deep it too much to be fair. I think it’s just one of those ones where I naturally got older over the last couple of years. With the A1 x J1 thing I just thought it was sick, you know what I’m saying? Now I’m in a position to actually help people instead of them helping me. It’s only right I do those things. Especially because sometimes people come into the game and don’t feel comfortable around other rapers or feel comfortable speaking to other rappers because everyone’s got an ego or everyone’s busy. So I just thought it would be good for me to do.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aBL6Cz8nTgo

You can see from the video how much that meant to them. It’s been a long wait but you’re finally coming to Aus. It’s a long flight, as I’m sure you know, talk to me about your travel essentials and what you’re expecting once you get here.

Off the top of my head: just pack hella shorts and t-shirts and get as drunk as possible before the flight so I can sleep for most of it. And then just see when I wake up, how long is left, and deal with it from there. That’s the only thing I’m kind of not looking forward to is the flight.

I can’t wait though, you know. I’m excited. Everyone I’ve spoken to that’s played out there says it’s lit. I think it’ll be even more lit because I was supposed to come over a couple of years ago now and it all got cancelled so I feel like the fans have been waiting to see me out there. Yeah man, I’m excited and I think it’s going to be a good tour.

There are some huge names on the Splendour In The Grass lineup – have you had a look at the lineup and do you know who you’re excited to see?

I swear Liam Gallagher is on there. It’s definitely good to be at the same festival as him. To even just perform in Australia is something I’ve been excited about for ages. From what I’ve heard, music from the UK is massive over there, and at the end of the day we speak the same language so in a way it will feel like I’m at home, but a little bit warmer.

Hopefully, the weather is good for you. It’s interesting that you went for your hometown hero there, because Splendour does have a bit of everything. Tyler is headlining, so are The Gorillaz, Jack Harlow, and from the UK side there are artists like Joy Crookes and Yungblud so there’s really a mix. For our local artists, it’s a cool experience as well. Are there any Aussies you’re looking forward to seeing or linking up with?

I’m not sure if he’s on the Splendour lineup but I can’t wait to meet Nerve. But yeah Nerve, Hefs and Chillinit. I’m excited to meet those three.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rGwqbeTLzIM

Talk me through your pre-game for a big festival set. How do you get yourself in the right mindset?

To be fair, I don’t have much of a pre-show ritual, I kind of just chill out. I know this sounds weird but I eat a lot of fruit and chocolate – don’t ask me why, it’s just one of those things – and then I don’t know I might have a little alcoholic beverage. Just one, just a little shot before I go on to fire me up a little bit. Not all the time, but sometimes. And yeah I just go out there. I feel like I don’t even actually think about it until I’m actually stood on stage.

A particular fruit and chocolate – or does it change?

Usually grapes. I eat a lot of grapes. Grapes, oranges, and dairy milk. And then sometimes a shot of Hennessy just to set it off.

You’ve got to get the settings right. I also want to talk about your new song, ‘Baby’. It obviously heavily samples an Ashanti classic. What is it about ‘Rock Wit U’ that really drew you in?

It’s just a sick song in general. I’ve always known that song and listened to it, but when I heard the beat and they played that sample, it just made sense in terms of what I was going through at the time. It just gave me a feeling to put that message out. At the end of the day, it’s a sick song, so it was a no-brainer.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dTdUqNE35S4

It has a classic RnB feel to it – is this maybe the start of a new direction for you or are you just having some fun with it and keeping us on our toes?

I’m just doing everything. I don’t even know what my sound is. Different people would say my sound is different things. One person might say Aitch does UK rap club kind of vibes. And another would say they prefer Aitch on drill music. I’m just doing a bit of everything. Whatever I feel at the time is best is what I’m going to put out.

I hear that. Ja Rule might not like this one, but now that you also have a number one song with Ashanti do you think that you’re finally in a position to save FYRE Festival?

[laughs] I’m not going to take that job on just yet.

You had a bar on there where you say: ‘Still boujee, she ain’t tryna wait ’til Christmas for gifts’. Is that a reference to Ashanti’s love of Christmas?

No, it’s not actually. That makes sense though. That’s the first time I’ve thought of that, now that you’ve said it but I can’t take credit for that if I’m honest.

Did you know she has two Christmas albums? Maybe more. There are two that I’m aware of. There’s no follow-up question, that’s just a fun fact.

No I had no idea. That bar wasn’t even influenced by that. It just rhymed well to be fair.

It sits well in there. I know what you mean. We can move on from the Christmas talk because I also want to ask about the clip for ‘Baby’ which has a really good twist to it. It ends with you taking your romance with one of my favourite internet personalities, Amelia Dimoldenberg, to the next level. Where did the idea for the clip come from?

That was a group decision. Between me, my creative director and my manager. I don’t know 100%. I can’t remember what it stemmed from but everyone is always talking about us and everyone’s been wanting us to be together and what not. It just made sense. It was only right. Everyone obviously thought when the doorbell rang it was going to be the same girl from throughout the clip. When it’s Amelia, it’s just like, ‘oh shit’.

How do you feel about Amelia going on dates with other rappers?

[laugh] We’ll see how that goes.

[laughs] He said no comment. It’s funny though, so you go on Chicken Shop Date like 2-3 years ago, you hit it off and it kind of bubbles away in the background, and now look at you. Is there a better setting for a first date than a chicken shop? If so, what is it?

Well clearly it worked out for me but the chicken shop might not work out for everyone else. Food is a risky one because you could end up with food in your teeth and that could put people off. Food can be a scary one. Maybe you need to do an activity like bowling. You can’t really go wrong with bowling. Maybe there’s no such thing as a perfect first date. Maybe you’ve got to just fight through it whatever it may be.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fnZc88p2xKI

That’s a hallmark bar. Do you have any other advice for our unlucky in love readers?

Personally, I’d just say be yourself. If the other person doesn’t like and accept you for who you are, then they are not the one for you.

And finally, following the release of ‘Baby’, what have you got cooking? Is there anything you can tell us about that album?

The album is going to be sick. My fans will love it. It’s showing a bit of a different side to me. There are definitely going to be a few more tracks out by the time I’m in Australia. Hopefully I can even tease some stuff out there that’s yet to come out.

I’m sure that will go down well. Do you have a title for the project yet or a rough timeline?

The album is called Close To Home. Release wise, it’s probably like 90% dropping in August. So just after I get back from Australia. I’m pretty sure you’ll get some teasers while I’m out there on stage. I’ll be testing the waters.

I don’t know if I’m going to put this in the article but I’m just curious. You got to play in Soccer Aid last year which is obviously an amazing cause, but it also means that technically you’ve played for England, and in the same team as Wayne Rooney – where does that sit on your list of all-time achievements?

Definitely up there. Definitely top five. 100%. I played with Rooney, Scholes and Gary Neville, so yeah. Especially being a United fan it has to be top five.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lHEmfADJiOI

Catch Aitch at Splendour in the Grass or cop tickets to his debut Australian tour via Secret Sounds here.