If they were currently allowed to operate, Alfie Templeman, 17, would be too young to go to ‘the club’ – even if ‘the club’ is a funky disco based affair. However, by the time such nighttime establishments re-open, there’s a good chance young Alfie will be able to secure entry (his birthday is in January, ‘FYI’ – send cake – Ed). Which is a good job too, because this has been a very long-winded way of explaining that his new single ‘Shady’ is an absolute bop.
Working with Jungle’s Tom McFarland on co-production duties, it’s no surprise that it’s a bit of a groover. “It’s about trying to stay true to myself, doing what I wanna do in my life and trying to avoid all the arguments and shady people that come with it,” Alfie explains. “No more negativity, more making sense of the past and enjoying what the present has to offer.”
McFarland – whose band began their career on Alfie’s label Chess Club – added: “Working with Alfie on this track was really fun. We started collaborating together on ‘Shady’ as lock-down hit the UK so everything was very uncertain and weird but making music always helps you through those times. He’s a great kid with undeniable talent and I think this song really shows the world where he is heading artistically. I was very humbled that he wanted to work with me and that he was such a big fan of Jungle. It’s a privilege to work with people that you respect.”
The former Dork cover-star is having quite the year, racking up the love from all quarters. He’s got a debut headline tour next Spring – including an additional new date at London’s Camden Assembly on 3rd May, which you can grab tickets from here.
