JAKE MORRELL has just been voted ‘Best UK Male Artist’ by the UK Country Spotlight Awards. Hearing Jake’s new single, ‘THIS HOUSE’, provides a timely indication of why. It is a beautifully written, produced and sung tribute to growing up in his own family home, but also an appreciation of the sanctuary that one’s home can be – and possibly has been for many over the past year in lockdown. As Jake reflects: ‘I had just got the news that my parents after nearly 30 years were selling our family home and moving on to a new adventure. So I immediately called up my friend and co-writer Sue McMillan and said, I’ve just got this news and I need to write a song about it’. So we did. ‘I talked about the adventures we had in this magical place where I grew up. The parties, the food, the squabbles, how the house changed over the years and every detail I could remember. Like the doorway in the kitchen where dad would mark our height over the years, that never got painted over, so you could see every single shade of paint the kitchen had been. We used to have incredible Sunday roasts and Christmas dinners with family, friends and anyone else who happened to just turn up. The kettle was always on, ready to welcome anyone who needed a cup of tea and a chat. And even though the house changed over the years with extensions, different layouts and people coming and going. The energy never changed, it was a sanctuary for anyone who needed it, a place of love, light and laughter. Bring it forward to 2021, we’ve all been almost ‘trapped’ in our houses for quite some times due to the ongoing pandemic. But we should be thankful if we have such places where we are safe and comfortable during these unpredictable times. I hope this song reminds you of good memories and plenty of nostalgia!’. Jake was discovered by Dermot O’Leary, and has built up a devoted following via his irresistible string of instantly memorable singles, and his joyous live shows. He and his energetically harmonious band have been a favourite at all the big Country festivals, notably becoming a regular at the 02’s Country2Country where he has shown that a home-grown Brit can also deliver what the best of Nashville brings – great songs, a warm and evocative voice – but unmistakeably a Brit. As Jake says in one of his most defining songs, ‘I’m just an Englishman Trying To Write a Country Song’. And the new single, ‘THIS HOUSE’ is a perfect example.