Rising Scottish singer and multi-instrumentalist Brooke Combe has found a new label home at Fontana. Here, she tells us about how her next record is coming together, and her mission to relight the fire of soul music in the UK...
INTERVIEW: Charlotte Krol
PHOTO: Sam Crowston
Congrats on your new single, Tears Won’t Lie. You’ve gone for a real northern soul vibe in the track and video – how did that come about?
“To be honest, it came to me rather than me coming to it. I wrote the tune and then, because the dancers in the music video are my friends, I wanted to get them involved. I hadn’t even been listening to any northern soul. I’m just a soul singer, a soul writer. And that’s all northern soul is – just undiscovered soul tunes, really. So it was quite fitting that, once it came out, the whole northern soul scene sort of adopted it and took me in. I think that’s maybe shaping things more for me going forward from this point.”
You released your debut LP in 2025, yet Tears Won’t Lie suggests you’re already working on its follow-up for your new label Fontana?
“Yeah, so Tears Won’t Lie will be on that album and I’ve got two more mastered tunes done at the minute. Then I’m back in the studio over the summer, just boxing it off. I’m in a really good flow with songwriting at the moment. The first album was me being a fly on the wall in somebody else’s relationship. This one is more about me – and delves into a more authentic [soul] sound. I’m really happy [with it]. It’s more ’60s sounding.”
And why did you decide to sign with Fontana?
“Fontana felt right to me because not only has it separated from Decca, so they’re really focusing on their own thing, like jazz and whatnot, but it’s also the label’s history – all the old jazz and soul artists. It’s quite a small team, even though it’s a major. I’m into that because I’m not going to speak to 30 people – there are too many [cooks] in the kitchen. So it’s great to have a small team who are all excited about soul. Britain, once upon a time, was absolutely pumping with soul music. I don’t see why it can’t be the case again. I’ve also got OCD. I’m bit of a control freak; a lot of this ship is still being steered by myself, which is how I want it. But at the same time it’s really nice to have my A&R, Rachel Holmberg, and to have more women on board who maybe understand women’s emotions a bit more than men do. Fontana are letting me do my thing!”
Your grandfather introduced you to Michael Jackson’s music when you were young, as well as books like The Motown Story and others on associated Motown acts. What impact did that have on you?
“Subconsciously, it worked its way into my soul. I became very obsessed with the likes of Smokey Robinson, The Temptations, Diana Ross, Stevie Wonder. My childhood was sound, but my mum and dad used to argue a lot. I think me playing all these instruments – because I’m the only person in my direct family who can play an instrument or is even this interested in music – is, on reflection, probably escapism. From, like, five years old, I was hitting things like a drum, and then I started trombone when I was about seven. That led me to tinkering with different instruments like the piano and guitar.”
Recently, you wrapped a sold-out headline UK tour, and will join Jalen Ngonda on his UK/European run later this year. How was your tour and how are you feeling about those upcoming shows?
“It’s been class – probably one of the best yet. It’s different now that the fans know the lyrics to the last album. The Jalen tour is acoustic – just me and my guitarist, Danny [Murphy] – so I’m actually looking forward to it even more, because there’ll probably be more time to connect with Jalen’s fans on a more intimate level. What really gets me going is the gigging. That’s what I live for. I just want to gig – and up the [level of the] venues. That’s a natural ambition to have. But also, to spread the soul thing; to be part of a community where people are blowing off steam by dancing and singing – something I’m not used to. It’s given somebody who struggles mentally so much light in their life. I just really want to pass on that positive vibration and message.”
