Jack Garratt expresses to Atwood Magazine that “the most impactful songs, the most profound art, come from taking risks.” In his audacious third album, 'Pillars,' he lays bare personal struggles, transformative experiences, and the hard lessons learned, crafting a candid exploration of love, identity, and survival. In our candid discussion, Garratt delves into themes of ego death, the three foundational aspects of love that influenced his album, and the unyielding passion that inspired him to create his most fearless and intimate work to date.
Stream: ‘Pillars’ – Jack Garratt
“In the end, if you do the job right, you’re left with a scar. My songs aren’t flowers; they’re scars, and I take pride in them. They are beautiful and human for that very reason.”
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Jack Garratt has never been one to think on a small scale. As an award-winning singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and producer known for blending genres and pushing technological boundaries, Garratt has spent the last decade redefining what one individual can achieve both onstage and in the studio. He is undeniably a pioneer—part magician, part confessor, a blend of spectacle and sincerity. However, with 'Pillars,' Garratt has forged something entirely unique. He hasn’t merely challenged himself; he’s dismantled his own barriers.
Pillars – Jack Garratt
“It'll all be alright in the end,
So don't try to fight it, friend,
'Cause if it ain't alright,
It just ain't the end.”
– “Manifest/It’ll Be Alright In The End,” Jack Garratt
Pillars represents the most audacious, open, and victorious music of his career— a vibrant, confessional, and cathartic collection that resonates with both joy and vulnerability: playful yet painful, funky yet fragile, colorful and honest. It opens softly with a promise: “It’ll all be alright in the end / So don’t try to fight it, friend / ‘Cause if it ain’t alright, it just ain’t the end.” Garratt’s tender vocals soar over gentle piano melodies and glitchy production before the track bursts into an explosion of sound. This powerful introduction serves as a reminder of resilience, hope, and hard-earned renewal, setting the tone for what follows.
“This album means everything to me,” Garratt shares as our conversation begins. “I’ve had to fight through confusion and self-doubt, trying to find my place to get here. But now I know. Now I’m standing where I belong.”
Jack Garratt ‘Pillars’ © Wolf James
At its core, Pillars is an exploration of love—love for oneself, friends, romantic partners, and community. Garratt acknowledges that this is his most personal work yet; however, he resists limiting its scope. “I didn’t want this album to focus solely on heartbreak or pain. I wanted it to emphasize connection. I wanted it to highlight what brings us together.”
This essence shines through in “Two Left Feet,” one of the album's most jubilant moments. The infectious chorus—“come on baby, come give me a chance, 'cause I've got two left feet and I wanna dance”—appears playful on the surface, yet holds a poignant undertone: broken people need love too, broken people like me and you. Garratt lights up at the mention of the song: “That’s one of the tracks that I feel welcomes new listeners. It’s joyful and fun, but it’s also my admission of flaws. I wanted it to feel like a hug—like I’m saying, ‘You don’t need to be fixed to be loved.’”
In other tracks, the vulnerability is even more profound. In “Love Myself Again,” Garratt delivers one of his most sincere confessions: “Darling, you make me wanna love myself again.” He reveals that he almost didn’t allow that line to see the light of day. “I never thought I’d let a lyric like that come out of my mouth, let alone release it. But it’s the truth, and saying it out loud makes it real. It’s terrifying, yet liberating. That song represents me at my most exposed.”
“I’ve been struggling with everything / Shortchanged by happiness / and the light it brings / And when the light goes out / it only draws the black dog in / But darling you make me / wanna love myself again
I’m my own worst enemy / My cruelest critic can’t be half as cruel as me / ‘Cause when I write down my every word / it’s like we’re one and the same / But darling you make me / wanna love myself again”
– “Love Myself Again,” Jack Garratt
The emotional core of the album reflects Garratt’s own life. Between 'Love, Death &
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"The most impactful songs and art are those that take risks," Jack Garratt shares with Atwood Magazine. In his remarkably audacious third album 'Pillars,' he lays everything on the line, turning red flags, deep wounds, and hard-earned insights into an honest portrayal of love, identity, and resilience. In our deep and expansive discussion, Garratt reveals his thoughts on ego death, the three pillars of love that influenced his album, and the unwavering motivation that led him to create his most fearless and vulnerable music to date.