Jamie T concedes that taking his shows across Europe is not financially viable for him.
Since Brexit, it has become costly for British artists to perform in the EU, due to extra paperwork, higher transport costs and border-related charges, and the indie icon doesn’t earn a large amount from royalties to fund those gigs.
He told The i newspaper: “I do receive some royalty checks, but they’re not substantial. We do generate revenue from [concert] tickets. That’s the main source.”
“Gigging is expensive, because I’ve got a band. I can’t tour Europe anymore. I don’t think we’ve been back there since Brexit.”
While he’d love to tour outside the UK and is trying to figure out a way to make it happen, Jamie T admits “the numbers don’t add up at the moment.”
He added: “I want to keep the band employed, too. And albums don’t stick around as long as they used to. It feels like they’re released and then disappear. Which is all right for me, because I mostly enjoy writing records these days. That’s where I feel happiest.”
“Yeah, it would be nice to tour more. But I’m getting older now. I can’t really complain. I’ve been in it for 20 years. I’m happy to still be here.”
Jamie T became a poster boy for noughties-era indie as a teenager—with hits like Sheila and Sticks and Stones—and his new album, Ghosts (100 Days of Morning), is his way of closing that chapter of his life.
He spoke about the record, out Friday (09.10.26): “It’s hard to grow up as a musician when you start so early and you’re known for things you wrote when you were 17.”
“So I was keen to make one last record that looked back on those times. In order to tie it up in a bow, and maybe move on a bit.”
