Jake Bugg talks overcoming hardships for ‘Alamo’: “I’d spent so much time being an artist that I’d neglected being a human”

Jake Bugg has opened up about his “personal” new album ‘Alamo’, and explained how it made him confront his struggles and be more honest and vulnerable with listeners than ever before. READ MORE: Does Rock ‘N’ Roll Kill Braincells?! – Jake Bugg The seventh record from the Nottingham singer-songwriter marks his first since 2024’s ‘A Modern Day Distraction’, and revisits the same folk-tinged sound that first put him on the map with his Mercury Prize-nominated eponymous 2012 debut. While still holding onto the indie inflections that define his signature sound, the stripped back approach this time around opens Bugg up for a more intimate, country-leaning approach than usual. The gritty electronic guitar riffs across albums like ‘Shangri La’ and ‘Hearts That Strain’ have been swapped out for simple acoustic melodies, and paired with heart-wrenching lyrics detailing his struggles with trust, loneliness and creative burnout. “This is such a personal record, so I naturally gravitated towards that folky sound of my first record,” the Nottingham troubadour told NME. “That album was written about myself growing up, and that was something I wanted to keep in mind when I was making this record too. It had to be a record for me and something that I would want to listen to. That involved me being honest with myself.” Jake Bugg, ‘Alamo’ artwork As for whether it was difficult to bring his guard down and embrace some of his most personal struggles with album seven, Bugg explained that he was surprised by how naturally it came to him, to the point that he “even forgot I was making a record” at moments. “To be honest, it was surprisingly very easy,” he shared. “I think it’s because these things have always been there, but I hadn’t found the right way to articulate them up to this point. “The songs came together very naturally, and I enjoyed the process so much. The difficult part was deciding whether to release that into the world and share it with everybody or not. That’s where any apprehension and nervousness came from.”Recommended Check out the rest of the interview with Bugg below, where he also talks about wanting to spark a sense of comfort with listeners going through tough times, his thoughts on why more artists seem to be embracing country music in 2026, what to expect from his live shows and more. Jake Bugg. CREDIT: Kevin Westenberg NME: Hi Jake, congratulations on the album! Tell us about why you wanted to take such a personal approach this time around, with heavy themes like loneliness and mental health at the core? Jake Bugg: “It is very difficult to leave yourself vulnerable and to be so open, but also I felt a duty to do it. When I was growing up, I found so much comfort in a lot of the records I loved. I realise now how much they helped me, and I thought that I could be honest and help someone seek comfort in this album too, then that was something worth doing. “I’m sure there’ll be some sort of repercussions for being so open and honest these days, but in the bigger picture it is important to keep having these conversations.” A lot has happened since we were introduced to you as a 16-year-old songwriter. How would you say that you’ve changed as an artist? “I remember writing some of those earlier songs, especially on the first album, and thinking about how music had always been an escape for me, so touching on sensitive, close-to-home topics was always very difficult. It was great to work with Iain Archer [Snow Patrol] though because he helped drag those things out of me and make me more open to sharing some aspects of my life. “Now after years of working with many great writers, it’s allowed me to lean into that honesty more and more, and to be less cryptic compared to how I was in the past. It’s quite a liberating feeling and with age it becomes a bit more natural.” You said that this album comes after a tough few years for you, growing more weary of some of the people around you. What exactly do you mean by that? “Over the years, it’s been tough. I’ve spent so much time being an artist that I’ve neglected being a human, in a way. I’ve not acknowledged or spent time trying to process things that have happened in the past, whether that’s losing loved ones, things I care about or relationships. So it all built up, especially from being on the road so much and not really living a normal life. [But now I’ve] processed a lot of things and it’s coming together. “You don’t realise the tough times you’re going through until you come out the other side. So when I listen to these songs, it can be tough because it gives me flashbacks of where my life was. We all go through these things, but this album has given me the opportunity to acknowledge a lot of them.” And going through so much and tying to keep your head above water can inevitably lead to burnout… “Yeah, the whole time I was going through this record it was very difficult. Some days just getting to the studio and trying to feel 100 per cent in myself was difficult. One thing I am glad about though is that I did get the album out of it. “The actual process of making the record I really enjoyed… it was just the everyday [battle of] trying to find the energy and the strength to get up and get on with the work.” There seems to be a growing number of artists stripping things back and trying their hand at country music at the moment. What do you think it is that makes it so appealing? “For me it’s because something that I feel has been lacking for a little while, especially in modern music, is the aspect of storytelling. That’s something that I always gravitated towards when I was growing up. With some of my favourite artists, they weren’t the best singers, they weren’t the best musicians, but one thing I did pick up very early on was how they conveyed emotion through their storytelling and how people connect with that. “That’s something that I think a lot of people are starting to want again. A lot of people like to feel connected to a story and not to feel alone in their own lives. That’s what great songs that have a great message behind them are capable of.” Jake Bugg. CREDIT: Kevin Westenberg In an age of AI and idealised versions of ourselves on social media, country music does stand out as a very authentic approach to songwriting. Do you think that could play a factor too? “I think so. Whether consciously or unconsciously, we pick up on things being genuine. We hear music all the time, and I think people are starting to miss that human element of it. That’s something so important, feeling that emotion from somebody’s soul when they’re singing about something that means a lot to them. It’s that human element that connects us, but over the years, it’s being lost more and more.” Speaking of that human connection to music, what can fans expect from your 2027 tour dates? “It’s an acoustic tour, which I’m really excited about because, even though it’s more scary going on stage on your own rather than with a band, it’s also a lot more freeing in some ways. It gives you this freedom to play whatever you like in any way you like at any time. I’m not saying I’m gonna do a reggae version of ‘Lightning Bolt’ or anything, but I do want to expand the set as much as I can dynamically and play as much different material as I can from each record. “I’ll be playing plenty of old songs with these new ones, and I think this album has allowed me to put all of those different styles from each album into a live set that works.” Will you be reimagining some of those earlier tracks to fit the sound of ‘Alamo’? “I’ll always try and play them in their original form. I might add an extra verse or a chorus or something, but nothing too crazy because they already take on a different life of their own when you play them live.” View this post on Instagram Can we expect some covers of some classic country tracks in the setlist as well? “I probably will! That’s the great thing about doing the acoustic stint, you can do a lot more of that stuff and have a few covers on hand to throw in. I’ve just been sitting at home in the evenings going through old songs I grew up listening to and trying to pick a few ideas to hopefully play live.” Jake Bugg’s ‘Alamo’ is out on Friday November 13 via Thirty Tigers. Visit here for tickets to his 2027 tour dates and check out a list of shows below. February 6 – Albert Hall, Manchester 9 – 3Olympia, Dublin 11 –The Queen’s Hall, Edinburgh 14 – Old Fruitmarket, Glasgow 17 – The Glasshouse, Gateshead 18 – Sheffield City Hall, Sheffield 20 – Liverpool Philharmonic, Liverpool 21 – Bristol Beacon, Bristol 23 – Royal Concert Hall, Nottingham 26 – Union Chapel, London For help and advice on mental health: CALM – The Campaign Against Living Miserably Help Musicians UK – Around the clock mental health support and advice for musicians (CALL MUSIC MINDS MATTER ON: 0808 802 8008) Music Support Org – Help and support for musicians struggling with alcoholism, addiction, or mental health issues (CALL: 0800 030 6789) YOUNG MINDS – The voice for young people’s health and wellbeing Time To Change – Let’s end mental health discrimination The Samaritans – Confidential support 24 hours a day “Am I depressed?” – Help and advice on mental health and what to do next MITC – A collective of musician industry therapists TONIC Rider – Bespoke training and support for music industry professionals Help Musicians UK – Around the clock mental health support and advice for musicians Music Support Org – Help and support for musicians struggling with alcoholism, addiction, or mental health issues