Newton Faulkner: 'The happiest man I ever met ran a bar on stilts in the middle of the sea'

Newton Faulkner, the Brit Award-nominated singer, reveals the best place for an airport delay, the "cultural desert" of east London and the most terrifying moment of his life. 

I love sharing moments...

...with random people. Travelling has taught me that people are fascinating and surprisingly nice, such as in Copenhagen earlier this week, where I chatted to strangers at a quirky vintage shop/café called So Last Year about the musical connections in their families.  

The happiest person...

...I’ve ever met was a man in Jamaica who owns this tiny bar on stilts in the middle of the sea, called the Pelican Bar. It’s unbelievably peaceful, surrounded by crystal blue waters and you can only just about see the land from the bar.

In different pockets...

...of the world I have local spots, like in Indianapolis in the US, where I always go for a wet shave at Red’s Classic Barber Shop.

Hamburg has a funky feel...

...and an instantly recognisable vibe, with loads of graffiti and skateboards on the streets. It’s a different kind of cool from what you get in party-centric Berlin and you won’t need to stay out ’til 4am to have a good time.

I’m aware of how crazy...

...I can be but the last holiday I did was completely on my own to a remote summer holiday village on the coast of Tonsberg (near Oslo) in Norway in the dead of winter last November when it was around 5F. I was all alone, with literally no on around, and I loved it.

Scotland is the most...

...beautiful place in the world and most relaxing for me. I love the prehistoric, unapologetically rugged feel of the landscape, with massive eye-shaped holes along mountains and yellow moss crawling up jagged peaks.

The best nights of my life...

...have been in Tokyo, which is the closest thing to being on another planet. I love to just wander around its streets, where you can see everything from Buddhist temples to alleys with hundreds of tiny bars, one of my favourites being Hemel Miyamasu, a random Belgian place.

Nashville is ridiculously cool...

...and the best city for music lovers. The best musicians you’ll ever see are usually sat just on the corner of cafés, casually playing the most amazing music, anything from country rock to jazz.

Mumbai is overwhelmingly fascinating...

...with the most incredible food everywhere you go, from street food to chai tea, made with all sorts of amazing unique spices.

Japan has the world’s most unique restaurants...

...such as the Ninja Akasaka in Tokyo, where a ninja drops silently from the ceiling by the entrance to serve you a menu before you are led to your table. The showmanship there is extraordinary, with sushi being served on a bamboo forest tower with loads of dry ice on the bottom.

I live in the cultural desert...

...of east London that is Bow, where I have to get on a train to get a proper cup of coffee. I’m not really a club or pub guy, but London is an amazing city for nightlife and I like going out in the cool bits of east London, like Hackney.

Malmaison hotels...

...have such a kinky vibe, with dark and velvet décor. I especially like the one in Glasgow.

The most terrifying moment...

...of my life was on a flight to Shetland on a tiny plane with about 20 passengers. I’ve never been more certain of my impending death as the plane flew sideways against harsh winds. My life flashed before my eyes around nine times for 30 or so minutes of terror.

If you have to have an airport delay...

...I recommend Singapore Changi, where I was once delayed for 12 hours. I spent the entire night at its amazing rooftop bar.

I splash water on the back of my neck...

after a flight to freshen up and also try to breathe in steam to rehydrate my lungs, even if it only means turning the kettle on and keep the lid off for a bit in your hotel room.

I travel with all kinds of strange items...

...like a frying pan and plug-in hob with me on tour. Being able to cook wherever you are in the world is so normalising.

I love being in the mountains...

...so I’d love to spend more time in rural Canada, as well as Scandinavia. I find Russia weirdly fascinating and want to see it one day too.

Hit The Ground Running, Newton Faulkner’s new album, is out now. See newtonfaulkner.com.

Interview by Soo Kim