Tom Odell’s stress antidote

For so many years, I lived out of a suitcase and was never in one place for more than a couple days. Some have to partake in adventure, but there just came a time when I wanted to stay home for a bit. I discovered that comfort of putting the key in the door and feeling like you’re entering your own little world. I had so much inspiration right on my doorstep.

I like to read a lot, so I’ll pick out some books before I head out on tour. I like to jog, do yoga, and meditate. I started doing transcendental meditation about two years ago.

It has a massive, positive effect. I do it once or twice a day. It’s perfect for someone with my lifestyle, constantly traveling and in studios. It’s an antidote to all of that; it gives me a calm mind. I feel very lucky that I’ve found meditation.

I don’t know if it’s conscious, but I’m searching for the truest thing I can say. It’s quite instinctual. It’s always a weird process for me and each song is different. For “If You Wanna Love Somebody,” I wrote a few pages of verses, which is quite common. I’ll write more lyrics than I’ll use. Then I’ll go through singing them and try to feel which ones work.

If I listen to anything by Bruce Springsteen, I feel inspired. The same thing happens with Leonard Cohen, Joan Armatrading, Nina Simone, Tom Petty, and Tom Waits. There’s a richness to their music. If someone were to go through my record collection, you wouldn’t find lighter music. I like heavier songs with meaning, where you can keep peeling back layers and finding more and more and more. Anything marginally superficial, I’m immediately turned off by it. I’ve always felt like a slight outsider with music. I’ve never really followed the tide.