LOOKING THROUGH THE WINDOW: INTERVIEW WITH CALUM BOWIE
Heading out on his eight-date UK tour, with a debut EP dropping next month, Calum Bowie has no time to lose in celebrating Through The Window, out on March 21st. Playing a homecoming show on release day must feel like a full-circle moment, and it’s a pleasure to witness a young yet wise talent who built his name on the window ledges and cobbled streets of Edinburgh.
Calum settled in with Northern Exposure, hoping the eighteen months spent crafting his story from the ground up would finally pay off. He wants it to resonate with others, helping them navigate their own stories—just as it guided him through soul-searching and growth.
Gigi: Hey Calum! So you’ve already ticked off a couple of your tour dates in Dublin and Manchester—how did it go?
Calum: Manchester was a bit touch and go with travel issues—I ended up playing solo. I perform alone more often than with a band, but I really wanted them there. We tried everything, but there was just no way to get them out of Ireland in time.
Gigi: That’s tough! I hope Dublin wasn’t affected. How was the first show?
Calum: Both were amazing, but Dublin was my first full-band gig in a while. Playing new songs, with the EP coming soon, was a great feeling. I debuted Wherever She Goes live, and madly enough, some of the crowd already knew the lyrics—even though it hadn’t come out yet!
Gigi: That’s serious dedication! What else stood out?
Calum: Dream of My Own—the first track on the EP. It tells my music journey, and I get to step into the crowd while playing, which is super cool. The audience was incredibly respectful and engaged, which meant a lot.
Gigi: Love that! You’ve still got a fair few dates left, right?
Calum: Yeah, six more—Leeds, Birmingham, Bristol, London, Newcastle, and ending in Glasgow, which will be the biggest one!
Gigi: Is that the one you’re most excited for?
Calum: Honestly, I’m excited for all of them! I haven’t toured these areas in a while—my last UK headline tour was in 2023. I’m also properly chuffed that they’re all sold out, apart from London and Glasgow!
Gigi: That’s awesome! Since you started out busking and then got into TikTok, how does touring compare? Do you prefer your old-school roots, or are you loving the road life?
Calum: I love playing live, but the biggest difference is that at my gigs, people want to be there. Busking is great, but you’re playing to random passersby who may or may not be into it. At my shows, it’s incredible to hear people singing back lyrics I wrote.
Gigi: I remember that TikTok of you busking in Edinburgh when a wedding procession passed, bagpipes blaring. You looked totally lost—like, do I keep playing or toast the couple? Any other moments where you had to think on your feet?
Calum: Oh yeah—gig logistics can be chaos! We got a 2 AM email that our ferry from Ireland was canceled, so we had to scramble to make sure Manchester still happened… that’s touring for you! Also, the crowd interaction—people love to chat, and it’s usually just for fun.
Gigi: What’s the funniest thing you’ve heard so far?
Calum: So much wooing. Someone also made me a cake—sorry, a cookie—for the Manchester show. They were very insistent on that! Later, I heard, “Did you like your cookie?” And I was like, “Yes, very much.” It was a Wherever She Goes release gift—so sweet of them.
Gigi: That’s adorable! How’s the song been received, and what are you proud of now that it’s out?
Calum: It’s one of the more upbeat ones, and we wrote it thinking about how it would feel live, especially the bridge with its call-and-response. The quick buildup to release made it feel really fresh, too.
Gigi: It’s a great live song, but Dream of My Own is totally different. You bring such vulnerability into that track—how does it feel switching between those moods?
Calum: Yeah, I’ve had a couple of close calls in my 23 years—though I’m officially 24 now! Some tough moments, but I’ve lived to tell the tale… and post about it online.
Gigi: You say it so casually! For someone just discovering your music, that must be a “wow, this guy really means business” moment.
Calum: Probably! Writing from the heart is what I do best.
Gigi: Moving away from the tour—if you could collaborate with any artist outside your genre, who would it be? I know you’re a big AC/DC fan…
Calum: I love AC/DC, but let’s be real—they’d think I’m not cool enough, and that’s fair. I’d probably go for something dancey, maybe a Fred Again-style track. I saw Dermot Kennedy do a collab like that, and I think it’d be really fun. Maybe even The 1975.
Gigi: I can see that! Matty Healy, if you’re reading, Calum wants a word! Okay, classic desert island scenario—three albums, what are you taking?
Calum: Back In Black—I listen to it all the time when I run, and it’s my dad’s favorite. It’s the album that got me into music. Then, probably The 1975’s debut—I love Chocolate, Girls, and Robbers. For the third, I’m torn between Hypersonic Missiles and Seventeen Going Under by Sam Fender.
Gigi: Solid choices! Have you heard his latest album, People Talking?
Calum: Yeah! I’ve had that and the latest Inhaler album on repeat. With all the travel chaos last week, I had to scramble to get them downloaded in time for my flight.
Gigi: So relatable—it’s the worst when you haven’t prepared! With all this new music and tour experiences, has it inspired any writing yet?
Calum: Not specifically about the tour, but I’ve been writing over the last few months and testing things out at soundchecks. It’s a great way to workshop ideas—sometimes I’ll play something and think, “Oh wow, this actually works,” or “I need a better chorus.” Just being on stage helps with perspective.
Gigi: It sounds like busking and TikTok shaped you into an artist who experiments and evolves in real-time.
Calum: For sure. TikTok changed everything for me. When my sister told me to try it in 2020, I had no idea what I was getting into!
Gigi: Before and after TikTok was huge—for you and the world! Thanks so much for chatting today, Calum. Hope the rest of the tour is amazing, and good luck with the debut release!
Calum: Thanks for having me!
PRE-SAVE Through The Window EP NOW – RELEASED 21st MARCH
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