EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: Kristian Bush Talks Nashville Meets London Show

On August 28th, Sugarland’s Kristian Bush will headline Nashville Meets London’s latest showcase at Pizza Express (Holborn) with support from British breakout artist Jade Helliwell. Here we chat exclusively with Kristian to discuss the upcoming gig and what fans can expect from the event.

How excited are you to be playing Nashville Meets London?

I am quite excited. I have a very special place in my creative heart for NML and the UK in general when it comes to my music. It always feels like some sort of magical gift that fans are aware of my music but live so far away. I have been a proponent of Country Music in the UK for a long time and I am looking forward to seeing so many dreams come to fruition when I play.

How do you feel the UK audience differs to that of the International scene?

UK audiences are always warm and excited when I come to perform. I look forward to it every single time. It feels like their appreciation for songwriting and honest performances has been the true cornerstone of UK Country and Americana fandom.

What can fans expect from your set?

My usual approach is “if I wrote it, I might play it” which tends to lead to some surprises but also acts as an overarching thread. My brother Brandon Bush will be joining me so there is a pretty intense performance vibe since we have that “brother-telekeneesis-while-playing-music” superpower. Also, I am kind of silly in real life and tend to crack myself up on the stage a great deal.

How important do you feel these intimate gigs are to the UK country scene?

I feel like intimate gigs give the missing piece to country shows if you are used to more bombastic Arena performances. In every case, a song is written by only a few people in a room, and no matter how far that song might travel, no matter how big the speakers and crowds might be that they entertain, they all start as an idea with an instrument in a small space. To hear songs at that moment, that is a real thrill. Also, I think they are important enough to deserve their own limited-run t-shirt. Just saying.

You’re also touring the UK, what can fans expect from the run of dates?

I have been putting out a rather large catalogue in a rather small amount of time and feel that these songs need to get their legs out in the world. I released 2 EPs and 4 albums in the last 2 years, Sugarland is about to release a new EP, I have been producing all of Megan Moroney’s music, and we have even more on the way, so we have lots of choices. My brother and I will be travelling around and pulling from the Sugarland catalogue, my solo catalogue, as well as my Billy Pilgrim catalogue from the 90s and maybe even some new work. You should come prepared for just about anything. Also, we are fun.

Aside from the tour, what else does 2024 hold for you?

Well, after my solo UK tour, I land in Atlanta and walk directly into a show at the famous Buckhead Theater in Atlanta with my 90s rock band Billy Pilgrim, followed by a 20-date Sugarland/Little Big Town Tour, and then back to the studio to start work on the next Megan Moroney album as well as some more songs for Runaway June. I feel like pop culture and Nashville have finally relaxed into the idea that I can be many things at once, and be good at them. It is like a dream come true.

Tickets for Kristian Bush’s Nashville Meets London are on sale now via pizzaexpresslive.com