You may know Kameron Marlowe from his first platinum hit “Giving You Up” on his debut album “We Were Cowboys.” But this North Carolina native didn’t give up on anything with his latest album “Keeping the Lights On”. This album has sixteen new songs including up-and-coming hits like “911”, “On My Way Out”, “Never Really Know” and a duet, “Strangers”, with Ella Langley. Recently being nominated for the 2024 ACM Best New Male Artist, and his sophomore album already climbing the charts, things just keep soaring higher and higher for this talented guy.
Men’s Journal Country Music was able to sit down with Kameron at the Pre-ACM party (hosted by Miranda Lambert and her Lone River Collective), and peel away some layers to what an amazing and down to earth guy he is.
Enjoy.
MJ : You just released your sophomore album “Keeping the Lights On”. How did you decide the theme or putting this album together, and how different is this one from your last one?
Kameron Marlowe : It’s definitely different than my first one. It feels more mature. I’ve learned a lot about writing, and a lot about myself over the past few years and from my first record. I’m engaged now, and this record is more grown up for me, because I’ve grown up. I am really proud of this new record. I would say this record came about over a conversation I had with my Pops. My Pops had just lost his job. When he lost it, it was the only real job he had ever worked for almost twenty-eight years. So, when he lost it, he was like, “Man I don’t know what I’m going to do. I’ve been doing this my whole life, I don’t have a college degree, and worked my way up through the ranks.” So, I went home because my parents were kind of going through a tough time. My Pops and I were talking, and I asked him if he was going to be all right, and he told me, “I don’t know how I’m going to be able to keep the lights on.” That struck me and hit me hard because I’ve never seen him not be superman before. So, I took that idea, and wanted to make a promise to them and a promise to myself to always fight through the hard times just like they have. So that’s what this album is about. Thankfully, he is doing a lot better now, has a new job and working his way up there. He’s happy and I’m so proud of him.
MJ : I know the process of getting to “Giving You Up” was a tough time for you, it was a huge hit, it blew up and then you signed with a big label.
Kameron Marlowe : Yeah, I wrote that song while going through a really bad breakup with a girl, who I thought I was getting married to. I had no idea that the song was going to launch my whole career. It was wild to see how that changed my whole life. I basically wrote as an outlet to get my feelings out, and get some things off my chest, because I was dang sure not going to text her about it. I wrote like five or six verses to that song then condensed it down to a song. But when I was writing it, I didn’t even know I was writing a song and was just writing down things I needed to say.
MJ: Tell us about your journey from “Giving You Up” until now.
Kameron Marlowe: I started, it blew up and then COVID hit, and that just took the wind out of my sails. Then you have to build it back. After COVID we just started playing shows and just hit the ground running as hard as we could to try and build some momentum back. Like, hey, we’re still here. We couldn’t release any new music during that time, so it was an interesting time and a wild journey, but I’m just so thankful for the stories that I have gotten out of it. I still have the same band from high school, so we tour around and are really having fun.
MJ : You have the same band from high school?
Kameron Marlowe : Yes, they are out on the road with us now. We’ve been having a ball. I’m telling you, there is nothing like touring with friends. Because being on the road with them is like you are with family.
MJ : Have you always been a writer?
Kameron Marlowe : Yeah, a little bit. I like to write down thoughts and stuff like that. I do that mainly because my memory is so bad. (laughs)
MJ : The songs you wrote on your new album “Keeping the Lights On” are amazing. Do you ever see yourself writing for other artists as well?
Kameron Marlowe : Yes, and I have. I had a cut that became a Tim McGraw song last year called “Fool Me Again,” which was on his last album. That was definitely a pinch me moment. I grew up listening to him on the radio, I listened to him all the time. He is one of my favorite artists and for him to like a song that I wrote was hands down one of my best days.
MJ : You started singing early in church, like at 10 years old. Did you know back then that country music was something you wanted to do?
Kameron Marlowe : I knew I loved to sing. I never knew where that would take me, but that I just loved to sing. I started posting videos when I was in high school and right after high school as a like, hey look, I play this song kind of deal. Then The Voice actually picked me up, they found me and sent me a message and I did season 15. That’s when my mindset shifted. I met a bunch of songwriters out there and thought that was a cool job, I want to do that. That definitely beats selling car parts. I don’t miss that job at all.
MJ : Well, that’s another amazing story. When your mom needed help due to some health issues, you moved back home, started selling car parts and to help her.
Kameron Marlowe : My family means everything to me. They have given me so much from so little that we had. They would both work two jobs and really fight for us and the family, so I have to fight for them too no matter what it is.
MJ: How involved are you on the business side of your career?
Kameron Marlowe : Oh, I am incredibly involved with that. You have to be. When I started, I didn’t even know what a publisher was or what that role was. As time has progressed, I have learned the business. I honestly love the business side so much. I love digging in, building my brand, and what my manager and I call “create my world” through marketing and such. I really love that aspect.
MJ : You’ve had some pretty talented folks you’ve collaborated with. Living or not, do you have a top 2 or 3 you would or would have liked to collaborate with?
Kameron Marlowe : My personal favorite singer of all time is George Jones. I would love to just sit in a room with him, recording or not and just hear him talk. Doing a song past that would be insane, but I’d love to spend even thirty minutes with him and ask him about some stories.
MJ : What do you like to do whenever you have downtime?
Kameron Marlowe : I am usually out on the boat as I love fishing. Wherever and however, I can get out on the water and fish. I love being outside. That or I will be inside watching a movie. If I’m coming right off the road, I like to have one day to just relax. I feel like being on the road I get over stimulated sometimes.
MJ : Where do you see yourself 5-10 years from now?
Kameron Marlowe : Shoot, hopefully on a beach somewhere with a Ranch Water in my hand. (laughing) Seriously though, still touring and putting out more albums. When I’m not home with my fiancé’ I’m on the road.
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