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Spell On Me” is described as your most emotional and dramatic release yet — what made this song feel different from your previous work?
This song felt different because it started from a very honest place. Tommy brought the core of it into the room, and the emotion was already there — raw and unfiltered. When we started writing together, we both agreed we didn’t want to soften it or overproduce it. We wanted it to feel real and connect with people on an emotional level, and that set it apart from anything I’d released before.
You explore a love that both lifts and destroys you. What drew you to writing about that kind of emotional contradiction?
That contradiction is something a lot of people live with, whether they admit it or not. When Tommy shared the idea, I connected immediately with that push and pull — loving something that gives you so much but takes just as much away. It felt honest, and honesty was the most important thing for us when writing the song.
You’ve said the song is about knowing someone is bad for you but still going back. Why do you think so many people relate to that experience?
Because emotion doesn’t follow logic. Most people have been in situations where they know the truth but still can’t walk away. That conflict between what you feel and what you know is universal, and we wanted to reflect that without judgement — just the reality of it.
The lyrics touch on emotional duality — pleasure and pain, truth and lies. How conscious were you of weaving those opposites into the songwriting?
It was very natural. The song already lived in that grey area, so we leaned into it rather than trying to tidy it up. As we co-wrote it, we were constantly asking whether each line felt true to that emotional imbalance — if it didn’t, it didn’t make the cut.
After the viral success of “Tonight,” did you feel any pressure going into this release, or did vulnerability come naturally this time?
There’s always some pressure after a song like “Tonight,” but with “Spell On Me,” we didn’t write it with expectations in mind. The vulnerability came from the song itself. Once I connected with how real it was, the focus shifted from pressure to making sure we honoured that honesty.
You co-wrote “Spell On Me” with long-time collaborator Tommy John. How has that creative relationship evolved, and what does he bring out in you as an artist?
Our relationship has grown into one built on trust. Tommy isn’t afraid to write from a brutally honest place, and that pushes me to be more open as an artist. When we write together, it’s about serving the emotion of the song first — everything else comes second.
The track was created in a small studio in the Rhondda Valley with deep Welsh roots. How did that environment shape the sound or emotion of the song?
That setting played a huge role. The quiet and isolation of the Rhondda Valley gave us the space to really sit with the emotion. There was no rush, no outside noise — just the song. I think that intimacy comes through in the final track.
Your journey has taken you from local stages to Wembley, the O2 Academy, and even performing for artists like John Legend and Chris Martin. How have those experiences influenced your confidence and artistic direction?
Those experiences gave me belief, but they also reminded me that connection matters more than scale. Whether it’s a massive venue or a small studio in the valleys, what really lasts is authenticity — and that’s what I’m leaning into more than ever.
The song deals with emotional dependency and blurred boundaries. Was writing it a form of personal reflection or release for you?
Absolutely. Even though Tommy brought the original idea, I connected deeply with it. Writing the song became a way of reflecting on emotions I’d experienced myself, and turning them into something honest and relatable was incredibly freeing.
With “Spell On Me” cementing your place as an emerging Welsh soul artist, what do you want listeners to understand about who SJ Hill is at this stage of your career?
I want people to see me as an artist who values real emotion and genuine connection. “Spell On Me” represents where I am right now — co-creating music that’s honest, rooted in feeling, and meant to resonate with people on a deeper level.
