Initially a seven-piece performance, LeBeaux has recently reduced to a trio, with vocals from Turrell and original bandmates Luke on the drums and keys and Rob on the bass. Despite being the front-man, Turrell made it very clear to me that he’s not one to outshine his bandmates and the band’s sense of friendship is greatly important. Turrell's phenomenal voice is genuinely mesmerising, watching him as he handles his tone with such control and clarity is honestly beautiful to watch. As a band, it’s clear that LeBeaux is made for live performance and it’s exciting to wonder how their live sound will translate into their upcoming studio releases.

Ahead of LeBeaux's debut single launch on Sunday 8th April at The Hope & Ruin, I caught up with Turrell over the phone late in the evening, as he made his way back from London on the train. Seemingly un-phased by the launch, Turrell's cool and collected persona only reinforced the sense that this single's release is long overdue and the band is very much ready for it.

LeBeaux is now officially a trio. How did it become you three and how did you guys meet?

Well actually, we met at BIMM and one of them I’ve known from the start of it all. Over the years we’ve grown closer and that’s why we’re now a trio. [The single] has been a long time coming and we’ve been working together since 2015, so it’s about time we put
something out.

What vibe will you be bringing with your music?

Hmm... what vibe? We’re going to explore bolder sounds, songs that portray a bit of a message, and more upbeat stuff. We have a versatile vibe and like bringing different flavours. We don’t consider ourselves bound to one kind of thing. We are just daring to do
something a bit different.

I spoke with Nicholson and Ned from QM Records last month and they are massively into supporting local talent and strongly believe in creating a community through live performance. Is this a quality you also strive for as an artist?

Yes, we are seeking community and friendships and network and building up a team. In Brighton, what [Ned and Nicholson] have done for the scene, you know they’ve made hip-hop and R&B and jazz matter here and brought it together in a collective place. We find solace in that and find that there’s people we can relate to. What is it about music that encapsulates you most as a creative?

What is it about music that encapsulates you as a a creative?

Oh, that’s a tricky one. We’re always thinking about how we can perform our music. It’s not just about getting in the studio and recording. We often perform the song live before recording it and we love our big arrangements and putting on a show and lov entertaining people. We want to make music that’s captivating and danceable; all that stuff encapsulates our music.

Before this interview I learned that you went to The BRIT School and studied music theatre. How did a place like that shape you as a performer, especially as you’re constantly surrounded by likeminded creatives?

At the BRIT School, I learned what I didn’t want to do and learned a lot from my friends. It was musical theatre, so I wasn’t given a chance to be creative in my own right but we had these sessions where we could go off for hours in this room and play piano and sing
songs. Me and my friends would go to that room all the time after school and during lunch and we would play music and after musical theatre was done I thought, ‘You know what, this is what I want to be doing. This is my passion, making music.’

After that then I guess Brighton is very much a microcosm of people that can influence you. It’s its own bubble...

Turrell: Yes, you’re right, Brighton is very much a bubble and you go anywhere else and it’s not the same. Your eyes open a little bit more when you leave. Brighton is such a focused place and there’s music everywhere you turn and if I was in London, I don’t think I would’ve had the same experience with music.

By far, your voice is amongst one of the greatest I’ve ever heard.

Aw thank you, that’s really sweet.

No for real though, it is. Do you do any preparations prior to your live set?

Oh darling, I can’t just rely on my voice and turn up. I practice almost every day. When I first realised I could sing, I was shouting... it takes a lot of practice. Yes definitely, especially trying to reach the range that you have.

Yeah. Before a gig, I do quite a bit of warming up throughout the day. Remember, my voice is my main instrument, this is the thing that I solely rely on. It’s like a machine; it needs to be well oiled!

You have performed at a variety of venues in Brighton and this will be both my first LeBeaux experience and my first gig at The Hope & Ruin. What can we expect? Do you adapt to the venue?

We all adapt to the place that we’re in. I’ve never played there, so I am pretty much in the same position as you. We’ve had a look at the venue last week and know what’s going to be going down but we’re still new to it.

This is your single launch, which is a huge milestone as an artist. Are you going to be celebrating this weekend?

Erm, ooh I don’t know. I actually forget that I can let my hair down and we are so focused, sometimes I forget that we can enjoy our successes. Probably not after Sunday’s gig though, I think I will just go home and have a slice of chocolate cake. (Laughing) Whatever works for you, whether it’s a drink or cake, it needs to be celebrated (laughs) Yeah, everyone has their vice, April. Mine is chocolate cake.

Finally, should we expect more release dates from you in the near future?

Oh yes! Oh yes. At the moment, we are just trying to release as much as we can. We are already recording the next single.

Wow, that’s exciting.

Yes. We are trying to make up for the last two years that we haven’t had anything online, so lots to get excited about.

Buy your £4 tickets for LeBeaux’s single launch here.

After the sell-out show at Fabrica, The Hope & Ruin event is expected to follow suit.