William Bishop

William Bishop is a British musician, songwriter, and author. He was born in 1985 in London. Since his childhood, William Bishop was fond of music and art; although he was not clear which area of art he wanted to pursue, one thing was clear that he wanted to be an artist. In order to pursue his dreams and polish his skill, William got involved in different training programs. William Bishop is classically trained as a cellist and a double bassist, but he also plays and composes on guitar and piano.[1][2] He received critical acclaim for his song "Second Time Around" from LA Voice Music. He has also received acclaim from Exclamation Magazine & Divide and Conquer in their blogs.[3] Currently, he is studying at York University for a Ph.D. in English. The information related to his music, tours, and other work can be easily accessible through his website. [4] Along with this, all his songs released to date are also present on the website.

Early Life and Education

William Bishop was born in London. He attended the Haberdashers Askes' School for Boys in Elstree, Hertfordshire, England. In school, he developed a keen interest in music. As a teenager, he learned some musical instruments like cello and double bass. He also performed orchestral works and other musical genres. Returning back to London, he also learned to play the guitar. William Bishop has an educational background in literature and poetry. He writes his own music and lyrics. William Bishop is influenced by artists like Leonard Cohen, Laura Marling, and Bob Dylan.[5]

Career

From London, William Bishop moved to Brighton. In Brighton, he published his academic text titled "The Love Looks Not With The Eyes But With The Mind." After the publication of his academic text, William Bishop recorded his first Extended Play (EP) called "Second Time Around." The EP was critically praised by music journalist Bob Leggitt. Once his EP was released and critically acclaimed, William Bishop signed with KDigital Media and AWAL, which is now a part of Sony Music Group. With these two recording labels, William Bishop recorded three full-length albums. All of the albums were recorded on both the instruments: guitar and piano. William Bishop's breakthrough moment happened in January 2021 when his single was released. The single received critical acclaim from many music professionals. The single was also covered massively by mainstream media and received airplay from national and international radio stations. With literature and poetry background, William Bishop's writing in the form of articles and journals is published massively. University of New York Department of Film, Media, and Television has used his writings in their performances. He stayed in Yorkshire for a short time during the recording of Waves on Wire. William Bishop performed at the Brighton Fringe and Live at Heart music festivals in 2021.

Artistry

William Bishop has a sound that can be said to be an amalgam of Tom Waits and Bob Dylan. He has an acoustic approach to music which makes his music sound like country. This strong yet melancholic voice sounds even more powerful as he sings his powerfully written lyrics while strumming his acoustic guitar. The depth of his lyrics and the richness of the music composition requires the lister's complete attention in order to be appreciated to its fullest.[9] In 2021, William Bishop performed at the Live at Heart Festival alongside artists from all over Europe, including Mohlavyr, Light Screamer, Lowest Creature, and Sleepwalker's Station. Alongside live performances, Live at Heart also released digital concerts that can be accessed through their website.[10] William Bishop can be easily compared to Bob Dylan. He has a background in poetry and literature and training on cello and double bass, which makes songwriting, composing, and performing second nature to him. He is an introverted and reserved person, but that has not kept him from performing his music. His passion for music drives him to perform regularly at music venues. Although he is classically trained as a double bassist and a cellist, he learned to play the guitar as a teenager and to play the piano later. He draws influence from Leonard Cohen, Laura Marling, and most notably, Bob Dylan. He also composes music on guitar and piano.[2] His music is quite simple and minimalistic, which allows the listener to focus more on his deep lyrics, serving the overall experience of the song. This too he has in common with Bob Dylan, His top songs on Apple Music are "Let Us Compare Mythologies," "Chelsea Hotel #2", "The Night in Your Eyes," "I Don't Remember You at All," "All Those Things You Wish for," and Hesperus and Phosphorus Take 1.

Acclamations

William Bishop's performances are a part of different degree courses in Film, Media & Television faculties at the University of York. According to LA Voice; "William Bishop has a simple acoustic approach to his music, and his sound is somewhere between Bob Dylan and Tom Waits. His vibe is melancholy while his vocals are strong, capturing the mood of his lyrical content while his hands slide up and down the neck of his acoustic guitar, bringing it and his music to life. These songs demand your full attention to catching all the nuances of his words and music, but the payoff is rich indeed. Put this one on when you have the time to truly listen, and you'll walk away from a better person." TRYB Management stated about William Bishop; "Really interesting vocal performance. I've not heard anything like it." Eric McLellan from Warner Brothers Records acclaimed William Bishop by saying; "Powerful delivery of lyrics. Abstract but in a good way. The song's lyrics were deep."

Photography

William Bishop is also a photographer and works in film and digital media.

Other Works
William bishop has also written a book called 'Love looks not with the eyes but with the mind': Shakespeare's Sonnets, Alchemy, and Individuation, in which he discusses how Shakespear's conception of his self-subjectivity developed as he wrote his sonnets throughout his life. He also incorporates Jun's analytical psychology and Jacques Lacan's concept of desire into the overall theme and analyzes the psychological implications of Shakespear's poems.