Bradley Simpson on growing up, going solo, and staying grounded

Extra.ie​

2 days ago

When Bradley Simpson steps onto the stage these days, it's with a new sense of freedom—and a sound all his own.
Best known as the charismatic frontman of The Vamps, Bradley is striking out solo, bringing with him a wave of fresh music that's as personal as it is bold.
Chatting to Extra.ie ahead of his Dublin gig last month, Brad opened up about the excitement that comes with his solo career, the ongoing tour that marks a new chapter in his life, and how growing up alongside his fans has shaped the artist—and the person—he is today. When Bradley Simpson steps onto the stage these days, it's with a new sense of freedom—and a sound all his own.
We're tucked away in the backrooms of The Academy, just hours before Bradley's soundcheck and intimate fan Q&A. He's running on little sleep after flying in from that morning—economy, of course— still effortlessly down to earth despite years of being in the spotlight.
There's an easy warmth to him, chatting about his love for Dublin like it's a second home. Despite the buzz around his solo shows, Bradley remains strikingly grounded, more focused on connecting with his fans than any spotlight.
And while the excitement around his new music is unmistakable, he's quick to shut down any whispers of The Vamps calling it quits.
' It was weird at first, but I think that like discomfort and it feeling exciting and thrilling go hand in hand,' he remarked.
' I loved playing in the band and like, we're still going, do you know what I mean?
'I've always loved those gigs but I think I got to a point where I was like, the thought of something new and a challenge really excited me and to push myself outta my comfort zone a little bit.' Best known as the charismatic frontman of The Vamps, Bradley is striking out solo, bringing with him a wave of fresh music that's as personal as it is bold.
'It took a little while, like the first few gigs, I was like, 'where the f*ck are the boys? Where's my safety blanket',' he joked.
'But now it's really fun and I feel like I get to show a different side of me and get to tell people about the stories behind the album. So it's nice. It just feels like a bit more personal than it has.'
Finding his solo sound was less about reinvention and more about rediscovery. For Bradley, stepping away from the familiar rhythm of The Vamps meant digging deeper into his own voice—both musically and emotionally.
'It was a lot of trial and error,' he laughed. ' I've always been writing from the perspective of like a group. Which kind of anonymizes you amongst it in the right way. In terms of like we were talking about stuff that felt a bit more universal or a shared experience between the four of us.'
' I've always been writing from the perspective of like a group. Yeah. Which kind of anonymizes you amongst it in the right way. Yeah. In terms of like we were talking about stuff that felt a bit more universal or shared experience between the four of us.
'So I think it took me a minute to get my head around having a singular voice in the story and it feeling like it sat right and it was the best representation of me. We kind of just had to talk about that a lot and I had to get comfortable with it.'
The response from fans has been nothing short of overwhelming. From the moment Bradley teased his first solo release, the outpouring of love was immediate and unwavering.
Social media lit up with excitement, and early live shows have been filled with longtime fans singing every word back to him—proof that they're not just along for the ride, but fully invested in this new chapter.
' It's nuts. It's very, very mad and they've been lovely, genuinely like, so supportive. I can see a lot of familiar faces who've been with the band for like 10, 11 years and the fact that they've then carried on into my side of stuff, I'm so grateful for the support.'
Bradley's album, The Panic Years, dives deep into the past decade of his life—his twenties, filled with the highs, heartbreaks, self-discovery, and quiet moments in between. It's a reflective body of work that's resonated powerfully with fans who have quite literally grown up alongside him.
That shared journey hit home recently when, at a meet and greet, he ran into a fan he instantly recognised from early Vamps shows—now there with her baby in tow.
'When did we all become adults? What the f*ck?' he added: 'But it's cool because everyone's been on that journey together.'
Bradley's acclaimed debut solo album 'The Panic Years' is available to stream on all platforms now.