Conor Maynard is super suave in this new photo shoot taken exclusively for JustJared.com.

  

JJ sat down with Conor to chat about his album, collaborating with other artists, plans for a tour, and how he will spend his 21st birthday later this year.

JJ: Congratulations on the release of Contrast! What does it feel like to finally have it out?

Conor Maynard: It’s crazy! I feel like, for me, not very long ago I felt like I wasn’t ready at all for it to come out. I was like no way, push it back, I’m not ready, hide! So now that the album is actually out and I’m doing things like David Letterman, Good Morning America, all of this amazing things – it’s crazy. It definitely feels like everyone is going for it.

JJ: There are some really awesome collaborations on Contrast – who was your favorite?

CM: For me, working with people like Pharrell, Frank Ocean, and Ne-Yo was kind of crazy. They are people I really look up to. Pharrell, I’ve been listening to his stuff with Justin Timberlake and N.E.R.D. for years. So when he contacted me I literally freaked out. I couldn’t believe it! He actually contacted me thinking I wasn’t signed, he didn’t know I was signed yet, so he contacted me before I released anything. When I started recording my album. Funny enough though, he contacted my label to ask if I was signed. They were like, ‘Well, you contacted his label, so yeah… I’d say he’s signed.’ So he was like, ‘Can I work with him anyway?’ So then I went to the studio and worked with him, and that was definitely one of the highlights.

JJ: If you could pick anyone to write or record a song with in the future, who would it be?

CM: I really feel like I would go with people who are more like singer-songwriter people. Kind of like Ed Sheeran – I’m a massive fan of him! John Mayer, as well. People who are slightly different from what I’m doing right now. I feel like going more for an acoustic kind of vibe would be really cool to try and do.

JJ: What would be your dream tour if you had your pick of tour mates?

CM: My band! I love touring with my band. Touring with my band is the funnest thing. We always have the biggest laugh whether it be my UK band or my American band, we just have a massive laugh.

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