SPOTLIGHT SERIES: Spell On Me: SJ Hill’s Soulful Return from the Valleys

SJ Hill discusses his upcoming single "Spell On Me," the creative process behind it, and how his Welsh roots and multi-genre influences shape his music. He shares his journey from aspiring footballer to musician and teacher, talks about coping with loss, the role of social media, and offers practical advice for emerging artists about consistency, authenticity, and branding. Welsh soul sensation SJ Hill returns with his most emotional and dramatic release yet — ‘Spell On Me,’ a song about a love so powerful it lifts you, destroys you, and pulls you deeper even when you know you should walk away. Following the viral success of his previous single ‘Tonight’ (1.4 million Instagram views, 40K+ streams), SJ Hill cements his place as one of Wales’ most compelling emerging voices, delivering a track rich in vulnerability, passion, and cinematic soul. SJ Hill’s voice has taken him from local stages to global attention. His music has been featured on Spotify’s Fresh Finds playlist, BBC Radio 1Xtra, BBC Radio Wales A-List and he’s performed at some of the UK’s top venues, including Wembley Arena and the O2 Academy London. Not afraid to push for mainstream attention, the Cardiff born singer got through to the X-Factor bootcamp in 2017 and has since gone on to win an episode of ITV’s ‘Romeo & Duet’, as well as reaching the semi-finals of LLIAS- The Welsh Voice. Such achievements led to him entertaining guests such as John Legend, Chrissy Teigan and Chris Martin at this year’s prestigious New Years Eve party at Soneva Jani Resort in the Maldives. “‘Spell On Me’ is a song that I hope a lot of people can relate to”, says SJ Hill. “It’s about the type of relationship when you know someone is bad for you, but you keep coming back because they lift you up and break you down in equal measure”, he further explains. Co-written with his long-time friend and collaborator Tommy John, the track is about the kind of love that pulls you in and tears you apart at the same time — a Jekyll & Hyde relationship where someone can be your pleasure and your pain, your thunder and your calm, your truth and your lie. The lyrics dive into emotional duality, addiction to chaos, and the feeling of being under someone’s spell. Honest, dramatic, and personal, ‘Spell On Me’ explores emotional dependency, blurred boundaries, and the kind of connection that transforms you — for better and worse. Blending raw, confessional lyricism with melodic, hypnotic hooks and with powerhouse soul vocals that cut straight to the heart, fans of Hozier, Rag’n’Bone Man, Lewis Capaldi, Dermot Kennedy, The Weeknd and Sam Smith will find the same emotional depth and vocal fire in ‘Spell On Me’. Keeping firmly in tune with his roots, SJ Hill created ‘Spell On Me’ in a special place — a small, old-school studio in the Rhondda Valley, once a Salvation Army building and now transformed into a creative hub for Welsh talent. The studio, owned and run by Daniel Edwards, has become a place where authenticity and artistry meet. Working alongside Daniel and Tommy John, ‘Spell On Me’ feels deeply tied to Welsh identity and emotional truth, with the heart of SJ Hill’s local community running within. https://www.instagram.com/sjhillofficial