by HQ
With a filmmaker’s eye and a deep-rooted passion for storytelling, Lewis Knaggs has carved out a unique space between cinematic visuals and emotionally charged songwriting. His latest single, “City of Millions,” marks a powerful evolution — not just in sound, but in vulnerability. A gospel-inflected anthem for the unseen and unheard, the song captures the strange contradiction of modern urban life: how one can feel entirely alone while surrounded by millions. Written during a period of personal grief and reflection, “City of Millions” is as much about healing as it is about hurt. For Knaggs, who first entered the creative world through photography and film, music has become an outlet for truth, honesty, and connection.
In this candid conversation with TMRW, Knaggs opens up about the inspirations behind the new track, his longtime friendship with the late Jamal Edwards, and how loss shaped both his art and his sense of self. He also reflects on the challenges of navigating an industry that often rewards trend over authenticity — and why, now more than ever, he’s committed to making music that means something. At once introspective and quietly defiant, Knaggs is an artist creating on his own terms — and inviting listeners to feel less alone in the process.
<h3><em>People look at you like you’re crazy if you say hello to them…</em></h3>
“City of Millions" feels both intimate and expansive — what moment or feeling first sparked the idea for this track?
Thank you ❤, it was around February / March time this year I wrote the lyrics. I had been in London for a long while and it was starting to get me down, so I got out and went to see my auntie in the south of the UK.
I find that time of year in London particularly tough, this year especially. A lot of people I know also felt the same way. The ongoing problems, uncertainty and conflicts in the UK and the world, which at times seem never ending, definitely contributed to this. This was the spark of the lyrics for this track, being stuck in a big city where everyone is feeling pretty similar, but no one really talks about it or talks to each other. It can feel very solitary at times, everyone on their own solo mission. That sense of community can be hard to find in a big city full of millions of people, which seems crazy. Community is something all us humans need to feel whole and peaceful when tough times are upon us.
You’ve described the city as something you love and hate. How has London, in particular, shaped your worldview as both an artist and a person?
I have a lot of love for London. It was where I was born and I have spent most of my years here. It’s full of opportunity and has such a great connection to the world. But at times it can feel quite brutal and lonely for the reasons I mentioned above. Sprawling with people all racing around on the concrete, just trying to make ends meet. Often spending the money that they make quicker than they can make it.
People look at you like you’re crazy if you say hello to them…so it stops you from really saying hi to people that you don’t know. For these reasons and many others, it can get a bit much at times and you start to really crave connection to nature, community and the simple things that a big city can’t always give you. Don’t get me wrong London can be amazing and a large city can also give you huge
amounts of stimulation which can satisfy the soul in other ways. But it’s certainly
Your recent time in Tokyo inspired part of this song. What parallels or contrasts did you notice between urban life there and in London?
Tokyo and London are similar in the way that they’re both major cities with huge populations bursting at the seams. Spending time in Tokyo influenced this for sure, a lot of the music video it being shot
there. Japan is such an amazing country and it totally transformed my outlook on life….Tokyo is such a major city but it feels a lot more harmonious than London in lots of ways, the Zen culture really encourages a peace and tranquillity that I crave in London at times.
It definitely showed me a new way of living in amongst a dense population. Tokyo’s not without its loneliness issues of course, but there’s a sense of connectedness in the city that I’ve never felt anywhere before.
The gospel influence in this track adds emotional weight. What drew you to that sonic palette for this particular release?
That’s interesting you hear that - it wasn’t my intention going in, but I do love gospel music, so it’s maybe more subconsciously gravitated to that. I’m a big fan of soul and Motown, of which gospel had a huge influence on. Growing up my dad and I listened to a lot of American soul blues and Motown so it’s really a part of the way I write, sometimes without knowing it…“3 chords and the truth” as my dad used to say, not sure where that came from! He was also a bassist in a blues band, so it comes from there I suppose.
You direct your own videos and artwork — how important is full creative control to your process, and how do you approach blending visual storytelling with sound?
It’s really important to me. Whenever I write a song I imagine what the music video would be. Likewise, when I’m making films, I hear the music that it needs to tell the story. So very it connected. I’ve worked with bands / artists before where the label brings in 6 different directors for their album campaign, none of which really align with the music or the wider picture. So for me it’s really important to have a
consistent look that goes hand in hand with the intention of the music…without sounding too wanky about it (I hope lol) If I ever work with other directors for my music it’s my buddy Tom Butler or Thomas
Davis as they have a strong eye for what my music needs visually …and I love
working with them ❤
Your early work with SBTV and Jamal Edwards clearly had a deep impact. Can
you share a moment or lesson from that era that still resonates with you?
Man that era was amazing. Jamal gave me my start in life. I was 17/18, I had no degree or real world job experience (beyond selling programmes at Arsenal Emirates Stadium and some waitering at events) and Jam gave me a job because I had an alright showreel and a DSLR camera that could shoot video (which was a pretty new function at the time!)
I started out shooting music videos for myself and the band I was in at the time. I also started shooting music videos for friends in the area that I grew up in… so I had a few decent videos under my belt, but by no means anything special. But Jamal had a way spotting potential and he gave me a chance.
I flew all over the world with him and I learnt so much. It was only later on in life that I really appreciate how much. He also introduced me to his best friend Isaac who’s one of my close friends and advisors now. Jamal showed me that you can be super young and still respected in the professional world. He disrupted the norm in the music media world and re set the game for musicians and industry folks.
He taught me self-belief is everything. He used to say to me “Chase the dream not the competition”. That’s really stuck with me and kept my focus strong for what I want to achieve with film and music over the years, regardless of what’s trending at the time.
“Sometimes you’ve got to be/start the trend not just jump on an existing one”….he
probably said that with a bit more rhyme and chime than that though haha. Long live
Jamal Edwards, forever in the hearts of all that knew him, Love you forever
brother ❤
You've worked with some of the biggest names in music as a director. Has that behind-the-scenes experience shaped how you approach your own artistry?
Yeah totally. Having an insight into the world of some of the biggest musicians showed me how hard working, disciplined and dedicated they can be to their creative craft. They don’t sit around writing a few songs and waiting for it to happen, they make it happen. Often, they’re still super hungry…ravenous even for success even when they’ve got it. Some of the biggest artists I’ve met are also some of the nicest people I’ve met. Which I think feeds into good creativity. I always tend to write from a positive mindset or when I’m feeling joyful so keeping good energy around you is important.
Be nice to people on the way up because you’ll see them on the way back down…as my dad used to say. That’s real and just being nice to people in general is how we humans flourish the
best. Life’s too short to be an arsehole.
From “Friend Of Mine” to “Sound Of Silence” to this latest single, your 2025 output feels deeply personal. What’s changed in your creative mindset this year?
I think it was my father passing away 2 years ago that really changed my approach to music. It changed my approach to pretty much everything to be honest. It was pretty tough to communicate to people how I was actually feeling, mostly because I just couldn’t even put it into words. But I felt like I could put it into songs and empty my heart out that way instead.
You often write about disconnection and belonging — do you feel that music has become your way of building connection, even in alienating spaces?
Yes 100%.
My dad used to say to me that Music will always be your friend. Those words really came into their own then he passed away. As I’ve always had Music no matter what.
In the last year or two, I was really making music for myself for some kind of therapy, I guess. I just had to do it. When showing a few people and seeing how it connected with friends and family, it
really lit a fire under my ass to get it out into the world. If I can help people even just a fraction of the amount music has helped me…that’s hugely rewarding emotionally for me.
With more releases ahead in 2025, what do you hope listeners take away from
this new chapter of your sound and story?
I just hope that people continue to connect with the music the way they have been recently.
I’ve had people reach out who have been going through a real tough time in life…whether it’s a bad break up, losing their job or the loss of loved one. It’s all relative and we’re all human, sometimes it’s just nice to know that you’re not alone in this world. Especially if you’re living in a city, filled with people who just ignore each other when they walk down the street. Equally sometimes you just don’t want to talk if you’re going through something, but you can listen to music and the words can hopefully help to heal the wounds in time.