An Honest Interview with ADMT

Doncaster-born artist ADMT is carving out a distinctly modern pop-R&B lane rooted in working-class grit and heartfelt songwriting. Raised largely by his mother and forged in the markets and factories of Doncaster, he channels that blue-collar background into a sound he dubs “Donny Swag”—a seamless blend of R&B beats and pop hooks informed by Motown, Stevie Wonder, James Brown and contemporary storytellers like Ed Sheeran.

Honest and intimate in equal measure, ADMT’s songs confront mental health, loneliness and resilience with a voice that’s both soulful and anthemic. From busking across Northern cities to festival stages and support tours with James Arthur and Anne-Marie, he’s built momentum the hard way. After signing to BMG in 2025 and releasing “Come Along,” ADMT enters 2026 ready to bring his Doncaster-born world to bigger audiences as he joins Louis Tomlinson’s “How Did We Get Here?” Tour.

“Because if you connect with one person and you change them you make them feel better than you win, you know? I really believe that.”

We spoke candidly with ADMT about the personal truths behind his debut album, how his working-class roots and market days shaped his songwriting, the responsibility he feels when fans say his music helped them, his pre-show rituals and rituals' comfort, the surreal experience of playing arenas and supporting Louis Tomlinson, and his hope that his songs can change lives and offer solace.

Interview by Mary Thelen

Adam — known professionally as ADMT — speaks honestly with Mary of Frontlight Magazine

ADMT (Adam): Hey Mary how are you

Mary (Frontlight Magazine): I'm great. How are you?

Adam: I'm sorry for the technical difficulties.

(Had some technical difficulties)

Mary: That's fine.

Adam: There we go.

So I'm sorry for the mess about

Mary: It's totally fine.

Yeah, it's no problem at all. I write and photograph for concert magazine. And I wrote down some questions about music concerts, etc. and you can answer you don't have to answer the questions if you don't want to. That's up to you.

Adam: Okay, but i’m pretty cool with them.

Mary: So first question. How are you?

(Some more technical difficulties)

Adam: I'm on a beach. If you can see it look like Spain. Maybe not Spain, but you know.

Yeah, hopefully you can hear me.

Mary: I can hear you perfectly.

Adam: Great. Okay, Let's go.

Mary: So, how are you feeling?

Adam: I'm good. Thank you. How are you?

Mary: I'm great. I'm currently in France. (00:02:02)

Adam: Love that, How's France?

Mary: It's good. Shitty weather outside, I'm on the beach as well. But tomorrow I'm travelling home.

Adam: Home to?

Mary: Germany.

Adam: So sick, where?

Mary: I live near Cologne.

Adam: Okay wonderful. I love Cologne. I hopefully see you there.

Mary: Yeah, I hope so.

So first question. how do you feel when someone tells you that you helped or saved them with your music and your character, etc.?

Adam: Um, I think when I first started doing this, initially I felt a pressure that I didn't expect. You know, like when you first start writing songs, you write them for you, but then when no one's heard them, it's still for you. But then when people start to hear them, it changes it into something that's it's not for you anymore. It's for them. and I think I feel grateful. I feel, um, I think I just feel grateful. Like, you know, I think that’s all I ever want is like, something to help someone. Someone to feel better from. Something that I've, I guess, poured my life into my heart. It's the best. It's the best plan ever, you know? So I guess that's how I feel.

Mary: Yeah, I can imagine that. It's. It's a great feeling i think.

Adam: Yeah, but it's obviously like, I just want everyone to be okay. And I think, I think with that, when I first started to feel that, people said things like that to me.

Then I was like: “oh, shit” you know, this is really real now, you become the creator to almost like someone who I want to make sure I'm there for people who listen now and, you know, and I guess as a responsibility with that as well.

Mary: So, what was your reaction when you got the message that you have the chance to open for Louis Tomlinson?

Adam: I was with one of my best friends. We just been filming content for an upcoming release, and we were driving back to my house and somebody screenshotted the message and said, what's your availability for this?

And I can, I swear I'm allowed to swear because I was, I saw and was like “oh my days” like, this is crazy.

Like, yeah, that was my reaction. My reaction was like, man.

Like, how do you even contemplate something like that when you, you know, like when you dreamed of it your whole life.

So it was the best. It was the my reaction was just, yeah, I can't say it without swearing because that's how I express it. It's crazy. So it was it was just insane. Be honest.

Mary: Yeah. Um, sadly, I missed you at the concert because I was in Cologne at the show. But you were the show's after Cologne. But I started listening to your music a bit after the point Louis announced you as the support act. And I was like, oh my God, I want to see him too. But I’m pretty sure that I heard one of your Songs before

Adam: Hey. That's good. That's great. I love that. Thank you so much.

Mary: And now your songs are on repeat in my head.

Adam: I'm sorry, but I'm also very grateful. I hope they don't annoy you.

Mary: They are not. Not now

Adam: But I'm so glad. I appreciate it.

Mary: Does your hometown influence your music in any way? because you're from Doncaster? Is there any influence to your music?

Adam: Yeah, I think when you're born in a certain place like that, parts of that place, regardless of where you're from, will always influence you because you are partly who you are and how you are because of that place.

Doesn't mean that place makes you. But I also think that like, I think there's a lot of me being from this little, little town in, you know, in the north of England that's made me who I am.

Some things good and some things not so good, but definitely, it definitely influences me and how I write and how I am as a human, I guess. Yeah.

Mary: That's good. By the way, I love that I understand you because of your accent

Adam: I work really hard on speaking. Not like Doncaster so everyone can understand me.

Mary: Uh, that's wonderful.

Adam: If you would be one of my Friends you wouldn't understand anything.

*Both laughing*

Mary: What do you want to achieve with your music? And what message would you give to people with your music?

Adam: I think if I'm being completely honest and it might be a crazy, like a crazy thing to try and achieve. But I genuinely want to change, hopefully people's lives.

I guess I think what I found through writing my own music and people appreciating my music is that it's changed my life.

And I think I should then to do that for other people like I want, you know.

It sounds so cliche, but like, I want to do all this.

I think we're all a list of what you believe in, what you know, like race, gender, anything.

Like, I think we're all just one people, and we're almost led to believe that we're not that anymore. And then that divides us.

And I don't think that's what it is to be human. I think what it is to be human is for us to love each other and accept each other, and sometimes be pissed off with each other because that's how the world works. We all get pissed off. We all get annoyed.

You know, like two things can be true at once, but I just think like hopefully I can change, you know.

Like if I change one person's world then that would just that would technically be changing their world, which I guess would also be changing the world in a way, you know, like it doesn't have to be.

I want to do all the things that everyone, every artist wants to do.

My ambitions, I want to play huge gigs and do arenas with Louis, which I've just done, which is amazing. But also I I want us to be better. I want us to do better and and enjoy what it is to be alive. I guess. I'm sorry for that long, long winded message.

Mary: It's totally fine. It's not a problem. That was under 5 minutes.

*Both laughing*

Adam: My ADHD will not allow five minutes, but it will maybe do a minute.

Mary: Do you have any musical inspirations like persons, alive or dead it doesn't matter. And what artists would you love to collaborate with in the future?

Adam: I think you can find inspiration from any artist regardless of like how big they are or how successful they are.

Like, I can watch a band, you know, in a tiny venue like I did last night and be like ”oh, that's inspired me’.

I feel like inspiration should never be down to ego. It should be something that we just see something in something and go, “I love that, that's beautiful” and we should roll with that.

But obviously I've got like so, so many artists that I love, you know like obviously Louis come on man, I would love to do something with Louis not because I just love his music.

But also because I've met him now and he's a great guy. Like he's a good human, you know. And that inspires me.

I just want to be like him. I want to be like, Yeah.

But obviously, you know, Michael Jackson, Ed Sheeran. There's so many artists that I'm a fan of. Like, I just love music. I love creating music and I love being in this world that it is.

So like, there are so many people I can't even list them all.

But yeah, anyone. I think that creativity is the most important thing.

Yeah it's just about sourcing from things that inspire you.

*It's rain and by the way, and I apologize, I'm going to go and change somewhere that's not as wet.*

Mary: You talked about Louis. What's your favorite Louis song?

Adam: It's so funny because like before the tour, I was listening to his songs.

I mean I've obviously heard his songs before and stuff, but like when we were on l tour and I got to experience it every night.

Like, it's so weird how you'll find yourself backstage just singing a Louis song, you know and all these things.

But I mean, lemonade.

I love it for all the reasons that it was just a banger on tour. It was amazing. But also like, I think I've had my experiences with like mental health and my own issues and problems with that. And I think Dark to Light, was one that just always resonated with me. Yeah.

Mary: I think Dark to Light was emotional in many ways for the whole arenas all over the tour

Adam: this is a beautiful song.

Mary: Yeah. How do you feel when people sing your lyrics back to you loud? It doesn't matter if it's in a small venue or while you supported an artist or something?

Adam: Yeah. I mean, I don't know if you know the term imposter syndrome.

But I get a lot of that.

Like, I'm just the guy from a small town who loves to do what he does.

And I think when people feel your music, like you feel it.

It's the most, it's a magical thing, man.

It's a crazy, crazy thing just to feel that from other people. Um, yeah. It's a pinch me moment every single time.

I don't think I'll ever get used to it, you know?

Mary: How would you describe your music to someone who'd never heard your music before?

Adam: This is a really interesting question.

When I look at it.

I don't think it's for me to describe it personally. I think it's for the whoever's listening to it, to perceive it however they feel it, if you know what I mean.

Like once I release the song, I think it's yours.

It's not mine anymore.

Like, I've cried over it, I've written it, I've listened to a million versions of it.

And I think once it's out, it's not for me to decide how someone hears it, because that's not what music is in my opinion.

That's not what art is. That's not what music is like. It's the same as looking at a painting.

You know, you can look at it and one person will think one thing that the person thinks something else.

And that's cool because that's how it's supposed to be. It's yours. Now you get to think whatever you want. You know, even if you think it's terrible, which I'm sure sometimes happens.

Mary: You're releasing an album tomorrow. Tell me something about, um, the songs, the way to the album, your feelings, whatever.

Adam: It feels so surreal to to be doing this and to be releasing my first ever album.

It is just, I don't know how to feel if I'm honest.

Like, it's just the craziest feeling in the world.

You work so hard for something and you work all your, all your life to this point where you're like, okay, I just, I guess I just hope people feel it, like I feel it. And I hope people who feel like they are.

You know, like human and which we all should feel. But I don't know. It's a weird one. It's such a weird feeling. I'll be honest.

I like even now. That you're asking all the all these wonderful questions. I don't know, I don't know. It's just. It's just weird.

I just hope people resonate with it like I do. And I hope people find some peace and some of the things I've said and hopefully some joy. And I guess that's it.

Mary: Happy release to your album tomorrow.

Now it's a funny and random question, but what item should never be missed on tour? And do you have any show rituals before it?

Adam: I mean, I am on the spectrum 1000%.

So I've got many rituals and many things that I do in my own head that I feel like I should do because I have to do, even if they make no sense, which most of the time they don't make any sense.

I've got so many things that I take with me on tour. The randomness seems like nothing, but it is like a certain type of sweet that I take, and I have to do my soundcheck with a certain sweet in my mouth because I think it helps

But I don't think it does even help my voice.

But I think in my head, if I do a soundcheck with this sweet.

I think I just need to go to therapy, to be honest.

But like, there are so many things.

There are so many supplements I take, there are so many rituals I do.

I have to write my setlist down every night, even though I know it.

I have to write out the cues because for some crazy reason the show will go better if I write out the shit that I already know.

Like it's a dumb thing, but that's kind of definitely one of the things that I do like.

I write the same notes every night on on my setlist and, and I can't even read my own writing.

So I don't know why I'm doing it, you know? But yeah, there's loads of things. There's so many.

Mary: Yeah, but it's good when someone have the rituals that they have, because then they feel safe while doing what they do.

Adam: But then the one. The problem is then the one night you don't do the ritual and something goes slightly wrong. You're like, well, that's because you didn't do the thing.

And it's actually quite irrational. But I need to do it to give me peace, if you know what I mean.

Mary: Yeah, I think every person have this stuff also in personal life, what they always do before doing certain things.

Adam: So 100% is the funny thing about humans is we're so weird, all of us, regardless of what, you know.

Like we're all just crazy people.

Mary: Yeah, true. When and how did you decide that you want to do music professionally? Like, as a job?

Adam: I think I've always wanted to do professionally, but never knew how to do it professionally.

So, like I worked many jobs, I worked in a fishmongers. I was on another market, a market in Doncaster, where I live.

I sold fruit, I sold fish.

I always like hustled. I've loved that.

Anyway, It was a night and I smelled. My mother was never happy. She made me leave my shoes outside because they stunk of fish. But like I've done that. I've worked in a factory. And I think there was always this I want to do music, but never understanding how to do it in a way that I didn't have to do anything else.

Mary: Yeah. And now you are here.

Adam: Um, and I think, there was a woman who basically she used to give me a lift home when I worked on the market.

And she's an amazing woman, a good friend of my, my parents. And she once said to me, you know, sometimes when someone says something that you've heard many times before, but for some reason it slaps you in the face and you go, okay, I heard it this time.

I really felt it this time. And she once said to me that she was like, well, look, she said, would you?

We're driving home. It was a ten minute journey, not even that.

And she was like, “wouldn't it be great if you do music”? And I was like, “yes”.

She's like, well, that's it then, so you should do it. And I was like, “Goddamn. You're right”.

And I think that since that point, I was like “okay, I've got to do this”. I've got to find a way to do this. That just makes sense. And it never really makes sense to be fair, regardless of arenas or anything else. But it also it doesn't have to make sense to feel sense, if you know what I mean.

Mary: Yeah. Always follow a dreams.

Adam: I completely agree.

what's yours

Mary: Like, even if it's just a hobby. One dream was to be a concert photographer, and have these interactions with artists etc. and it randomly started like.

Adam: Live your truth is something that someone said to me a long time. I saw it somewhere and it stuck with me as well. If you don't be true to yourself and live that, then you will.

I don't I'm not sure you'll ever, ever be like, holy, happy.

You know, like you have to live your truth regardless of anything.

Like you just have to, as long as you're not hurting anyone else. I think like, you've got to live.

Live whatever feels true to you.

Mary: So I have two more questions. So what is your biggest achievement so far?

Adam: It's going to sound quite crazy, to be fair but I think my biggest achievement after suffering with my mental health and many other things is my biggest achievement is, being content and being happy.

And there are so many ties to that, you know, like my biggest achievement work wise and, you know, music wise is I played a sold out O2 arena with Louis Tomlinson.

I did the things this last month that I never believed I could do because I think everyone has to believe it. But I also didn't know what would happen if you know what I mean.

So like that is obviously crazy, but I also think the most important thing for us as people is that we are happy and we find happiness and peace.

I think in the way we live our lives and the way we interact with other people.

Like, life is hard. You know, I felt I'm sure you felt it. I'm sure people have felt it, you know, in general. Well, I think the most important thing is that regardless of whatever you do is like, it's just finding this place that you can go. I'm happy. Yeah. That's it.

Mary: That is so true.

I think music has a big impact on the mental health from my generation and other generations. Louis once said “music is a real healer”, and I think one of the truest things ever.

Adam: I think the things it does for people is insane. I think the way that music helps.

Like, I don't like the music business. I'll never turn around to anybody and say “I love the industry”.

I think it's amazing. I think there's a lot of amazing people. What I do love is remembering that creativity and music is the most important thing when writing stuff.

I'm putting it out there regardless of views and numbers and all that stuff is like is the most important thing.

Because if you connect with one person and you change them you make them feel better than you win, you know?

I really believe that.

"I think there's a lot of me being from this little, little town in, you know, in the north of England (Doncaster) that's made me who I am."

Perspectives

Photo by Fieke van Slooten

Mary: And lastly, what's the moment in your life that completely changed your perspective?

Adam: I have a lot of these.

(A little problem with a seagull)

But the thing that's changed.

There's been so many things.

You know, I don't think success or life.

It's never a straight line.

You know, you go, you go, I'm going to do this and you might the end goal might be that and you might do that.

But it's always like this. There are so many things that have changed my life and so many things that have happened.

Again, from a guy from a small town who worked in factories, I guess, who like who dreamt of big things but never understood that it could happen to them, I think, like, is that just there's so many things like 50 cent recognized me.

Like he didn't have to do that. It didn't have to show me the respect and love that he did. And he changed my life. It was the first thing that really happened I guess in my career that I was like, oh damn, this is crazy.

And then Louis Tomlinson, he didn't have to take me on tour like he didn't have to do that.

But he did that. And I think, I think for me, if I'm being honest like these, these people who are doing great, who give you the opportunity to grow are super special.

And like I'm so grateful for that. So those things like the Louis Tomlinson tour, it's always been the the best experience of my life. There's no question in my mind it was the most magical like I came off tour and I was like, I hate my life.

Because you go off, you know, you do 15, 16, whatever shows and you're on this high, you're doing arenas and it's beautiful and the fans are just incredible.

Like the most love I've felt ever, you know.

I was saying the other day to somebody like, I've fought my whole life to feel like myself.

And until I did this tour and I felt I do feel myself when I do shows and stuff. But when I did this, like this arena tour, I was like, I've never felt as much like me. And I think that's a really crazy thing to acknowledge, you know.

I don't know if it answered your question,

You know what I mean?

Mary: I know what you mean. Like it.

Adam: It was just the best experience of my life. Like, I'm so grateful to him.

And I think. But I think it also goes to show that no one is a nobody.

 Like anything can happen to anyone. And the craziest things can happen in life, the flick of a few seconds, you know, whether it's something you put online or it's something that happens in your life.

And I think I don't want people to feel like they can't do it because if I can do it, I am an idiot.

Like if I can do it, anyone can do it, you know what I mean?

Like, anyone can believe big. And then it sounds cliche, but it is the truth.

Like, if you if you have the right mindset and an open mind, like magical things can happen for you.

Mary: Yeah.

You looked really happy on stage. I saw live streams.

Adam: That was the best thing ever.

Image by Mary Thelen

But honestly It was the craziest. The craziest time of my life.

Yeah.

Mary: Yeah, I think that's it. That's all the questions that I have.

Do you have any questions?

Adam: I mean, my question is, are you happy?

Mary: I am.

Adam: That's all that matters, man. That's it. That's it. We win. Then we're winning. You know. That's good. Thank you. Thank you so much for having me. I really appreciate it. Do you put your England shirt on for me, by the way?

Mary: It's a Louis Tomlinson English shirt, I wore that today. And I was like, oh, wait. The interview is today. Oh then i can wear it

Adam: okay great you legend.

I love it. Yeah. It's amazing. Thank you.

(Talking about Doncaster Rovers)

Mary: Perfect. Thank you so much for your time. It was an absolute pleasure.

Adam: Thank you. Thank you so much. Have a great time. Bye bye.

Mary: Bye bye.

- Interview by Mary Thelen for Frontlight Magazine - May 14, 2026

Mary Thelen's INSTAGRAM: @capturedby_m.j  

By Lamour White

About the artist

ADMT (Adam) is a Doncaster-born singer-songwriter from Doncaster, South Yorkshire, England, whose music blends soul-inflected pop and R&B with candid, emotionally driven songwriting. Raised in South Yorkshire and shaped by years working in market stalls and factories, his voice carries working‑class grit and heartfelt honesty. A Leeds College of Music alumnus, ADMT writes with a directness that foregrounds themes of mental health, loneliness, resilience and human connection.

Influenced by Motown, Stevie Wonder, James Brown and contemporary singer‑songwriters, his songs aim to comfort and change lives—something he takes seriously after hearing fans tell him his music helped them. From busking in Northern English cities to festival stages and support slots with James Arthur and Anne‑Marie, ADMT built his profile through relentless live work. After signing to BMG in 2025 and releasing “Come Along,” he stepped into 2026 performing arena shows as support for Louis Tomlinson. His debut album captures that journey: intimate, anthemic and rooted in the belief that music can heal.