Originally from Fairmilehead in the south of Scotland’s capital, Hawk has been making music for more than a decade, with his first two albums earning praise.
However, A Firmer Hand – which mixed artful indie rock and synth-pop with open, emotional lyrics regarding Hawk’s relationships with various men – marked a step up for the singer, resulting in glowing reviews.
It was a record often dark in tone and emotion, but Hawk himself seems content now, although he admits opening himself up was not an easy thing to do.
“I do feel I’m in a better place now,” he says.
“Writing and releasing an album like A Firmer Hand wasn’t the easiest thing, it’s quite vulnerable and exposing. It was more sincerely autobiographical than anything I’d written before, and it was a catharsis for me.
“At the time I said I opened a cupboard and a skeleton fell out, and now I’m in a place where I’ve been made stronger by that, and I’m thankful.
“Everything just poured out when writing, like an exorcism – I don’t know what follows an exorcism but it’s got to be better than what was there before.”