Newcastle man’s climate change song recorded in South America

Newcastle man’s climate change song recorded in South America

26 July 2023

A NEWCASTLE man has travelled from the Mournes, to the South American Andes to record a song about climate change.

Paul Campbell, a local busker, who performs under the name Pauly Sea, has released his first single “No one’s Gonna Miss You when You’re Gone.”

The song was written in Northern Ireland at the start of the lockdown in 2020, but was recorded in Bogotá when Paul was teaching English while travelling South America.

“It feels empowering,” Paul said. “It’s a song I am very proud of and it has allowed me to treat myself as a serious artist.

“I’m looking at the release of my song as a stepping stone, which allow me to play at festivals and popular venues in Belfast.”

Paul (31) says busking is something he loves doing.

“It can be very liberating but also quite restrictive and limited due to the weather,” he remarked.

Paul has been influenced by some of the world’s most famous musicians such as The Beatles, Bob Dylan and Neil Young, as well reggae and 1970s rock.

“I write about a lot different things like love and societal issues,” he continued. “I never sat down and set out with the intention to write a song about climate change; it just happened organically. 

“Climate change is something I’m really passionate about, and I feel the song acts as a warning, especially lyrics like the whole world’s on fire and the water’s getting higher.

“It is our responsibility to maintain our environment – you don’t need to go very far to see that the impact of climate change in places like Greece are very real and extremely serious.”

The song was recorded in separate studios across South America, starting in Buenos Aires before being completed in Bogotá. 

“The people in South America are beautiful and very welcoming,” Paul said.

“A lot of their culture and spirituality is connected to nature, for instance they would thank Mother Nature for her gifts before they would eat.

“I’d say their focus on nature definitely influenced my songwriting and it is something I am very grateful to have experienced.”

Paul also credited the Arts Council of Northern Ireland for “saving me during lockdown”.

He explained: “The pandemic was difficult for everyone, but the funding artistes like myself received from the ACNI was a real creative lifeline, and it has helped me spread an important message and express myself at the same time.”

Settling back home in his hometown of Newcastle, with four more songs written, Paul 

is eager to continue to pursue his love for music and write more songs for people to listen to.

‘No One’s Gonna Miss You When You’re Gone,” is available on all streaming services, including Youtube and Spotify.