Rising singer-songwriter Stephen Mugford is diving back into the deep end with a fresh spotlight on his debut album, Palooza Beach.
This vibrant eight-track release first made waves in September 2024 to strong critical acclaim. Now, nine months on, the album resurfaces as a reminder that you can take the kid off the beach, but you can’t take the beach out of the kid. Blending jazz-infused ’70s and ’80s textures with the dynamic, spellbinding vocals of a captivating acoustic songwriter, Palooza Beach invites listeners back into its warm, reflective tide. As Stephen puts it, his musical journey is all about “reflecting in tune.”
Drawing inspiration from the sunny optimism of Jason Mraz, the crooning storytelling of Paul McCartney, and the calming acoustic warmth of Willie Nelson, Palooza Beach isn’t just an album, it’s a sun-soaked experience. Like pulling up a chair on the sand, it immerses you in an atmospheric soundscape filled with squawking pelicans, sunscreen-slick surfers, and ocean breeze grooves. The opening track, ‘People Watching’, sets the tone for an album that pairs slinky trumpet lines with lyrical reflections on everyday struggles, delivering a soulful dose of funk that lingers like a perfect summer day.
While Palooza Beach features collaborations with acclaimed industry talents—producer John Escobar (Julia Mark) and Grammy-winning guitarist and arranger Claudio Ragazzi (Something’s Gotta Give, Home Again, Argentina)—Stephen Mugford’s voice and vision remain unmistakably his own. Mugford’s artistry is grounded in almost six decades of reflection and a deep love for language. A former poetry student and lifelong diarist, Stephen’s lyrical sensitivity is the heartbeat of the album and a striking shift from his earlier corporate career, which he chose to leave behind after a health scare twenty years ago.
That moment sparked a complete rethink of life’s priorities, and a creative reinvention, now fully realized in Palooza Beach. Nearly twenty years in the making, Stephen continues to chase the same vision: to authentically capture some of life’s little truths, and throw in just the right amount of fun.
An emerging artist with a lifetime of experience and relentless optimism, Stephen Mugford invites listeners to join him on a journey to try and touch the soul of the world through a blend of heartfelt honesty, soulful storytelling, toe-tapping rhythms, and hopeful optimism. Palooza Beach may be his debut, but it’s the product of decades of lived life, and the start of an exciting new chapter that’s only just beginning.
Dive into Palooza Beach now on all major platforms.
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