It has been a decade since Yorkshire duo Jack Sedman and Harry Draper—better known as Seafret—released their debut album, Tell Me It’s Real. Over the years, the alt-pop team has experienced their fair share of career twists and turns, musical highs and lows, but at the same time, they have also felt a mix of emotion on the inside. Life has been very real for Sedman and Draper, as it tends to be for all of us, and they analyze their journey on their new album Fear of Emotion. This album weaves through moments of loss, longing, joy, power, and connection, and it does so in a way that reminds us that there is no need to dismiss the way you feel. We had a chance to chat with the duo ahead of the project’s release, where they described the way the album came together, its standout collaborations, favorite lyrics, and more.
Hi, Seafret! Congratulations on your upcoming album Fear of Emotion. You explore a variety of styles and genres on there, and a lot of themes and topics, but it all sounds so dynamic yet cohesive. How did this album come together for you?
Hey! Thanks for having us! We had some breathing space off the back of the success of “Atlantis,” and it was the first album we’ve done without the normal pressure you feel when making an album. I think this helped a lot, and made us relax and just make music we love.
Yeah, so “Atlantis” was one of your earliest singles, and it just reached over 1B streams. This is quite the accomplishment, so congratulations! What do you think it is about the song that resonates with fans?
This moment took us completely by surprise! Huge for us as a band. I think it’s the whole feel of the song and the lyrics having that emotional side. People seem to have listened again and again!
On Fear of Emotion, I notice that the album title pops up in “River of Tears.” Was this the first song written for the album? If not, which one was?
It does! We decided this lyric summed up the album for us. “River of Tears” I think actually was one of the first written, and it acted as a sign post for the rest of the album too. It showed us where the album was heading and what the overall feel of the record would be.
Which song was perhaps the most challenging to craft, whether it’s production-wise or lyrically? Or both?
We wrote a lot of songs for this album, and most of the songs that actually made the cut were songs that came easiest and weren’t forced in any way. That said, “Signal Fire” was a big production and took some getting right, but I think we got there in the end.
It’s very hard for me to pick a favorite on this album – I’m not just saying that! They’re truly all so good for different reasons. Do you feel the same way, or is there one special track on there that has your heart?
Thank you! For us, “Love in Reverse” has always felt special as it’s got that real stripped-back Seafret sound that we love and keep alive in our records.
Do you have a favorite lyric or line on the album?
I think my favorite lyric is, “It’s like gravity knows / And it pulls you like a falling star / Watching it grow / Like flower in a desert heart.” That’s taken from “Desert Heart,” and I think it reads beautifully.
There are three collab tracks on here, where you team up with James Morrison, KT Tunstall, and Katie Gregson-Macleod. Who reached out to who? Were you able to record in-person?
We wanted the collabs to be authentic and people we knew and could actually get in a room with. We ended up in the studio with James because our producer had accidentally double booked the day and suggested we tried writing something together, which is how “Driftwood” was born. KT came to see us years ago at Sundance film fest, and we’ve kept in touch ever since. We reached out, and she said she’d love to be on it, so we had a day with her in the studio and wrote “Five More Seconds.” And Katie was someone I discovered on TikTok and just loved her voice. I reached out, and she said she’d love to be on the record too. We feel extremely lucky to have them be a part of it.
If you could summarize the album with three emotions, which would they be?
Joyous, Heartbreak, Connected
Which songs are you most excited to play live?
Songs like “River of Tears” and “Five More Seconds” always feel huge on stage and are going to be so much fun to play!
What does the rest of 2026 look like for Seafret?
Lots of touring and a new album, plus a 10-year anniversary album of our debut album, Tell Me It’s Real, which is super exciting!
Thank you for your time today! And congratulations again on Fear of Emotion. Do you have any final thoughts or comments?
Our next record Fear of Emotion comes out 27th March, and we can’t wait! Thank you so much for your time!
Fear of Emotion, the fourth studio album from Seafret, is out today. You can listen to it here.
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