Forget intimidating, ‘my kids aren’t even scared of me, says Rag’n’Bone Man

He may tower over most people and be covered in tattoos, but UK singer and father-of-four-boys Rag’n’Bone Man has the voice of an angel and believes in … hope.

Rag N Bone Man is releasing a new album, What Do You Believe In?. Picture: Supplied

Looks can be deceiving, just ask Rory Graham.

Better known around the world by his stage name – Rag’n’Bone Man – the British singer measures 1.96m tall (6’6’’).

Broad shouldered, he has several tattoos across his face and carries a beard – a stark contrast to his deep baritone voice once described as “Barry White on the back of a motorbike”.

“I am the least intimidating person you could meet, my kids aren’t even scared of me,” he says.

“When I first started out, a lot of people in the audience would come up to me afterwards, especially the older generation, and say, ‘oh, we didn’t expect you to sound like that, we though you were going to come on and sing some heavy metal or something’. It was always a surprise to people.”

Chatting to Insider via Zoom from his home studio in the UK, Rag’n’Bone Man is excited, yet anxious a couple of days out from the release of his new album, What Do You Believe In?

Rag N Bone Man: “I just want the songs to connect with people.” Picture: Supplied

“I’m nervous,” he says.

“I feel like, when I make records, as soon as they are out, all of this goes away. I am not the sort of person who is watching the numbers and it has to make this place on the charts or whatever, I just want the songs to connect with people, that is all I really hope for.”

Rag’n’Bone Man has softened with age. At 39, he said he was less emotional as a younger man.

“I’ve gotten to this age now where, I think it is because I’ve had children and then life happens, and I’ve got to the point now where I start crying at stuff and then I can’t stop,” he laughs.

“It is a nice thing to pass on to your children because we grew up in this generation, and it sounds cliche to talk about it, but our generation was one of those ones where you didn’t talk about your feelings and you didn’t cry and you were always told that that was something that was not manly or was feminine to do so, whatever it was. It is changing, and it is nice that it is and I can pass that on to my kids now.”

Rag’n’Bone has a seven-year-old son, Reuben, from a previous relationship, and is stepdad to his partner, Zoe Beardsall’s, three boys, Jesse, 8, Bear, 13, and Jackson, 15.

Rag 'n' Bone Man performs at Bluesfest in 2018.

“We’ve got four boys in the house, hence why I’m getting a bit grey,” he says.

“When I am home, I am super hands-on. I live for it. I like to be present and I want them to feel like they have my support in everything that they do. It is difficult because this job means that you are away a lot ... I don’t want them to think that I am not here for them.”

Rag’n’Bone Man has enjoyed phenomenal success around the world with global hits Human (released in 2016) and Giant three years later with Calvin Harris. What Do You Believe In? is his third studio album and follows the first two multi-platinum releases, Human and Life By Misadventure. For perspective, he has had more than nine billion streams across his discography.

“Everything is very much on the plate when I write songs so you know what I am saying,” he explains.

“The last few years of my life I’ve felt very grounded because I’ve had this safe space to come back to with my family, and I love it, and I think that makes me write music that feels more uplifting I guess ... even the songs that have that weight to them, they still feel quite uplifting. I wanted to give it that backdrop that even if I am writing a sad song, there’s still a bit of hope.”

Rag’n’Bone Man is slated to visit Australia in 2025, playing Bluesfest in Byron Bay in April with headline shows in Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth.

What Do You Believe In? is out now

Originally published as Forget intimidating, ‘my kids aren’t even scared of me, says Rag’n’Bone Man