Stop This Flame

Album: Not Your Muse (2020)
Charted: 47
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • Celeste Waite was born in Culver City, California, to a British mother and a Jamaican-American father. Following her parents' separation, she moved to England at the age of three and grew up In Brighton.

    Celeste began writing songs as a teenager. After being discovered by a manager at 16, he arranged studio sessions for her at Sarm West Studios in Notting Hill. She then signed to Lily Allen's Bank Holiday Records and released her debut single, "Daydreaming," in October 2016.

    The young soul singer signed to Polydor Records in 2018 after catching the attention of Michael Kiwanuka; she supported the singer-songwriter on tour across Europe the following year.

    In late 2019, Celeste received the Brits' Rising Star Award, previously the Critics' Choice gong. (Previous winners include Adele, Florence + The Machine, Ellie Goulding and Sam Smith). She also won BBC Music's prestigious Sound of 2020 poll.
  • This euphoric piano-driven stomper finds Celeste crooning about her unwavering love for some person or some dream. "In essence, 'Stop This Flame' is a song about seeing it through to the end," she explained. "Whether it's about not letting go of love, not letting go of a dream or stridently coming through some form of adversity. The song has always evoked those feelings within me."
  • Celeste wrote the song with Los Angeles-based songwriter Jamie Hartman, whose other credits include Rag'n'Bone Man's "Human" and Lewis Capaldi's "Hold Me While You Wait."

    Hartman also produced the track with John Hill (Shakira, Kesha).
  • "Stop This Flame" was Celeste's first release following her Sound of 2020 win. It became her first single to chart in her home country.
  • Sky Sports used this song as the theme tune for their coverage of the 2020-21 Premier League. Gary Hughes, Sky Sports Director of Football, said: "The start of the football season is all about hopes and dreams for millions of supporters up and down the country, and this track brilliantly portrays those feelings."
  • The song soundtracked 2021 TV adverts for Peloton and Royal Mail in the UK.
  • The Detroit producer RX remixed the song, transforming it into a stomping house anthem.

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Sarah Brightman

Sarah BrightmanSongwriter Interviews

One of the most popular classical vocalists in the land is lining up a trip to space, which is the inspiration for many of her songs.

Al Kooper

Al KooperSongwriter Interviews

Kooper produced Lynyrd Skynyrd, played with Dylan and the Stones, and formed BS&T.

Reverend Horton Heat

Reverend Horton HeatSongwriter Interviews

The Reverend rants on psychobilly and the egghead academics he bashes in one of his more popular songs.

90210 to Buffy to Glee: How Songs Transformed TV

90210 to Buffy to Glee: How Songs Transformed TVSong Writing

Shows like Dawson's Creek, Grey's Anatomy and Buffy the Vampire Slayer changed the way songs were heard on TV, and produced some hits in the process.

Van Dyke Parks

Van Dyke ParksSongwriter Interviews

U2, Carly Simon, Joanna Newsom, Brian Wilson and Fiona Apple have all gone to Van Dyke Parks to make their songs exceptional.

Richard Marx

Richard MarxSongwriter Interviews

Richard explains how Joe Walsh kickstarted his career, and why he chose Hazard, Nebraska for a hit.