Hello, it is the 28th and I am back with a new chapter! This is one of the first ideas that I had when I started planning what letter writing series would be worked on in 2022/2023. As I've said before, the musician James Bay heavily inspires Justin, and a couple of months after his latest album came out on vinyl, I discovered a really sweet letter to his daughter as the thank you notes for the new record! I knew I wanted to include a version from Justin to his daughter with Sammy, Layla, in this particular story. And this month, I finally got round to creating it! I hope you enjoy :)

Dear Layla,

It's Dad. It's amazing to me how those words bring a peculiar smile to my face when I've been on this little journey with you for nearly two years now! I'm certainly not a new father anymore. I've been doing this guardian thing for quite a long time too. Another thing that I've been doing for a very long time is music. And as you can probably tell, this is kind of what all this is about.

This here is an album sleeve. I've already shown you plenty of them before, including my own! What a big head! When you're lucky like I am to be able to put a record out into the world, you get a page to write whatever you want. These album sleeve notes are for my new album. And this is my way of thanking everybody in my life who has supported me to where I am now. And certainly, showing gratitude to you, my little Layla.

Prior to making this new record, I had been in a bit of a weird place creatively. Nothing seemed to stick! Was I thinking too much? Was I thinking too little? Was I feeling too much? Too little? I don't know. All that I know is that I bounced many, many ideas around before getting to the point where I felt like I was beginning to have enough new songs – enough worthy songs – to compile an album.

In the middle of all that, I became a dad. Your dad! Yet another idea that was bounced around. And another one that I am so fortunate to have been able to nurture to fruition.

Your arrival was one of the things that put me on the path to knowing what I had to do with all of my new songs – what I wished to say. And while reveling in the little bundle that was you was my biggest priority, so was getting everything that I needed to say off my chest.

And then, six months letter, something else happened to my chest.

It shattered.

I don't know why I'm telling you all of this. Even less, I don't know why I'm confessing all this to however many people that decided to buy my new record! But with my music, it's always been crucial to be honest. And I'm trying to be a bit more like that with my speech too.

My heart shattered and that's the truth.

Your father, Sammy, and I, weren't working any more. We knew that we had to go our separate ways. My life shattered in front of me. So did my words. But thanks to you and your brother and sister, Zack and Darcy (who haven't been named up until this point, but this letter is absolutely to them as well) I was able to find the strength to pick up the pieces one by one.

All of us together put the pieces of our family back together. In a way, we formed the picture of a new family. A new beginning. I could write again. I still wrote from the same place. The gratitude of the family that I once had and still in some way overwhelmed me beautifully. I wrote from a different place too. A place filled with joy. A place of ecstasy that we had all taken a leap and we had been supported by some sort of invisible net.

The truth is, Layla, life is full of chance. Life is full of opportunities to leap. And sometimes you just have to go for it. It was a leap ending things with your dad. But in many ways, it wasn't a leap away from each other because it was a leap to somewhere new. You know how much I treasure him to this day, perhaps even more than before.

Sammy, I treasure you always.

I treasure all of you always, every single one of you who has lifted me up when I wasn't sure what awaited me. It was a leap making you, Layla and adopting you, Darcy and Zack. But that was a leap that was very worthy very quickly. Making this album has been a risk that was a much longer process. But I'm already reaping the awards. Thank God it's paying off. I'm still astounded that people even listen to what I have to say, let along sing!

I have to mention some more names before I get going. This is equally to all of you as much as it is to my daughter.

Misty – well done for always seizing your own paths in life and so many thanks for always being at the end of the phone whenever I needed you. Whether it was to give me feedback on a lyric or just to chat. This album sleeve wouldn't exist without you and that's for sure.

How do I even begin to thank you, Mum and Dad? You've elevated me my entire life and certainly in the past couple of years. I hope you enjoy giving this new record a listen because it's as much your story as it is my one. Mum, cheers for the honesty always, and, Dad, I owe you big time for your fingers working their magic when mine grew weary!

Oh, Katie – you know I wouldn't be me without you and your love and your support is embellished all throughout this new album. Thank you for being you. That's the most inspiring thing to me.

Sammy, I don't even know what to say. My love for you still fills every part of me and blocks anything comprehensible from coming out of me! Thank you for being the best dad to our children and a deeply loyal friend. You know where to find me, always. Sometimes this album is a hard listen. But I hope it's a worthwhile one. It has you running through it.

To my brothers and sisters, to Sammy's family and anybody out there that I have been able to count on, you have my eternal gratitude and heartfelt devotion. Cheers for being a part of my story and I can only look onwards with excitement for whatever is to come for all of us.

To my children – I may have found you and created you, but you have done that for me as well. Thank you for unlocking a new part of me. Being a musician is a dream I am so lucky to have been able to fulfil but being your father is the biggest dream of them all.

And last but not least, to my darling Elijah – we really took a leap, didn't we? And so far, it's paid off. You have my heart so please keep it safe. Otherwise, you'll hear more songs like the ones I didn't dare release that were smothered in the heartbreak while you were missing from my life! I'm joking. Mostly. You inspire me every day. I hope you know how unstoppable you are.

So, I'd better clear off because this might be the longest album sleeve notes ever!

This page is to you, Layla, yes, but it is also to everyone. Everyone who inspires me. Everyone who uplifts me. Everyone who shelters me. I took a chance with this album and so far, it's paid off. Life is full of chance. I thank my lucky stars that, by chance, I found all of you, and I stumbled into this career of mine and I get to do what I do.

Thank you for listening. To these words. And to my music.

Speak soon. Perhaps on tour! That is another leap that I will have to take. And one I am so eager for.

Many thanks again,

Sincerely,

Justin x

There you go! Thanks so much for reading and I hope you enjoyed :) Even though I couldn't bring myself to type the word "fans" I'm sure this letter is for them as well :D Justin isn't really the type to use that word. But he is the type to let everyone know how much he realises that he wouldn't even be able to pursue his dream without the support and guidance from everybody else. I like that he included a mention to Sammy and I'm sure he appreciates that too. It can't be easy to have your relationship highs and lows sung by someone you used to share your life with! But, "used to" is a funny phrase here. Because, like Justin suggests, their journey together hasn't ended just because they are no longer together :3 Thanks again for reading and I will be back on Wednesday 8th to update Pikachu Tales. See you then!

Amy signing out :)