Interview with WALWIN
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Interview with WALWIN
What got you into music, and if you had not gotten into music what would you be doing today?
I definitely have early 00s WWF (WWE) to blame for this. The music was bangin’ and super iconic. Limp Bizkit, Saliva, Creed - really got 10 year old me excited! So most likely, if I’d never decided to pivot into music from there, I’d probably have seriously gone down the path of being a pro wrestler.
What do you like to do when you are not playing music and how does that influence your creativity?
The honest (but boring) answer is that I just let life happen and savour the experiences - and then eventually that all gets turned into lyrics.
How long have you been making music?
I started writing when I was around 14/15. Admittedly all my songs sounded like reject Fall Out Boy tracks for the first few years.
Where are you based and how did that influence your music?
The simple answer is that I’m based in London. The more complicated answer is that the past few releases have been written/recorded across my mini vacays to LA, Paris and bunch of other amazing cities - which in itself kind of influenced the music too. Growing up in a city like London gives you the advantage of experiencing so many different cultures, styles & attitudes, but then you get desensitized to a point where you need to leave to experience new things.
Tell me about your most memorable shows, if you haven’t played live what is your vision for a live show?
I did a show in Paris back in January and it was honestly phenomenal. I got to play with my buddies Back On Earth and we packed out one of the coolest venues in the city. Also it was the first time I got to play songs like Thorns and Save It For Myself live, so it was a special one. Really felt like the start of a new chapter.
What is your favorite venue to play at, and do you have any places you want to play that you have not already?
There’s a venue in LA called The Troubadour that I’ve been to a couple of times. It just looks like such a good vibe and I’m so gassed for the day I get to play there.
If you could play any show with any lineup, who would be on the ticket?
Right - Paramore are headlining but they’re playing All We Know Is Falling in full. Mayday Parade are main support - they can play whatever they like. And of course, I’m opening up because that means I get to play my set early, then kick back and watch both of theirs.
What is some advice that you would give to someone who is just getting into making music and some advice that you would give to your younger self?
Just have fun and enjoy the ride. Play the music YOU want to play and don’t stress yourself out trying to get a bunch of fans really early on or go viral. Just enjoy the art - all the other stuff can come later. And to my younger self? DON’T PLAY THAT SHOW IN PLYMOUTH. It’s gonna take 10 hours to get there and no one’s gonna show up. Just stay at home mate.
Of your songs which one means the most to you and why?
It has to be Thorns. Everything about the writing, the time it was written and the time it came out is gonna be forever ingrained in my head and felt like such a pivotal point in my life.
Which songs are your favorite to play and which get requested the most?
Also Thorns! Without getting too nerdy, the ¾ time signature is SO fun to just sway and vibe to. I'm doing two headline shows in September and we're playing a lot of new songs for the first time, so the answer might change if you ask me after that!
What is your creative process, and what inspires you to write your music?
It's usually 4am and my brain is in that weird creative state that only seems to happen around that time. I do a lot of voice-noting when I'm on the tube or whenever inspiration wants to strike - and then when I'm feeling productive, I sit down with the laptop and get stuck into all the nerdy stuff like drum programming.
Do you have messages that you like to get across in your music? if so please tell me about them.
Not particularly. Like nothing serious for sure. I sing songs about relationships and nostalgia. I guess in terms of a 'message' it's that we're all experiencing the same things and dealing with a lot of the same problems. No matter how alone you feel or how crazy things get, it's nice to listen to music that reflects that and that you can relate to. That's what I had the first time I listened to bands like Dashboard and Say Anything. So I guess I'm just trying to pass it forward and give other people that same feeling.
Do you have any new singles, videos, or albums out that you would like to tell me and your fans about?
Yes! Famous just dropped back in July. That's currently out on all streaming platforms and the music video which my friend Kalen and I shot on Santa Monica beach is up on my YouTube. And I have a new single called Enemy coming out on September 1st!
What are your plans for the future, and do you have anything that you want to spotlight that is coming up?
I've got two shows coming up, The Hairy Dog, Derby on September 1st and The Macbeth in Hoxton on September 2nd. Beyond that, I'm just releasing more bangers and content for everyone to enjoy.
How can your fans best keep up to date with you, any socials you want people to check out?
The main two I use are IG and TikTok and I'm @_walwin on both. If you want more deep cuts and long form content, I'm on YouTube too and my channel is /WALWINmusic