- Words Notion Staff
- Photography Dan Sullivan
Daisy Brain chats to us all about his favourite fashion trends, search for originality and his belief (or lack of) in aliens.
Welcome to Fresh Face, a quick-fire interview series spotlighting the best rising talents in today’s youthful music scene. From biggest pet peeves to party tricks and death row meals, we’re stripping things back from the formal Q&A format. Think of it like speed dating, but with some of the freshest music makers worth discovering.
On BBC 6 Music, Steve Lamacq described Daisy Brain’s music as reminding him of early Radiohead. That’s a compliment that makes you want to sit up and pay attention, but that’s just the beginning – this is an artist who has proudly carved his own path in music.
The alter ego of Will Tse, Daisy Brain’s MO is confessional, self-reflexive indie rock to have you headbanging and thinking at the same time. Take his new song “Digital Atlas”, which pulls from grungy distorted 1990s sounds whilst meditating on Tse’s own forms of escapism in times of difficulty.
On the tune, he says, “We’ve all spent the last two years grappling with ourselves in uncertain times. I really didn’t want to write a “lockdown” song, but digital atlas describes the headspace I was in at the time. I found myself becoming more and more insular, trying to escape the world by almost any means possible and reliving my childhood by getting addicted to world of warcraft. I’ve made it sound really dark there, but the song isn’t. It just reflects this strange, surreal headspace of not really knowing where the real world and the virtual world end and begin.”
With a recent soldout headline tour including a slot at Camden Assembly, it’s clear people are getting the message. To celebrate his recent success, we sat down with Daisy Brain to chat about his ideal dinner party, aliens, his fashion nostalgia and much more…
Kurt Cobain, Damon Albarn and Dave Grohl.
Kurt and Dave because they were in my favourite band ever and inspired me the most. Damon because lyrically, I feel like he’s inspired me so much to like, not just talk about depression in a sad way, but in a way that’s kind of fun and accepting – and fresh ! I feel like it’s [his music] just super intellectual, and I like it a lot.
You don’t have to have the confidence of the world to do it!
It would be… I don’t know, my favourite ones are already revived ! Maybe like, the 70s ? Yeah, the 70s flares – I love a good flare.
By not trying so hard to be original!
People, TV and my therapist – I guess that counts as people but hey…
Finish the sentence: I feel happiest when…
I feel happiest when it’s midnight, the day is over and I can have a spliff in my room.
Do you believe in aliens?
YES ! I do believe in aliens.
Wildest thing that’s happened to you lately?
Being sent fan mail – I got sent a thong that was knitted by hand, that was pretty mental.
Favourite season?
Spring or Winter. Because it’s not too hot, people go home quicker and go to bed earlier. I don’t know why but I always prefer it when everyone’s asleep. I feel at peace.
Biggest goal for 2022?
To play to 700 people in one night. Of my own crowd ! And to meet Damon Albarn…