- Words Cal McIntyre
- Photography Tami Aftab
- Makeup Emily Wood
- Set Design Ollie Wiggins
Allow us to introduce you to Harve - the South East London artist creating intimate and vulnerable work that sits harmoniously in a vast and sparse electronic soundscape.
Effortlessly merging nostalgic R&B with a vast and ever-changing electronic universe, Harve creates post-midnight tunes that you can pause and reflect to. Dipping into a well of their feelings, Harve’s honest and personable lyricism reaches out to you like the embrace of an old friend.
After Harve’s mum sadly passed away when they were twelve, it was a sharp turning point for the singer as they turned to music as a cathartic release, resulting in a personable and prolific honesty running throughout their casual poetry since they were young. Harve’s music is undoubtedly inward whilst narrating their perspective of the outside world through the comforting safety of music.
Where musical worlds collide, Harve transferred playing their mother’s guitar to merging the sonic reality with the digital world via Logic. Both reality and virtual can be found woven together throughout Harve’s work, whilst the production from Kwes Darko and Harve transcends their work into an electronic world that sits between 90s R&B with modern sparse electronica.
Dissecting what it means to exist and love as a queer person in a digital society, Harve is already establishing themselves as a prominent and needed voice within the UK music scene. Their latest track ‘Blue For You’ is a perfect introduction to the singer who is able to use their gift of storytelling to captivate their listeners.
We caught up with Harve amidst isolation to find out more of their journey so far as more music waits just around the corner – their debut EP Held By The Moon lands next Thursday 21st May.
How would you describe your sound?
For me, I always think of it as nighttime music. I think at night all the feelings I’ve been moving through throughout the day start to come out; it can be a really lonely but healing time.
What are some of your first memories of music?
Mainly just listening to music in the car with my parents. My mum was a big David Bowie and T Rex fan, and I was loving the queer vibes since day to be honest. And my dad was big into Aretha Franklin and Otis Redding, so soul was kind of a first love. I think the first CD I asked for was Destiny’s Fulfilled by Destiny’s Child, which I’m pretty happy about. But I think the first record that really stuck with me and I still go back to all the time is Joni Mitchell’s Blue. I hadn’t heard anyone use words like she did.
How are you staying during isolation?
’s up and down, but mostly I’ve been okay. I’m trying to structure my days a little, making time for music and working out. It’s hard knowing everything that’s going on in “the outside” and feeling so separate from it. But also, I’ve really just been playing loads of The Sims 4 and I’m quite happy to take that mental check-out.
What’s the best part of being an artist? The worst?
Being able to create art and share it with people that relate to it is pretty amazing. Knowing that you can write something that stays with someone, or helps them, I think that has to be the best part. I think the worst thing is that it’s really difficult not to compare yourself to your peers. We’re surrounded by so much content that it’s hard to stay focused on your own progress.
What is something that not many people would know about you?
I’m into Eastenders and am personally gutted it’s only on twice a week during lockdown.
What energy do you want to give off when you perform live?
I want people to feel like I’m present and that I’m experiencing it with them. Those are always the shows that have stayed with me the most – when you feel like the performer is having a sick time with you.
What does being in love feel like for you?
I think every love feels different. I think when you experience a good love, it’s the closest you feel to really being at home. It’s safe and it feels right to be there. But you get those loves that don’t quite work for you; you can feel at your weakest, and lose sight of what you first wanted. It’s a really vulnerable time either way, but you learn something more about yourself every time.
What is the best piece of advice you have been given?
My mum told me not to spend my life watching the clock. It’s always stayed with me and reminded me to stay present and enjoy each moment, each up and down.
Do you have a favourite lyric you’ve written right now?
I’ve started writing this song and it got this line that says;
‘when we stayed in, because we lost count of the times that we met,
I drew stars on you’re ceiling, while you moved beneath me’
It’s vulnerable but also super intimate.
If you could say one thing to your younger self, what would it be?
I’d want little me to know that I will find a lot of the answers to all the questions I had. You’re better than “normal”, you will find people like you, and you don’t have to make any decisions or choose any labels right now.