Interview: Declan McKenna

Recently listed on the BBC's Sound of 2017 poll, rising new artist Declan McKenna is coming to Leeds on 29 January, to play a gig at the Brudenell Social Club.

He was invited on to the Later ...With Jools BBC2 show on the last series and gave an engaging performance. He has just released a new single, the melodic track The Kids Don't Wanna Come Home. At only 17 years of age he looks to have a promising career ahead of him. On the eve of his Leeds gig I caught up with Declan.

Will there be an album to look forward to?

Definitely, we are recording the album at the moment and it will be out this spring. The album will have 11 tracks on there and it's being produced by James Ford, who has worked with funnily enough, a Yorkshire band, the Arctic Monkeys. I mentioned his name to my management as someone I would like to produce the album and they approached him and he was up for it, he is a wicked guy.

You recorded a track called Brazil?

I did, the idea behind the track is about the problems and corruption associated with the World Cup, without addressing all the poverty in the country. One of my other tracks, Isombard is on the soundtrack to the video game FIFA 2017, which is like a twist of fate.

Who are your influences?

There are so many: The Beatles, Bowie, The Strokes, Nina Simone, Abba, it's areal broad range. I don't really tend to listen to what is in the current charts. I had a look the other day to the 40 biggest songs on Spotify in 2016 and could only recognise a few of them. For me the songs in the chart are much of a muchness. There seems to be this desire to repeat what has done well.

You played Leeds last year, good memories?

To be honest it was one of our worst gigs last year. There were lots of technical issues and we didn't get a proper soundcheck either. I'm sure when we come back to Leeds at the end of January it will be a lot better.

Have you always wanted to be a musician?

Of course, there was nothing else I wanted to do really. In school I was always into being creative be that in English lessons or sport.

Declan McKenna plays Brudenell Social Club, Leeds on 29 January 2017, tickets from £8.50
www.brudenellsocialclub.co.uk
Telephone: 0113 275 2411