Following on from his much-loved sophomore EP 'daisies' earlier this year, London-born artist Paleblu is back on the grind once again to deliver his woozy new single 'want u to know'.
Bringing back more of that rich and riveting alt-pop aesthetic he has been crafting over the years, 'want u to know' makes for a stellar return to form for him. With its shimmering textures, sweeping atmosphere, and his own stellar vocals at the helm, he continues to shine as one of the more impactful names on the rise right now.
So with the new single available to stream now, we sat down with him to find out more about his origins and what has been inspiring him most lately.
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What was the first instrument you fell in love with?
Probably the guitar. Picked it up and played it at age 11. I was playing Piano from a younger age but was never super interested.
What kind of music did you love when you were younger?
A lot of different music to be honest. My dad did a good job of introducing me into some classic UK bands The Smiths, The Cure, Radiohead, The Beatles. I was in a few West-end musicals as a kid which also got me into that kind of music. At the same time, I was absorbing a lot of music from my older brother with the likes of Red Hot Chilli Peppers, Maroon 5, Block Party. And my sister was into her UK funky and UK Garage, so that introduced me to The Streets by the age of 8. I knew all the lyrics to ‘A Grand Don’t Come For Free’ whilst I was in primary school. It was very eclectic.
What was the first album you remember owning?
I’m pretty sure it was Blink 182 - Greatest hits on CD. I used to have an old hi-fi where I’d listen to tunes on the radio and record them onto the tapes. I’m pretty sure I remember doing a fake radio show when I was like 6-7 years old too.
What is the one song you wished you could have written yourself?
Pictures Of You - The Cure. I feel like that song just hits me right in the feels.
Do you have any habits or rituals you go through when trying to write new music?
Not really. I used to work in the box a lot, I’ve been producing half my life (14 years now) so I find that picking up a guitar and having a mess about is the most effective way of writing songs. I’m not even that technically minded but I can work stuff out by ear. Generally, I’ll write a song on guitar and then write the lyrics. After that I’ll be playing it with my band and we’ll piece it together to make it sound as good as possible.
Who are your favourite artists you have found yourself listening to at the moment?
In terms of new up & coming artists, I’m into Lip Filler and another band called Humane The Moon, who are from a similar area to me. My favourite artists that I regularly listen to are Hak Baker, Idles, The Streets, Bombay Bicycle Club, King Krule and the likes of those.
If you could open a show for anyone in the world, who would it be?
The Streets.
What do you find is the most rewarding part about being a musician?
Getting on stage, performing live and connecting with people. For me it’s an act of service being able to connect with people on a spiritual and emotional level. Being able to show people art in the form of a 3-5 minute composition or song, that’s about how I felt in the moment about something is a beautiful thing. I’ve been performing since a young age and I honestly think I was born to do it. It’s when I feel the most at home and I love it.
And what is the most frustrating part?
The music industry as a whole is a tricky landscape. A lot of it is conglomerated, the big companies are scamming independent artists and it’s hard to grow as an independent in this day and age without the funding. I feel like we are slowly losing the grassroots soul and fierce independence that was around 10-15 years ago. Maybe I’m wrong, but it sure feels like it.
And what is the best piece of advice you have received as a musician?
“Keep doing what you’re doing, set the trend and soon enough other people will follow” - from my manager - Rebel Clash.
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Paleblu's new single 'want u to know' is out now. Listen to it in the player below.