HYPE FILES - The DWY Interview
South London's DWY (pronounced "Dewey") is a powerhouse of talent. Hailed as a top 10 British artist to watch, he has solidified his brand in a short amount of time. Influenced by Frank Ocean, James Blake, and Kanye West, DWY's "Cinematic Modern Pop" sound and storytelling abilities have crossed seas, and tracks like "You & Me", "BMX", and "Over You" have quickly become favorites.
His artistry knows no limits, and not only does he sing, write, and produce, but he brings his creations to life like "8-Bit Memories", a short film that celebrated his 2021 album of the same name. DWY's music could be heard on a few of your favorite tv shows, and he has lent his sound and pen to the likes of Hope Talla, Love Mansuy, and Nate Fox among others.
We recently chopped it up with the British creative ahead of the release of his "Self-Contained" project, and we spoke about his start in music, his influences, life in London, Kanye's "808s & Heartbreak" being "life-changing", the importance of storytelling in music, and more!
Get a dose of DWY below.
Thanks for coming through! For those unfamiliar, how did you get your start as an artist?
Thanks for having me! And TBH it was very random… I wasn’t like a particularly musical kid. I also loved it as a listener, would read about every part of an album I loved but never saw myself as a singer, never enjoyed music class. I ended up in college at 16 and honestly just to hang out with the older kids I started rapping and making songs and it clicked, like it really clicked. This is the thing I really love and the only thing I want to do.
Fast forward I dedicated everything to music and realized rapping wasn’t for me so I started playing with singing. Flirted with the idea of being a songwriter and quickly realized I want to sing my own words. They mean too much for me. I took a chance and put out ‘Over You’ and that gave me the confidence I needed.
Art should be visceral
- DWY
Your music is very raw, calming, and expressive. Where do you draw your inspiration from?
Life really. I’m very sensitive as a person, and it took me a long time to not look at it as a bad thing. I draw from everything around me and really use it as an outlet. I’m not the best at expressing myself so music does a lot of talking for me, and I try to write the way I talk for the most part…. I’ve always been drawn to conversational music.
London has brought a lot of dope artists to the forefront. Where do you think it’s deep culture and knack for innovative sounds comes from?
London is culture to me. Everyone is so on top of each other so much culture bleeds into one another. It’s also a pretty raw gritty place and I think that just leads to expression. Art should be visceral and London and for me especially south east London is a visceral place.
What do you love about London the most?
The pace for sure! I love the bus and the train too! People watching is one of my favourite things and I write some of my best lyrics when I’m in motion seeing the world go by me. I love getting lost too and London is a great place to get lost in… sometimes. Lol
How is the music scene out there, by the way?
It’s great. It’s having this great moment of creating its own identity which I think is super exciting.
You’ve described Kanye West’s “808s & Heartbreak” as “life-changing”. In what ways did it open your eyes and evolve your sound?
It really showed me about being raw and experimental whilst still being vulnerable and honest. It's a super stripped back album too, only the key elements which is something I strive for in my work. It was an album of no hiding.
What some people may not realize is that you’re an avid storyteller. When did you realize this is your gift?
As a kid I loved reading, I still do. I would be under my covers with a flashlight way past my bedtime just diving into stories. Before songs, I would write short stories all the time, and I guess I took that same approach with my songs. Plus all my favourite artists are amazing storytellers and scene painters.
Culture, tradition, and many of life’s lessons are passed down through storytelling. How do you see yours contributing to the culture?
I really just want to speak to my generation. I think every generation has a different need, and I want to speak on the things that matter to us in the most honest way I can.
What are some of your favorite stories, past and present?
There’s this one story my mum would tell me as a kid called the black bat. It's abstract and random but has never left me. I’d share it but I’m saving that one for my kids! The film "Moonlight" is a beautiful story to me. It speaks to emotions that weren’t often explored in the Black community. We needed that… I needed that.
So, you’re releasing a new project soon, “Self-Contained”. What does its title mean to you?
It paints where I was in my life while making it. I recorded it mostly in my house, the title track I recorded in my bedroom at 2am. It’s personal, I wanted to make a record that felt nose to nose with the person I’m talking to.
Take us back to the time you were creating the project. What type of headspace were you at, and in what ways did the project grow you as an artist, and person overall?
I’m way more confident as a singer than I was on "8-Bit" for sure. I’m putting myself front and centre in the music, a lot less is going on. A record like "Badu Feels" is about depression, "Pull Up" is me wrestling with my ego and my pride and the Self-Contained is just me and a guitar and I’m having a conversation. I feel the most me I have on record.
A lot of times people self-contain and put themselves into a box due to fear and limiting beliefs. Have you ever had to break out of any boxes, either those made by yourself or others?
100% I spent most of my artist career not thinking I was a good singer and would bury myself in the music. People used to tell me I couldn’t sing, I should get a real job, make more songs like "Over You". I was scared of presenting all of me because what if you guys don’t like me, but fuck it I just have to express myself.
Music is art. Storytelling is art. Life in itself is art. What role does it play in your life?
Therapy & release. It’s just who I am even when I’m talking. I love to tell you a story, I love to share music and films with people. I make folders of furniture and art I’m inspired by. When I’m 40 I want to design chairs. When I made "8-Bit" the film it showed me how much art and music intersect for me, and that's definitely something I want to further explore. DWY & A24 sound like they go together.
Anything else we should know?
New music isn’t stopping with "Self-Contained". I feel great creatively and I’m ready to go on a run.
