IN CONVERSATION WITH MR WA7T

interview by JANA LETONJA

Electro-pop artist, songwriter and producer MR WA7T returns with his new single Secrets, a genre-blending track inspired by 90s dance music and modern pop, ahead of his forthcoming album Falling Forwards, due for release on 11th September. The album follows his acclaimed 2022 debut No Thread Leads Back To The Heart, which reached Top 5 of the iTunes Alternative Albums Chart. With a career that has seen him produce and remix music for artists including Beyoncé, Missy Elliott, Texas and Lana Del Rey, MR WA7T brings decades of experience to his own music.

Your new release Secrets is out. What made this the right song to introduce the next chapter, Falling Forwards?

Secrets was written when I thought I’d finished making the album. Though it was one of the last songs I wrote, I felt sonically it covers the overall vibe. I see it an invitation and a welcome to my new era.

You’ve described Secrets as reclaiming the idea of keeping parts of life private. Why does that message feel especially relevant today?

We live in a world of oversharing, basically we’re living in The Truman Show. I really couldn’t give a f*** if someone’s had a haircut and feels the needs to show everyone. For me, holding on to secrets is about empowering, caring and showing compassion. We hold the secrets of loved ones, partners, friends. Secrets can hold us together. Secrets get a bad rap these days, but there is most definitely a place for them in our lives.

Musically, the track blends 90s dance influences with contemporary pop. Which artists or sounds inspired you while making it?

Everything But the Girls, Walking Wounded album is in my all-time Top Ten. There’s nothing quite like emotional heartfelt dance music. Sonically, recent artists like M.K.Gee and Dijon. They have a way of showing their musical history and influences, but completely turning it on its head, blending some really unusual sounds to create something new, beautiful and unconventional.

Falling Forwards is your first album since your successful debut in 2022. How has your songwriting evolved over the past few years?

It’s gotten sharper and more honed in. I spent more time making sure the quality was there. While a lot of the new material can be very electronic, most of it was written on guitar and keyboards first. I’ve been concentrating on strong melodies and words to tell a story before developing the production. I think these are my strengths on this album, while still taking risks and pushing myself. I’ve become very hard on myself to produce the best that I can be.

Your debut was both critically acclaimed and commercially successful. Did that create any pressure when making this follow-up record?

It’s strange, but I actually felt like a weight had been lifted off my shoulders. Going into the studio, I felt like a brand-new artist. Discovering different techniques and approaching how I created before in new way. I didn’t have to prove myself to anyone. I didn’t need anyone’s acceptance or approval.

You wrote, produced and performed Secrets yourself. How important is it for you to maintain that level of creative control?

Very important. There’s is only one co-write and one other musician on the album. It can be scary making all the calls, but it you’re not pushing yourself, then you’re not developing artistically. At no point did I feel safe or compromised in any way. If something became too easy, I felt I wasn’t testing myself. Some days, I’d have to put my writer’s hat on, the next day I would put my producer hat on, the next day I would put on my performer hat on doing the vocals and instrumentation. I ended up with a lot of hats.  

The remix package features Richard Norris and AMYL. What drew you to those collaborators, and were you surprised by the directions they took the song?

Richard Norris is legendary. I’ve always loved Beyond The Wizard’s Sleeve mixes and work. Beautifully crafted, fresh and they have bounce and depth. I knew he would take the song in a new direction and it’s fantastic. AMYL are really getting a cult following in the Queer community. Big beats and lots of retro vibes. Those boys love a cowbell. That mix is full-on late 80s Miami Beat MTV Dance. 

Looking back, how has growing up in Northern Ireland during The Troubles influenced your outlook as an artist?

It made me inclusive and respectful of other people’s cultures and beliefs. Segregation and division in your own community was hard to witness. Soldiers carrying guns would be an everyday thing, even walking to school. It was unsettling. I was around 9 years old when a bomb went off in a bar only a few miles from our house, killing 17 people and maimed many more. My older brother was meant to be in that bar that evening, celebrating a friend’s birthday, but for whatever reason, he didn’t go. A few of his close friends were killed and that shocked our family. It’s the only time I ever saw my father cry.

Having spent years producing and remixing for others, what has been the biggest challenge, and reward, of stepping into the spotlight as MR WA7T?

Challenging myself. Not playing it safe. You can hide behind another artists or musicians. With this album, it’s all out there, naked, raw. If I mess up ,there’s no blaming anyone but me. Producing myself vocally took a lot of time. I loved doing remixes for such amazing artists, but creating my own music is a whole other world and it was always my goal. 

Glasgow’s nightlife and club scene played an important role in your early career. Do you still find yourself drawing inspiration from club culture today?

Glasgow opened a whole new world to me. New friends, new music and amazing after parties. Being that free and finding like minded friends and new experiences were a huge eye opener. I went from working part time in a bar to running a queer club in a few months. Putting together wild club nights with the best DJs. Through the years, I’ve been to so many other great ones. I hate to say tribe, but through club culture, I definitely found my people. Clubbing brought everyone together. People from all walks of life were all suddenly mates. No barriers, no bullshit. We were all the same.

If listeners take just one thing away from Secrets and the new album, what do you hope it is?

Be brave and don’t look sideways. Everyone has their secrets and everyone has a story and they are all equally important. I hope people will connect and feel that they’re not alone and it’s relatable.

Finally, with the album arriving in September, what can fans expect from the months ahead? Any live performances, special projects or surprises in the works?

I’ve just started working on that. Putting together the set up and getting a live band together. Structuring the set and reworking new and old songs. I was so inspired by Dijons' show in Brixton recently. It was unconventional and exhilarating. Always good to mess it up a little. Create the unexpected. And that’s exactly how I want to move forwards.