IN CONVERSATION WITH WYLDEST
Interview by Samo Šajn
London-based songwriter and producer Wyldest returns with her fourth and most personal album, The Universe Is Loading. Written during a time of big change, the record mixes real life struggles with dreamlike, surreal influences. It explores themes of illness, resilience, family, and self-discovery. We spoke with Wyldest about the experiences that shaped the album and the inspiration behind it.
This album is your most personal yet. What made now the right time to open up more in your music?
It was not a conscious decision. I think it is part of growing up combined with some of the life shifts I experienced recently. I got tired of sustaining an image with my ego and I would rather not put my energy into that anymore. I am more concerned with producing the best music I can, and that takes honesty.
You have been through a lot while making this record. How did those tough experiences shape the songs?
Albums are created over time, so they often represent something very poignant in the creator’s life. I wrote half the album before the experience, and I think you can hear the tone change throughout. I had a health scare and had to take a few months off music. It delayed the album, but ultimately it led to its completion. My lead single After The Ending was the first song written during that transition, so I like to think it had a positive impact on my output.
The album mixes real life struggles with a bit of sci fi imagination. Why do those two worlds fit well together for you?
I am drawn to space, nature and, more recently, tech and how AI and automation may shape our existence. I began writing the album with this in mind, but when I had my blip, I naturally combined the two. I spent a lot of time at Cliffe Pools in Kent. It is an industrial wasteland reclaimed by nature, now thriving with bird colonies and plants. I took comfort in knowing that outside my human problems, there is an entire universe. Whatever happens to me, I am always part of this wider network of life.
You have mentioned inspirations like games and surreal films. How do those things influence the way you write?
I love borrowing from other forms of art, not just music. Surrealist films and fantasy games make me feel a certain way, and I like to channel those feelings into songwriting. Being inspired by other music is great too, but sometimes it is too close to my own ego and I start wondering if I am unintentionally ripping things off when I love them so much. By borrowing from other art forms, I avoid that completely. It helps guide the context and tone of a song rather than the sound, and that part is left to come fully from me.
After The Ending deals with your endometriosis diagnosis. What does that song mean to you now?
It was the first song I wrote after taking time out to be diagnosed. I was in and out of hospital having tests for all kinds of things, and through that I feel like I grew a new layer of myself. I am very proud of this song and feel it captures that period perfectly. It carries the idea of a love story that cannot take place in the present reality, and the promise to find each other again in another one.
A lot of the album talks about family and growing apart. Was it difficult to write about those relationships?
Yes, it feels a little awkward because I would not want those family members to think it is a dig at them. It is more of an acknowledgement and an attempt to get it out there with the hope of eventually amending things. It is safe to say those in question do not engage with me or my music, so it is completely fine. I do not want it to come across as bitter. It is simply honest and frank about how things can be, and I hope anyone who relates might get something from it.
Wax Museum feels uplifting and hopeful. What inspired that track?
Wax Museum was the first song I wrote for this album, and I think you can feel that. I was uninhibited when I wrote it. At the beginning of creating any record, I have what I call a collection phase, where I gather ideas and inspiration from gigs, exhibitions, reading and other experiences. I saw the work of the late painter Philip Guston and read his book I Paint What I Want To See. It set a precedent for the album. I knew I wanted to be more honest and allow the music to flow without ego.
You have always turned personal challenges into powerful music. What helps you stay strong and creative in tough moments?
The music creation process is what gets me through. I feel real catharsis when I write something I am excited about, especially if I release a demon or two while doing it. Music is therapy, so it comes easily. Not doing it is what would make life hard.
The Universe Is Loading suggests change and future possibilities. What do you hope listeners take away from the album?
A lot has changed in my life over the past year, and that will be acknowledged in the music at some point. There will be more to come as I grow and feel different things throughout my existence. I hope listeners feel inspired in some way. I hope they sing along to it, dance to it and maybe reference it in their own work. When someone writes to tell me that a song inspired them, it makes everything worthwhile.
