A Chat with Heddlu (31.08.22)
The brainchild of singer-songwriter Rhodri Daniel, Heddlu brings together elements of alternative rock, synth-rock and dream-pop in his unique sound. We speak with Heddlu about his latest album Cantref, starting conversations with a stranger, future plans and more!
OSR: What drew you to music?
Heddlu: I’m Welsh, the land of song, so I was kind of born into it, cliche? Probably, but true.
OSR: What inspires you to make some music?
Heddlu: I don’t know why I write music, I have to, it’s just a need and a drive. The things that usually inspire me are other music and random sounds I hear in the world. I once wrote a song by standing between two rooms in a nightclub, or making up what I think I hear from music being played in another room. Places inspire me but interestingly people rarely do, I find sounds and places far more inspiring.
OSR: What can you tell us about your new album Cantref? Is there a backstory or theme?
Heddlu: It’s a concept album of sorts about a young man being washed out to sea before sinking to the depths of a sunken mythological Celtic city. It basically follows my ongoing battle with hearing damage from touring in rock bands for 15 years.
OSR: Did you face any challenges when creating the album?
Heddlu: Just writing and listening to music was difficult to start with, my hearing damage meant that I was acutely sensitive to any and all sound, so I had to learn to play and write and record quietly. I had to learn how to engineer and produce electronically, as well as mix myself. Basically, the whole bloody album was challenging, but then again most things in my life are.
OSR: If you could change one thing about Cantref, what would it be and why?
Heddlu: I guess it would be good if I was a world-renowned mixer to make it explode out the speakers a bit more, but it is what it is. I tried my best and I think it sounds pretty OK.
OSR: What do you hope people take from the album and your music in general?
Heddlu: I’m not sure, this was a form of therapy for me, a release in a literal sense. I didn’t really write this for success or for anyone else, to be honest. If I had it may have been a lot less weird, but I guess if they enjoy descending into a different world for a little bit and enjoy the sounds and songs they hear, that would be a nice thing I’ve done for someone for a bit.
OSR: What is the best compliment you have ever received?
Heddlu: I get told now that I’m much calmer and less intense than I used to be, which is good in a sense as it means I’ve succeeded in improving myself as a person.
OSR: If you were at a dinner party sitting next to a stranger, how would you strike up a conversation?
Heddlu: I would just say hello, who are you? I don’t have any problems talking to people.
OSR: What is your greatest achievement?
Heddlu: I honestly think this album is my best achievement to date, not that it’s amazing or anything but more in the fact that I made it. I was in such a dark place following the loss of my hearing health, I couldn’t function whatsoever. There was a year where I didn’t do anything, a few months where I couldn’t leave the house because the cars and the birds were literally too loud that it caused horrible pain. So to come from that and learn how to play music again, and produce and mix it myself, is the hardest thing I’ve ever done. It’s never going to win any Grammies, but I’m glad and I’m proud that I’ve done it. ?
OSR: What are your future plans as Heddlu?
Heddlu: I’d like to just keep writing and developing myself as an artist and, with any luck, maybe my permanent hearing damage improves. If there’s anybody out there who may want to hear this music live, then maybe one day I could perform live music again. Here’s hoping!
Many thanks to Rhodri Daniel for speaking with us. For more from Heddlu check out his Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Spotify.
