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Fyfe Dangerfield Interview

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The Guillemots have made some interesting summer festival choices this year, headlining for nowt at Southbank event Bandstand Busking plus some more small freebie gigs in Sheffield and East London then European gigs in Leiges, Belgium and the Winterthurer Musikfestwochen, Switzerland, in August.

They also popped up on the Big Feastival’s lineup, somehow only warming up the crowds before, ahem, headliners, Athlete. The Big Feastival’s premise is as its names suggests music and delicious reastaurant food rather than dodgy burger vans and greasy noodle takeaways. And it worked. Not least because it was in the foodie’s natural habitat of Clapham.

Sitting on white beanbags to the side of the stage (some kids have thankfully just finished their karaoke rendition of Journey’s ‘Don’t stop beliving’ on the main stage) Fyfe Dangerfield, lead singer of the band and drummer Greig Stewart take out a few minutes to chat to Music-news. The sun is shining, Fyfe is ray-banned up and in a chilled out mood - despite not having taken full advantage of all the gourmet food on offer.

q) What made you decide to play at the Big Feastival?

a) We love food basically. Generally whatever the festival we like to play. We will do almost all of them because we get to play outside, which is always nice.

q) Are there any festivals you wouldn’t play?

a) None we can think of… [glances over to Stewart who says any suggested fascist festival probably wouldn’t make it on their gig list]

q) You recently played a free gig at Bandstand Busking, how did that go?

a) The weather wasn’t great and it’s always going to be a bit hit and miss with playing outside gigs but luckily we still got a good turnout. We didn’t play on the bandstand in the end because of the weather so we actually played inside in the end.

q) Aside from your European dates this summer are there plans for a bigger UK tour?

a) There’ll probably be a tour announced later in the year but nothing confirmed at the moment.

[In fact their website has announced new European and UK dates will be added shortly.]

q) Your first solo album Fly Yellow Moon was well-received. Are there any plans for more solo tours or albums?

a) I will do something at some point but at the moment I’m really keen to do another album with the Guillemots first - which we actually expect to start on quite soon.

q) Very exciting – especially so soon after Walk the River. So back to today’s performance, the festival has got a real family vibe to it – does that change your performance in any way? Are you going to go for a more laidback approach?

a) Not at all, we don’t think of it like that and I don’t want to tailor it too much. We’ll just plan to do our show – it’s different every time and we don’t want to be too strict or change what we do.
q) Finally as it’s a feastival what food have you managed to try so far?

a) I’ve had the popcorn shrimp, which was very good – really tasty and the lamb curry, which was alright but not as good. The portions are a wee bit stingy though so I’m going to eat some more after the show.

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  • Swang Releases Genre-Defying Single "Ye Flow" Inspired by Life’s Complexity

Swang Releases Genre-Defying Single "Ye Flow" Inspired by Life’s Complexity

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Emerging artist Swang, born Eldrick Mahone, has unveiled his latest single, "Ye Flow," a genre-bending track that captures the highs and lows of love and life. Hailing from a small city in Alabama near the Florida Panhandle, Swang has made it his mission to create music that defies categorization, blending contemporary R&B, alternative, pop, lo-fi, and soft rock elements. With "Ye Flow," Swang invites listeners into his raw emotion and layered storytelling world.

"Ye Flow" was born organically, showcasing Swang's ability to craft songs intuitively. Although Swang later stumbled upon the work of Dominic Fike, which he found inspiring, the core of "Ye Flow" remains uniquely his own. The song reflects Swang's personal experiences, particularly his past relationships and situationships. Translating these moments into music provided a sense of closure. "The only challenging part was figuring out how to word it without going overboard," Swang explained. "I felt better after I recorded it because it feels like I got closure on stuff I haven’t talked to anyone about. Verbally saying it helped me get past it." This vulnerability is evident in "Ye Flow," where acoustic guitar melodies meet electric guitar riffs to mirror the emotional turbulence of love.

Swang's evolution as an artist is marked by his determination to break free from creative constraints. Under the name Junior Mahone, he released mixtapes that were predominantly hip-hop-focused. However, he soon realized the limitations of sticking to one genre. "With rap, you can only talk about certain experiences so much before it becomes repetitive," Swang said. "It became harder to actually love the music I was doing." Now, as Swang, he embraces genre-blending to express every side of himself artistically.

Despite his growing work, Swang remains committed to perfecting his craft and building a loyal fanbase. "I’m thinking about an EP," he revealed. "I want it all to blend together very well, so it gives you a different experience without being too much or feeling like it’s too little." Swang plans to continue releasing singles, with "Ye Flow" as a standout example of his ability to balance emotion and innovation.

What sets Swang apart is his dedication to creating music that resonates on a deeper level. "It’s cool to get likes and stuff, but hearing people say, ‘This helped me understand what I was going through,’ is more valuable than money," Swang shared. This focus on connecting with listeners drives him to prioritize feeling over formula, ensuring that each song offers something meaningful.

Swang’s journey as an artist is rooted in authenticity and growth. He reflected on his music career, "The highlight is networking with different people and learning that the music world is smaller than people think. You realize how someone with only 500 followers can make half a million because they write for others." This insight motivates Swang to continue pushing boundaries and exploring new creative avenues.

As he looks to the future, Swang aims to refine his dual talents as a singer and rapper. "If I could ever just force myself to sing more, I could check bases on both sides and give a full feeling of something," he said. With "Ye Flow," Swang proves he’s well on his way to achieving that balance, offering a track as unpredictable and multifaceted as the emotions it captures.

"Ye Flow" is now available on all major streaming platforms. Listeners can follow Swang’s journey on social media and experience firsthand the artistry of an artist determined to make his mark.

Listen to “Ye Flow” here

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