London-based Aussie Hopium is gearing up for a brand new chapter this week, kick-started by the drop of his first single of 2019, I Forget My Name, this Friday.
Finding success over the years through songs like Sunglasses, Leave and Dreamers (Dreamers was even sampled by Wiz Khalifa and Charlie Puth on See You Again), we wanted to catch up with the multi-instrumentalist/producer to find out what he's been up to, learn a bit more about his start in the music industry and pick his brain about I Forget My Name.
You’ve been quiet for a while, what have you been cooking up?
It's been wayyyyy too long. Mostly been writing but to be honest, the business side just takes so long to get music released, it's kind of crazy.
You have a Psychological Studies degree and a tech business, was it hard to make the decision to focus on music again despite having an “adult job”?
It was really hard, harder than it should have been. It took me a long time to make the decision. But there's no going back!
I read that Wiz Khalifa and Charlie Puth sampling your song Dreamers on See You Again caught you by surprise, in hindsight how do you feel about the whole thing? Are you glad they did?
Definitely glad! I was never really mad, just surprised. And I wanted to get paid for it.
Tell us about your new song I Forget My Name – what is the next era of Hopium gonna sound like?
The new song I wrote with Al Shux and Mr.Hudson here in London. I really struggle with Instagram, so it’s about losing and doubting yourself in the world of Insta-celebs and brands etc. Feeling like you're missing out on something that's so material.
Win One Of Two Gorgeous Hopium Art Prints Ahead Of His New Single
How did you hook up with Jafaris on the track?
My label introduced us and I just thought he was awesome. We went over the track and he did his thing!
What were you like growing up in school, were you in the orchestra or band or anything?
I was a massive nerd. I played nearly every instrument I could. Sax, bass, bagpipes… hahaha
What kind of artists did you grow up listening to?
My dad's vinyls and whatever was on Australian radio. The Beatles, ELO, Silverchair, Savage Garden...
Do you write for yourself and it's a bonus if it resonates with people or do you write so that it’s relatable for your listeners?
I definitely think about what I think people will find relatable, but I can only ground that in my own experiences. I try not to worry too much about what people will like, the business people do that enough and for me personally I just get completely jammed up.
Who do you want to collaborate with, dead or live, and why?
Don't they say never meet your idols? I always dreamed of writing a song with Paul McCartney, I don't know how that would actually be though in real life. I read once Big Boi's dream collab is Kate Bush and I'm with him on that.
Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
I have absolutely no idea. Maybe I'll do a Leonard Cohen and become a monk for a while.
How would you describe your musical style and sound in 5 words?
Mmmmm the question everyone asks and I never have an answer for. I usually say, “it's like poppy but not that poppy, uhhh a bit hip hoppy but with like an indie-ish vocal”? Then I slowly back into the hedge Homer Simpson style.
