An Interview With... Will Taylor

All you need to know about straight talking. 18-year-old Liverpudlian Will Taylor!

Here at Middle Eight, we are keen to showcase up and coming artists who are working hard to make themselves heard.

Recently, we spoke to solo artist Will Taylor, whose debut single 'Sleepless Nights' was released earlier this year.

Written whilst studying music performance and industry at Liverpool Media Academy, 'Sleepless Nights' is an emo rap-tinged track that unpacks Will's own struggles with mental health whilst drawing on the wider picture.

Filled with raw emotion, 'Sleepless Nights' is deeply personal track that sheds light on vulnerability, intimacy, and well-being.

Find out more about Will Taylor and his music below!

Who are you, and where are you based?

My name is Will Taylor I am 18 years old and I am a solo artist from Liverpool. I grew up in Southport and have been gigging in Liverpool as the drummer for bands for the past two years and I am currently studying music performance and industry at LMA.

How would you describe the music you make?

I would describe the music that I make as very raw and to the point, I don't cut corners or try to water down the topics that I talk about. It reflects the person I am. I am a very honest and upfront and I wanted to be the same as an artist, I think that it's important that my music reflects that.

My music talks about very real problems that need to be talked about like mental health and how life isn't normal right now and how it has had an effect on most people's mental health. I started writing 'Sleepless Nights' at 2am in the morning and the riff just came to me and then for the next few days I stayed up all night till 8am in the morning to write, record and finish it.

How did you first get into music?

It's quite a funny story actually. Before anything else I was a drummer and I got into music because of the Cadbury's advert with the gorilla playing 'In the Air Tonight' by Phil Collins and since then I was so obsessed with the idea of being a musician and performing.

My dad was a massive part of my musical life, getting me lessons and always having music on in the car when we were going anywhere, and a lot of my music influences are because of my dad. Sadly, I lost my father when I was 13 to cancer which was when my struggle with mental health started and since then I have wanted to write music that helps people and talks about very real problems. Even if my music helps one person out of a dark place because they know they aren't the only person feeling a certain way then that to me is worth it.

Listen to Will Taylor's debut single 'Sleepless Nights' here!

Who are your main musical influences?

For this project in particular my main influences are Hobo Johnson, Lil Peep, XXXTentacion, and Killstation. I listen to a mass of different genres though because I feel like as a musician you need to listen and appreciate all the different aspects and genres of music. My first love is grunge and bands like Nirvana, Pearl jam and Soundgarden.

Which artists do you currently have on repeat?

I go through stages of listening to different genres at different times and when I am a mindset of creativity, I like to listen to the artist that influence the kind of stuff I am writing at that time. So, at the moment I have been listing to loads of Lil peep and Hobo Johnson but I have also recently re-found my love for the Pixies. Another artist that I am obsessed with at the minute is Kim Dracula. His original stuff is amazing, but his cover of 'Paparazzi' blew my mind when I heard it for the first time and now, I can't stop listening to it.

What separates you from other artists?

I don't put on a facade and I don't put on an act. That's why I haven't given myself a stage name or anything like that. I don't like the idea of having an alter ego I just want to be the person that I was born to be, and I feel that the way that I am going is definitely where I want to be in this point in my life.

What are your plans for the future?

I am currently working on an EP which will hopefully be finished in the next couple of months. It's still very early days with that though, and I am still toying with a few names, but I think the one I'll stick with is A Drop Of Happiness. That will be released hopefully around March or April time.

Will Taylor's music is refreshingly real. It's heartening to see a young musician baring all in the name of creativity.

Listen to Will's debut tune here and follow him on Instagram for more!

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