Personifying a free-form approach to making music, Sidders may be new to many but he’s an artist whose wholesomely risen in prominence since England’s peak Soundcloud era. Tracks like ‘Kyoshi Drifting’, which marinaded hip hop beats with Flume-esque cyber synths, caused a stir on the platform and garnered the multihyphenate praise both for his production and vocal range. Collaborating with fellow stalwarts Natty Wylah, K the Infinite and Carl Barx saw his following increase, and when his debut EP ‘About Time’ was released in 2019, it looked like Sidders’ career was about to take off.
After a hiatus during the pandemic, the Northwest Londoner is back and releasing some of the most progressive music in his discography. Latest single ‘Home Alone’ blurs the hiphop, indie and RnB influences he grew up around into a melting pot of shuffling drums, layered harmonies and effortless melody. It’s an honest track that follows the theme of summer love with an authenticity that's hard to come by nowadays.
With more music and videos on the way, we wanted to catch up with Sidders before an inevitably fruitful and long-lived career. Read the interview below, where we talk about everything from the Arctic Monkeys to forthcoming gigs and Bill Withers to those burgeoning Soundcloud days.
Hiya Sidders, how are you? Introduce yourself and the music you make to the readers at home!
What’s good – I’m an alternative rapper and vocalist raised in Northwest London. I’m bless right now, we’ve wrapped shooting videos for the next two tracks and it's all ready.
We’ve been fans of yours for a while. It feels like only yesterday ‘About Time’ came out and we were kicking back to tracks like ‘Breathe’. How’s life been since then?
Different! We’ve all had our journeys but I’m happy to finally share what I’ve been working on.
And so, why the hiatus? We’ve had to wait 2-3 years to hear new music from you.
Sometimes good things take time, it was definitely important to pattern up my foundations for what we’re doing now. The whole process from writing in lockdown to getting in the studio now and putting it out now with the right team had to be organic.
One thing for sure is that there’s a natural honesty to your music, which is very relatable. How would you like people to interpret the art that you make?
It’s each to their own! Everyone should take it in however it appeals to them and if they like it, then I’m happy. When I make music, I imagine something that I would listen to or something that’s honest to me so it's only right if that’s how it's taken in.
In comparison to the bedroom hiphop/indie vibes of ‘About Time’, your most recent singles are denser in instrumentation. Are you still a ‘bedroom’ artist or do you work beyond this space now?
Ahhh the setups changed for sure but the love for recording out your own space never leaves. There was always a beauty to it. Even having to record in cupboards & under duvets was a challenge but had a charm to it. The process is different now and we develop as artists but it’s still the same energy.
You have a new EP coming out soon, which we are very excited to hear. What’s something you’ve learned from the process?
Don’t rush, back yourself and trust the process!
How did the project come about? Was there anything that sparked the idea?
To be honest it's always unexpected, I’ll record until the tracks fall into place together and one day you deep that it works and it's time
You came in the game with the likes of Natty Wylah, K the Infinite and Carl Blarx who, along your side, have flourished in this genre-blending hiphop/r&b space. Tell us about this time, your relationship and how this has all impacted your career and the music you make.
Back in the SoundCloud days, ok! It was a good space to be in, I think it’s important to have your community and your tribe, especially in the beginning. Meeting people and seeing them drop music and pop off makes you believe you’re on a level to do the same for yourself. It gives you a hunger too because you know you can’t drop that level. There was never pressure and you knew you were part of something, I think that was important in setting the foundation for a future in recording.
Can you remember the FIRST album you ever bought? Roll back the years and tell us about this moment. Where did you buy it? Who were you with? Did you have to save for it?
It’s been a minute but I remember the album cover on the Arctic Monkeys record ‘Whatever People Say I Am That’s What I’m Not,’ that or copping Devlin’s ‘Bud, Sweat & Beers’ after seeing his F64.
If you could invite three music icons, dead or alive, for a dinner party, who would you have? What would you cook them as a signature dish?
Kendrick Lamar, Mac Miller & Bill Withers over some ackee n saltfish.
To wrap things up, put us and your fans onto an artist you think we may not know about.
Bawo
And what’s next for Sidders?
Café Koko Oct 6th and 2 releases I can't wait to show you.
Live For Something is out now.
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