Indie Interview: Danny Webster Releases His Latest Album ‘Two Worlds’
Today, TIG is lucky enough to be chatting with Danny Webster, a talented indie musician from Guelph, Ontario, Canada. With a family background steeped in music, Danny began his musical journey at 16, drawing inspiration from the likes of the Beatles, Mac Demarco, and Tame Impala. Now, at 24, he’s already released three full-length albums, showcasing his signature blend of indie rock infused with introspective lyricism. His latest album, ‘Two Worlds,’ explores themes of loss, love, anxiety, and perspective, reflecting Danny’s growth as both an artist and a storyteller. Let’s find out more…
Thanks for joining us Danny and congratulations on the new album. Can you tell us about your journey in creating ‘Two Worlds’? From its inception to its completion, what were some of the challenges you faced during the process?
Thanks for having me ! I started writing songs for the project a couple years ago, in the hopes of achieving a sound similar to my influences. It was a pretty tough and long process for sure, I’ve been finding it’s taking me much longer to make an album recently, as my standards for writing, producing, recording, and mixing have all gotten much higher. But, exercising a lot of patience, I think we finally got a sound that I’m happy with, and I’m very proud of the end result.
You’ve mentioned being heavily inspired by artists like Big Thief, Alex G, and Radiohead for ‘Two Worlds.’ How do you think their influence shaped the sound and themes of your album?
I’ve been on a huge Big Thief listen the past few years, and I’m really inspired by their early records, with a nice full-band indie folk rock sound. It really feels like you can hear each individual instrument as a band member, and I wanted that kind of personality in this record. Alex G and Radiohead also are huge inspirations for me, and I think there’s little pieces of them in this project as well. Some other inspos include some Canadian folks Georgia Harmer, Burs, Leith Ross and Rachel Bobbitt.
‘Two Worlds’ is described as your best and most professional-sounding album yet, despite being self-produced. What techniques or approaches did you employ to achieve this level of quality independently?
It’s pretty tough to be honest, but every time I make something, I try and make it just a step better or more interesting than whatever I released last. I’ve been thinking a lot about producing and have been trying to go into every project with the intent of experimenting and learning something. To me, that’s part of the end satisfaction. I’m fortunate to be in a strong music and creative community here in Toronto, and those friends around me really push and inspire me to put out my best work every time, so I’m grateful for that ! It was a long and arduous process trying to make every musical component balanced and complementary of each other, but I think I got it which feels great!
Your album explores themes of loss, love, anxiety, and perspective. Are there any personal experiences that influenced the lyrical content?
Absolutely, I pretty much only write about things I’ve experienced. I’ve experienced very heavy losses in my life, and still have intense anxiety surrounding a lot of things, and so songwriting is a kind of therapy for me. It helps me process things and understand myself better, plus I get a song out of it which feels great. It’s just how I stay sane.
As an independent artist, you’ve taken on multiple roles in the creation of ‘Two Worlds’ – writing, producing, recording, and performing almost every instrument. What motivated you to maintain such a hands-on approach throughout the album’s production?
I find that the more involved I am with the process, the more satisfied and rewarded I feel by the end. It’s always a question of how much of myself do I want to have on this record, because I know countless guitarists, writers, drummers, bassists, singers etc. that I feel are way more experienced than I am at things, but if I gave all my ideas to them then I feel there wouldn’t be as much of me on there. I really like the challenge of learning each part myself and recording it to the best of my ability, it’s super fun. But that’s just how I work!
Now that ‘Two Worlds’ has been released, what are your plans for the future?
Hoping to play a lot of shows this year in Ontario with my band, and then get started on the next project. Still in the writing stage right now, but could be an EP or an album. We shall see. Looking into collaborating with a Canadian music label too, if things go well.
OK, and finally a question for fun… If you could go back in time and give your younger self one piece of advice about pursuing a career in music, what would it be?
Ooof I don’t even know! I really try and seek out advice from people I look up to as much as I can. I guess I’d say to keep my head down and put in the time ‘cause it’s bound to make me better. And to get to know the community, they mean a lot to me and my work. Thanks for your time !
Thank you for checking in to our discussion with Danny Webster and thanks for chatting with us Danny. It’s been enlightening to hear about the creation of his latest album, ‘Two Worlds.’ Danny’s dedication to his work shines through in his thoughtful approach to songwriting and production. We’re grateful for the opportunity to learn from his experiences and insights. Thank you, Danny, for sharing your time with us, and we wish you continued success in your endeavours.
Website / Facebook / Twitter / Spotify / Bandcamp / Instagram / YouTube
