We first discovered singer-songwriter and guitarist Danny Wright after the release of his latest single ‘Reckless’. It is no surprise that he was heavily influenced by his idols Blink 182, however there is more to him than meets the eye. Named as London’s Prince of Pop Punk, he is on a mission to be brutally honest using his music and reach the troubled youth. We had a chance to talk to him and get to know his a little better.
Danny describes his music as aggressive, honest, emotional and upbeat. Plus adding striking visuals it’s a combo one can’t miss. I understand why Danny has a goal of connecting with a younger audience. Listening to ‘Reckless’ I travelled back in time when I was completely misunderstood as a teenager. And looking back, my life was perfect as there was no social media. At the moment we are experiencing the time when parents have no idea what their kids are doing. It is so important to find someone who can speak to you through music. Danny Wright, you make it right.
It’s been an absolute pleasure talking to you.
Congratulations on your latest release! Can you tell us about the journey you had until your latest single ‘Reckless’?
Thank you! I have been busy the last couple of years with quite a bit of touring and releasing singles. It’s been a great and memorable journey so far, building the community and nurturing the brand. I am super excited and eager to make even more memories!
What does ‘Reckless’ mean to you?
To me personally ‘Reckless’ means progression. The song is about self-loathing and how that leads to destructive behaviour and attitude. It’s a personal moment for me and now the song reminds me of how far I have come from that period in my life.
What was going on in your life when you wrote the song?
The song was written quite a while ago now, but it’s sonically evolved over time into what you hear today. When this song was written I was in the beginning stages of a new chapter in my life, yet I was still carrying past woes and felt as though my past was following me into the new areas of life. I was building new relationships but ultimately didn’t feel ready or worthy of them. This feeling of insecurity and uncertainty of my new journey led to self-destruction and self-sabotage. I felt as though I was yearning to be seen or saved by something or someone. Eventually, it was me that needed to see the situations I was in and realise the bigger picture and to not carry so much weight on my shoulders.
The feeling of insecurity and uncertainty of my new journey led to self-destruction and self-sabotage.
DANNY WRIGHT
I believe this is a very important message, though the context of the song sounds somewhat sad, there is a glimmer of optimism and hope.
A lot of people live their lives the way I did back then, but unconsciously. They believe it is completely normal to carry a lot of burden from your past or situations you’ve been in.
I encourage people to take a step back and observe for a new and healthier perceptive.
DANNY WRIGHT
Do you remember when you were given the nickname London’s Prince of Pop Punk?
Yes! BBC Introducing DJ gave me the moniker when introducing one of my songs on the radio. A lot of my listeners agreed with the title and it has stuck ever since. It’s quite a cool nickname for me as I’ve been a huge fan of the sub-genre for as long as I can remember and it obviously plays a huge part in my musical influence.
In songs, you openly talk about not being comfortable with yourself, not believing in yourself and hating yourself. This is brutally honest. Was it hard for you to remove all the walls and talk about the most sensitive topics in your life through your music?
Weirdly enough, it wasn’t that hard. It’s how this whole journey started with me. I did a course of therapy sessions a few years ago and after going through such a therapeutic period it was a natural progression to write about what was real to me and that’s how my journey as a solo artist started. After seeing so many people connecting and relating to what I was writing about I felt more comfortable to speak about what I believe should be spoken about a lot more openly. My message in my music is to promote self-belief and I do this by acknowledging that we, as humans, have moments of self-doubt and self-hate, but these moments don’t define us.
We, as humans, have moments of self-doubt and self-hate, but these moments don’t define us.
DANNY WRIGHT
Where do ideas for songs come from? Tell us more about your creative process.
I’m a guitar player, so most of the time it usually starts with a riff idea or a chord progression. Lyrically I write about life experiences and my take on things. Another process has been writing songs with my fans, during live streams on social media. This has been a great way to create something that has a much more universal message because of the honest input from other people.
What was the moment when you decided that you will be focusing on the youth and trying to help them with your music?
Ever since I got into music as a serious craft. I’ve always said to myself that I’m doing this for the ‘younger me’. I remember what it was like being young and trying to find your place and voice in the world with so much noise. Some of that never leaves you and for me, it’s been the drive for what I do.
What are the biggest challenges that the English youth is currently facing?
Identity, I think people are comparing themselves to others way too much and are questioning who they are. What I mean by identity is how someone measures themselves and it usually is in the context of their environment.
When you are surrounded by a lot of authoritative voices and opinions it can be difficult to carve out your own true identity.
DANNY WRIGHT
What are your biggest musical inspirations?
Blink 182 have had the biggest musical inspiration for me, Their music was infectious and fun. And once you were hooked into their world you discover some very serious topics they speak about. They are insanely talented musicians as well as great entrepreneurs. Everything that is Blink 182 had a big impact on me and it’s obviously had a huge impact on the genre of music I listen to and create and on on the music industry as a whole.
Other artists had an influence on me but Blink 182 really were the band that hit all areas for me. So much so that I got their logo tattooed on my arm! Haha sounds like I’m fangirling (I kinda am) but I have observed the reactions to blink over the years, as a fan and as an artist myself.
This has been extremely important in shaping my perspective on music and the industry altogether. When an artist like them gets palmed off as a ‘joke’ band who are ‘not that good’’, but actually end up being known now as ‘legends’ ‘godfathers’ of a genre, It really puts a perspective on music, in my opinion.
When the world went into the lockdown, it seems that you went into the studio and released 5 singles in 2020. What does it mean for you to be releasing music during this historic time?
I was glad that I had music to release during this time, some of the subjects I covered in my singles were quite relatable to what we are all experiencing. But putting out music and writing is something I always want to constantly be doing, no matter what’s going on in my life. I hope my releases helped some people and accompanied them through these trying times. But also for me it was cathartic to get these songs out.
What would you like to achieve with your music?
There are so many songs that have been a soundtrack to my life, I would love for my songs to be a soundtrack to others lives. People consume music differently, some enjoy it just sonically, some get moved by the lyrical content. If it’s musically or lyrically I just want to get people moving!
Music to me is the best and worst thing for me to get into
DANNY WRIGHT
Do you have a song, that when you hear it, you’d say, “I wish I’d written that”?
I know it’s an obvious one, but I remember ages ago thinking that about ‘All The Small Things’. Imagine being well into your career as a musician and writing a song like that, so simple yet so effective. And now known as one of the biggest ‘pop-punk’ songs of the late 90’s/early 00’s!
Who would you like to collaborate with?
Travis Barker! (haha, i’m really showing my love for blink in this. Hope they pay me for these mentions!) Nah seriously Travis Barker, I have huge respect for him because right now he is bringing a breath of fresh air into the music scene with all the projects he’s working on and I think it’s something that is much needed.
How would you summarize 2020?
Eye opening.
What are your plans for 2021?
I have a Headline tour booked for March, which if all is good, I can’t wait for.
Is there anything else you’d like to share with our audience?
I got heavily involved in music from a young age, I was sold the American Dream by the media like a lot of us! But through this crazy journey I have learned so much about myself and life. I’m not here doing music to get famous, to get laid, to be super rich or just to be popular and liked.
Music is part of my identity, it’s in my DNA.
DANNY WRIGHT
The best things in my life have happened because of it and also the worst things. What I want to share is some advice from my experiences, always believe in yourself! no matter where you come from, what you’ve been through or what others may think of you. Believe in yourself and don’t wait for others too.
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