VVIBE WITH ME: Declan McKenna

 The way this boy has such a clear idea of what he wants is so scary and also the reason I adore him and his music. 

Declan is 21 years old, he was born in the same year I was, and his songs bring me peace. Not because his songs are calm or talk about the world the way Jack Johnson (except on Sleep Through the Static, which was a very heavy album) does, but because someone else sees what I see and someone else is mad enough to scream about it. 

makeup always on point

I only started formally listening to his songs last month but since then I’ve been completely obsessed with everything he has to say. From the song’s lyrics to the interviews, the way Declan sees the world around him is fascinating. His songs talk about social problems, about politics, about prejudice, and the way people are suffering but it’s not annoying and well… pedant like some other artists. It’s the voice of someone who has grown up seeing this stuff and just wants to call people out on their bullshit. I feel like he is very sincere in his songwriting.

The feeling he gives me is that he’s not purposefully trying to write these songs, these are just the subjects running around in his head all the time. Maybe it’s because we were born in the same year and I’m projecting my own dissatisfaction in the world onto him, but I feel like we come from the same place, just laying your head on your pillow and thinking: “am I the only one who feels like the world is ending and not one cares?”

And the way he talks about it... how he has such a clear idea of what he wants for each song and how he talks about the subjects he beautifully writes about with so much certainty, I mean I love the confusing and artistic way Alex Turner breaks down his music but it is refreshing to see someone with such a clear idea of what they were trying to convey.

I have listened to both of his albums and can’t get enough of them, the first one, released when he was 18 if I’m not mistaken, is ridiculously mature for an artist so young with songs like Paracetamol, Listen to Your Friends, and Brazil, which are on the more serious side and my personal favorite, Why Do You Feel So Down, a fun energetic song where he kind of makes fun of himself.

vvibing in a polo shirt, large, ralph lauren ($myex's), holographic sequin hot pants(?) or shorts(?) from forever 21 (R$99, 2014), pink duvet ($mybrother's), silk pillowcase that looks like the one from Howl's Moving Castle ($ I made it), sunglasses (R$40, 2019), dog cap from renner (R$30max, 2018)

And this second one, released last month, Zeros is the name of it, full of even more serious subjects, like humans destroying nature, technology, people’s expectations, conspiracy theories, and ignorance. All of this in a slightly futuristic, sci-fi sounding album. I currently can’t even name a favorite song of this album because it’s simply fantastic and it hits something deep, deep inside me.

So I want to dance to those songs, I want to see him live, I want to shout all the lyrics because they just make me feel hope. Not because there is something truly hopeful in them but because someone else sees what I see.

vvibing to Why Do You Feel So Down by Declan McKenna. Do you ever get this weird impression that people think you are cooler than you actually are and they are a little disappointed when they get to know you? Or is that just me?