Looking for some new music to kickstart the week? Track of the Week is here, and it’s not just one thing for you to listen to!
BIMM London’s Charles Hibberd aka HBBRD released his debut EP last month – take a listen, and discover more about where the EP came from…
What was your inspiration when you began writing the EP?
Funnily enough, a lot of it actually came from TV shows. I wrote all but one of the tracks in 2017, which was a weird, but very good time in my life, where I had very little responsibility and I spent most of my time just binge watching Netflix so each track is kinda inspired by an experience related to a TV show I was watching at the time.
Are there any artists that inspire you when writing?
I take my inspiration from all over the place. It tends to just come from whatever I’m listening to at the time. When I was writing the EP, a lot of the inspiration came from a weird mix of The 1975 and Motion City Soundtrack – but in general I tend to just mimic a band I like and then during the production I put in all the touches that kinda change it into my style.
What is key to your sound and how do you make your music stand out?
Probably just the blend of influence. I’m grew up listening to pop punk bands like Green Day and Fall Out Boy, but now I’m a huge fan of pop music so it’s just the contrast. I feel like my music really shines live because it allows me and the band to really put all our energy into it and bring it to life.
How does your songwriting process work?
It’s very fragmented haha! Normally, I’ll have an idea for a chorus or a melodic hook and I’ll just babble it into my voice notes on my phone. Then at some point I’ll add chords to it and build it out from there. My songs rarely happen quickly. They’re a long drawn out process that involves putting loads of different little snippets together.
Describe your sound in 3 words…
Energetic Sad Indie.
How has studying at BIMM helped you develop as an artist?
More than anything else it’s just presented me with fantastic opportunities. The shows I’ve been able to play, the people I’ve been able to play them with, have been unbelievable. On top of that, I’ve had access to amazing facilities that have furthered my abilities as a musician. Before coming to BIMM I’d never had the opportunity to set foot in a studio and produce my own work, all by myself, yet here I’ve been able to do that, and this whole EP is evidence of that.
What’s next for you?
Writing, recording, playing a few shows – I’ve got a shows at The Water Rats (18th March), and The Fiddler’s Elbow (Camden Rocks; 10th April) which I’m really looking forward to. A couple of festivals in summer, and then see where I am after that!
