Eighteen-year-old Declan McKenna is setting the music world on fire... FLICKY HARRISON finds out why

TURN on almost any popular radio music station and Humongous, the latest single from singer/songwriter Declan McKenna, will be on the set list.

Declan will be sharing his thoughts, signing copies of his debut album and playing a few acoustic tracks at Sound Knowledge record store in Marlborough on Wednesday, July 26 as part of the record’s launch.

Although Declan is just 18, he is no teen dream chasing his 15 minutes of fame. His songs have the gritty edge of insight and his ideas flow from a political awareness.

Humongous is the opening track on the album called What Do You Think About The Car?. Declan says there wasn’t an explicit or consciously-planned theme to the album.

“There’s running themes — childishness and playfulness come into it a lot sonically and lyrically, and confusion plays a big role,” he said.

James Ford, who has worked with such names as The Artic Monkeys, Depeche Mode and Florence And The Machine, produced the album.

The singer is not afraid to get to the heart of quite controversial subjects in his songs. Paracetamol tackles the subject of how transgender teens are portrayed in the media, The Kids Don’t Wanna Come Home does what it says on the can, and Brazil, Declan’s first self-released single, shot a bolt across the bows of FIFA, the governing body of the football association, for awarding the World Cup to Brazil in 2014 without considering the pressure it would place on a country already poverty stricken. Declan’s inspiring and sometimes disturbing lyrics are always set to strong tunes that appeal across the generations.

“I think a lot of people appreciate different things. Sometimes art is just nice to behold, regardless of meaning, but likewise depth can be just as enjoyable or inspiring. Interpretation only matters to the interpreter really. I’m happy for people to enjoy or not enjoy my music in whatever way they feel.”

Declan has always followed football and played for a team himself.

“I played when I was a bit younger, but I was never particularly great, but I did it. I’m a Spurs fan myself.”

The singer found it unreal to be on the set of TV’s Later With Jools Holland. “So odd being in the studio of a show I’ve seen so many times. It messed with my perspective of the show on screen,” he said.

Along with guitar, Declan plays bass and drums and mandolin during his ‘folk phase’. He comes from Hereford and says that a few of his siblings also play instruments.

“I’m not much of an after diner player, to be honest I’d find it super cringey and a bit Edwardian, but we definitely dabbled in that when we were a lot younger,” he said.

He has become a firm favourite on the festival circuit, including Glastonbury - playing there three times - and will be performing at Reading Festival over the August Bank Holiday weekend. He also scooped the Glastonbury Emerging Talent title in 2015.

Before he walks out on stage Declan performs a little ritual for luck. “We do this thing where we all have to clap at the same time with no overlap and no lead in — it’s really tough actually.”

Declan will be performing at Cafe Thirty8 from 6.30pm before signing instore at Sound Knowledge, 22 Hughenden Yard, High Street in Marlborough. For more details or to book call 01672 511106.