Exclusive Interview: Pop Culturalist Chats with Declan Gibson

Singer-songwriter Declan Gibson is Yorkshire’s best-kept secret. In 2020, he dropped his first single, “Better off Without,” which was one of the most exciting debuts of the year. Following up on that success, Declan has released yet another hit, “Come Back,” which will unquestionably tug at your heartstrings. We caught up with Declan to chat about both of these songs and about getting his start in music.

PC: How did you discover your passion for music?
Declan: I grew up in my grandmother’s house and we had instruments everywhere. Before I could even reach the pedals on the drum kit, I would be on it at all our family parties. We had a church band in the house as well, so that’s how I started.

My mom really influenced my artistic visions. She showed me that it’s okay to be honest, poetic, and create music that’s true to you. That’s what I always try and express in my music.

PC: You’re a self-taught musician. At what point did you realize that this was more than a passion and something you wanted to pursue professionally?
Declan: It was quite recently. I studied biology at university. I went down the academic route. I didn’t believe in myself and my abilities. I took my gift for granted, I guess. It wasn’t until my second year at university when my best friend said, “Dec, why are you not doing this full time?” I was always playing open-mic nights, and I’d pick up the guitar at parties, but I was never as dedicated to it as I am now.

I had to look inside and I was like, “This is truly what I want to do.” Since then, I was gigging in my hometown, which is Wakefield, all summer. Then I moved to Amsterdam. That’s where I met a beautiful group of people, AMP, which is Amsterdam Music Project. They really brought me out of my shell. It wasn’t until last year that I fully believed in myself to become a professional musician.

PC: Who or what has had the biggest influence on your career?
Declan: It’s definitely being a part of a family that’s creative. My mom’s a painter. My dad’s a musician. My grandparents are musicians. Being able to speak freely about emotions and having conversations like “Have you seen this painting?” or “Do you like these words?” We used to listen to a lot of music in the car, like everybody else, but we’d discuss the lyrics. That was when I started realizing that was something that I was interested in. Now I’m actively seeking it. I’ll read poetry and I’ll speak with my friends and other people about the words.

PC: Tell us about “Better off Without” and the inspiration behind the song.
Declan: I wrote it last year with my sister on acoustic guitar. I wrote it about me and my girlfriend. We broke up, so the whole premise of the song is a breakup song. It was a letter to her saying, “Look, I know that we cared about each other so much, but I think it’s better that we’re not together.” The relationship wasn’t working. It was coming to an end, and it was quite difficult because we were really, really great friends. It felt like I lost a friend, so that’s what inspired the song. I took it to the studio and played it on piano. It seemed to fit really nicely, and I was able to express that depth of emotions.

PC: What did you learn about yourself working and recording this debut single?
Declan: I learned that I wasn’t very good at recording music. [laughs] That’s what I learned. I kind of lack in that department. I had to work on that, and I’m still working on that. It’s not an overnight sort of thing. I realized that it takes a lot of time, a lot of effort, and there are a lot more components to a fully produced song rather than just playing something on my acoustic guitar or playing something on my piano. You need to think about the structural things. I learned that I absolutely love it because I’ve never done it really before. I was waking up every day with beams of energy. You know that first bite of a real nice meal and you’re like, “Oh, this is delicious.” That’s what it felt like.

PC: You also have a new single out. Tell us about “Come Back” and the inspiration behind it.
Declan: “Come Back” is a personal song that reflects a difficult period in my life when my parents got divorced. Like most children who experience divorce, I was confused, angry, and bottled away my feelings. I buried those negative emotions behind a confident smile. Luckily, my papa was always involved in my life, but not as much as I would have liked. This song is quite brutal. Writing it helped unleash years of bottled-up pain and anxiety. Ultimately, it was a healing process and a mental rehabilitative experience. Since writing this tune, my dad and I have a much better relationship. We communicate regularly. He makes me smile. I hope it will continue this way. But more importantly, I hope my story can comfort listeners who are in a similar situation and reassure them that they’re not alone.

Pop Culturalist Speed Round

PC: A band or artist that fans would be surprised to learn is on your playlist?
Declan: Headie One or Pop Smoke.

PC: First album you bought?
Declan: It was Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not by the Arctic Monkeys.

PC: First concert you attended?
Declan: It was Leeds Fest in 2015 so it was a full-on festival.

PC: An album that changed your life and why?
Declan: I have to go with Damien Rice’s 9. It’s such a poetically beautiful, amazing album that I can listen to it on repeat. It influenced my early songwriting. Then when I learned that Ed Sheeran really likes them as well. I was like, “Ah, yeah. This is nice too.”

PC: A venue on your bucket list to perform at?
Declan: Definitely Paradiso in Amsterdam. It’s a huge old church, and the main room is like the main hall of the church. There are these amazing stained glass windows that are at the back.

PC: A must-have on the road?
Declan: I need to just get on the road first. I’ve never toured. I can imagine it would probably be my instruments.

To keep up with Declan, follow him on Twitter, Instagram, and Spotify. Pick up or stream “Come Back” today.