Harper Finn just released his debut EP NEWCOMER, and, let me tell you, it is a musical blessing we wanted to share with all of you.
If his name is new to you, you are about to know him as your latest musical obsession and the one who cannot be out of your playlists. His songs are upbeat and heartfelt and just in all the right ways. Therefore, we talked with the young artist about his musical career and life interests. So, do not miss this conversation we had exclusively for Vanity Teen.
NEWCOMER
VT: What is your story about becoming a musician?
HF: I was raised in a musical family, so I was lucky enough to have instruments around the house. My earliest memories were walking around the house as a toddler and hearing my dad play the piano.
When I was 13 or 14, other kids in my school figured out I could play instruments and invited me round to their houses on the weekends to play with them and join their bands. It was around this time that I really developed a passion for music and decided I wanted to do this for the rest of my life.
VT: What does songwriting give you more than any other form of expression does?
HF: It turns the things that happen in my life, good or bad, into something I can share and enjoy with the people around me.
VT: Digital media allows you to get to different people around the globe, but what do live performances mean to you, and what do you like the most about them?
HF: It turns the things that happen in my life, good or bad, into something I can share and enjoy with the people around me.
Live performances mean everything to me. I’ve always considered myself a performer first, so everything I write and record culminates when I walk on stage. The instantaneous nature of being on the stage and seeing people react live to your music is what I love.
VT: Your EP NEWCOMER is out now. What would you like to share about this project and the music you bring for us this time?
HF: There are eight songs here, some that have been out for a while and some that haven’t. They all recount an experience or moment I had that felt new and unfamiliar to me. Like a coming-of-age film, they show the arc from my 21-year-old self to now 24. It’s exciting to me that some people will discover all eight songs for the first time. To be honest, those are the people I’m most excited to hear this EP.
VT: Euphoria and Dance Away These Days are my favorite tracks. So, how do you manage to be so upbeat and fragile at the same time with these and most of the other songs of NEWCOMER?
HF: I think the upbeat side comes from the production. You can disguise a fragile lyric or sentiment with a beat and groove that makes you move your body. That’s when I feel music is at its most powerful; when the song could make you cry as you sing it while dancing on the dance floor.
I’m with you!
VT: Besides music, formal education is part of your current life. What would you like to tell us about this facet of you?
HF: I’ve always loved having an outlet or passion that was completely separate from music. Studying history and politics was a great way to immerse myself into a different world whilst still reading stories about people’s lives that I found inspiring. As a songwriter, you can find inspiration in the most unlikely places.
VT: What do you cherish about this generation you are part of?
HF: We seem less ‘tribal’ about the things we like. It’s totally okay to like multiple genres of music without it seeming conflicting or contradicting. Whoever and whatever you want to be is celebrated.
VT: Which simple things do you like to do when you need a little break from the busy kind of world we know?
HF: Walking the dog, watching films, cooking! Or even just going out for a wander and stumbling upon an interesting part of town.
VT: Which words do you have for those who find comfort in music and may find solace in your musical projects?
HF: I’m with you! And anyone who enjoys my music is a friend of mine.
VT: Anything else you would like to share with Vanity Teen?
HF: Only that I hope to see you all at a show of mine sometime soon! Thank you for the questions.
Before we go
In his song Euphoria, Harper Finn says: “I’ll follow your light to the other side of town.” That makes me think that music is like a kind of light connecting lots of people around the globe. Music creates a space beyond races or boundaries in which people feel closer only by mutual feelings and comfort.
So, following the kind message Harper Finn dedicated to all of those who enjoy his music, let us seize this day by approaching someone and letting them know we are here with them and for them.
NEWCOMER is out now on all your favorite platforms.
Love!