The importance of genuine friendship, synergy and passion is what the London-based band, Human Interest, is built on. Guitarist Cat Harrison (Harry) and bassist Tyler Damara Kelly met through the uplifting and wholesome safe space of a fetish club Whatsapp group and connected through their love of music. Kelly had been a bedroom bassist for a few years, so joining a band was something far from her mind until Harry saw a fire in her in videos she had posted online and pushed her to believe in herself as a performer: “Don’t overthink it and say you won’t ever be good enough. Just throw yourself into it and don’t doubt yourself. There’s no age limit to starting what you love.”
Creating such a comfortable environment when you’re producing music, and doing what you love with friends is probably the most ideal situation a musician could dream of. It’s like being part of a musical hive mind when you’re on stage with Human Interest; shutting off the outside world and exchanging glances with each other whilst performing is what makes the group love being on stage and deepens their connection further. They create such infectious energy through their stage presence and unity as a band, and watching them lose themselves in their music makes you feel the enthusiasm and deep ardour.
The gritty and utter rawness of moody rock is a foundation of the Human Interest sound. Taking inspiration from The Cure, The Strokes and The Velvet Underground, the importance of simplicity and the pure emotion that emanates from their music is what drives them. As Charles Mingus once said: “Anyone can make the simple complicated. Creativity is making the complicated simple.” Their most recent EP ‘Smile While You’re Losing’ is a six- track alternative rock collection, the title being a playfully subtle nod towards Robbie Williams’ ‘Swing When You’re Winning’. It is a testament to vulnerability and embracing your imperfections, showing the spectrum of happiness and the ebbs and flows of life.
Harry explains: “We have a lot of internal unpacking to do – learning and unlearning behaviours from past experiences. Hindsight is so important.” The fourth track of the EP, ‘Shapeshifting’, has a nostalgic feel to it and is filled with harmonious melodies and whispers. It attests to the acceptance of the evergrowing change we experience throughout life, parting ways with constantly feeling like we’re not being our true selves. It reflects the significance of finding solace in the fact that we are always shifting into different people every day to navigate our journeys, as Harry opens up: “At times, I worry about being too earnest in my songwriting, but I’ve recently learnt to shut that out. I want to say what I feel, if I don’t, I wouldn’t be myself.” Then Kelly continues: “Harry often likens his songwriting to archaeology. There’s something already there within ourselves…the song already exists. We just chip away trying to find it.”
Human Interest write music to provide escapism, bringing a range of melancholic and psychedelic sounds, and creating a mellow yet uplifting energy. They want people to feel like they can be themselves. To feel seen and less alone. There’s an invincibility you feel when listening to music, where you can step outside of your world and be transported to another. Their music reflects that it’s okay to be yourself, to feel confused and still be trying to figure it all out.
Written by Raabia Haq // photo by Dougie Chalmers
GEM Magazine 