Enfnts Terribles

In your Spotify bio, you introduce the Dreamer Boy team. Would you still consider Dreamer Boy as a solo project?

It’s a little bit of both. I’m so happy that I’m not alone in this and truly feel like I have a family around me that always pushes me to get better. Obviously, everyone has their own role in this project, and they do it really well. Honestly, us working on Dreamer Boy as a project collectively has sort of been a real life-giving thing. In all our lives, it’s an important part, and it’s strengthened our relationships as friends. We’ve had experiences together that we’d otherwise have never had. There have just been so many cool ways that it has even grown us together.

I would say it’s a solo project because I indicate the direction. I want this to be a project where even the fans feel like they’re part of it. It’s me, but I really do want this to be a project that inspires people to work with their friends or just makes them feel as if they could do a similar project with their friends too and end up touring Europe like me. I’m so grateful that I’ve got to share these moments with the people I love because that’s also what life is about. I’m so thankful for my team, and Dreamer Boy feels like a band that’s working towards one thing.

You’re based in Nashville, a city known for its rich music culture. What’s the impact of your hometown on your music?

This place is so much like home now. I’ve moved here six years ago, went to college here, and graduated two and a half years ago. Every part about Nashville has inspired me, from the country music history to the friends I made here. We have a rich DIY-indie scene here and there’s just something about this place here that made me fall in love with it. The fact that I’m making pop music from Nashville, but I’m doing it in a way that it still feels like Nashville, you know?

It’s fun to wear the Nashville sound on my sleeves sometimes. Some of my favorite music is this sixties or seventies folky rock-country type of music, so I hope I bring a modern take to the music that inspired me a lot. I’m in love with the history of music and being in a place that has so much of that unique history is the greatest thing I could wish for. I don’t really run from it, and it’s definitely a big part of the Dreamer Boy sound.

What’s the story behind your most recent single “Easier Said Than Done”, which was written when you were feeling low?

We all have a habit of telling ourselves lies or getting in our own head about things that in a lot of ways don’t even exist or there are real challenges you go through in life. I wrote this song at a time where I felt like I should be really excited and happy, but I was just putting all these expectations on myself to be a certain way while I actually had to take a moment where I’d be still and not expect myself to feel amazing. With a lot of mental health challenges, you can’t do it alone.

I wanted to make this album because my hope is that everyone has a support system when they feel happy or sad. I’m so grateful that I have my team to tour Europe but also have them around when I’m struggling. It goes both ways, and that’s what I try to reflect on ATWWAT.

Tommy Jeans selected you to be part of their Spring ’21 campaign ‘Music Takes Us Further’. What was your reaction when they asked you to be part of this?

I’m so excited to be part of their message, and it’s cool when I get to work with a brand that is highlighting diverse artists. I feel blessed to be part of it, and it’s great that such a big brand uses its platform to uplift upcoming artists.

Why is Tommy Jeans a great match with your new era?

Tommy Jeans is just very timeless and has something youthful that reminds me of my childhood in a way. Tommy has been around for quite a long time and I definitely feel that it’s a great brand to partner with right now. They’re very cemented in culture, and I adore the timeless nature of it.

Tommy Jeans is part of the Gen Z culture. Where would you position yourself within this powerful generation?

It’s a beautiful, individualistic generation and I get excited even talking to you. I see an amazing, well-dressed, unique individual, and it makes me so happy to see this whole generation use, for example, TikTok to inspire others. We use our collective individual to sort of get people to vote or to engage ourselves for the environment.

My place in it is to uplift and encourage. I definitely see a lot of my generation getting swept up in the noise of the world, and I just want to promote a little bit of peace, meditation, and encouragement. I hope that the people that listen to my music get the feeling that they can believe in themselves. I want to focus on developing these communities in a healthy way where you don’t put others down. I want to be joyful and believe we can share each other’s uniqueness, so we can really love one other.