Interview With Delilah Bon

So listen, thank you. Really appreciate your time. I know we've tried to do this a couple of times. I don't know if you remember.

Mm hmm.

We actually did have a chat about three years ago. But it's probably a long time ago for you. You just started as Delilah Bonn, so you were still quite fresh to it. Thank you for taking the time speak to me again.

Yeah. Thank you.

I’m going to start a start an obvious question. Just back it from Europe. How was it?

It was insane. It was. I feel like it's been ages since I've actually seen my own fans in the rooms, and like every night I walk out and I think are they going to know the words? Of course they do. Of course, they know the words like. They were feral from the get go. I think Paris, that was the first gig that I played on the European Tour and they just went insane. Like, as soon as I got on stage is like this is where I'm meant to be. This is my family. This is my, this is my place.

Good. And it was the rest of the tour of the same. Did it feel the same every night?

Yes, definitely. I think because sometimes you just look at numbers and you think OK that's the biggest, that's the biggest gig that must be like that will probably be the best. But that's not true at all because Tilburg was my smallest show, but people were just on it.

Right.

Delilah: Going for it in Tilburg and it's like you've never, you never know what to expect every night. It's like you can't predict until you walk out on the stage. You have no idea and yeah, it was sick.

And you've got the UK tour coming up. When does that actually start?

It starts on Halloween, so the 31st of October I'm in Cardiff.

And you've pretty much all sold out, I think.

Yes, everything except Cardiff, Cardiff I've got and there's like 30 tickets left. So, I'm trying to shift the 30 tickets because then I can say that it's all sold out.

Right .Excellent. We'll tell you what we'll get. This interview live as quickly as possible. See if we can encourage people in Cardiff to go to it because I have seen you live. I saw you at Kendall calling couple years ago now when you were just getting going. And I can, I can confirm that it was brilliant.

Oh yeah.

I thought it was a brilliant live show, so I’ll put that in the interview. So, second album's out as well. How are you feeling about it? Because it's obviously quite nerve wracking to put an album out there and see what the reaction is.

I think because the process is so long, by the end you just start saying I can't wait to get this out because it's all that build up and I do enjoy the build-up. But I think because I started promoting it back in March, I think March. For my first single, it's felt like a long year. I've wanted it to be out for a long time and so when it did come out, it's kind of I went to Magaluf. So random.

How did you enjoy Magaluf?

It was so random. It was like how do I celebrate my album coming out? And then we also me and my 2 girls on stage. We went to Magaluf and we didn't actually party that hard to be honest. It was more of like we was in the sea, but then I think since it's come out my focus has gone to the live shows. So after the live shows have ended, I think I can properly promote the album because the minute I feel like I'm not really promoted it as much as I could have promoted it. Which is annoying me.

OK. That's fair enough. But then you're doing all yourself, aren't you? So it's quite hard to do everything?

Is yes because for like the tour and everything I wanted to make all of my own outfits. So I've been sewing my outfits and I think it's because I just, I know exactly what I want that I end up doing everything myself, but then obviously I'm limited on time and I started to think could I be doing more if I physically can't do anymore? No.

Yeah, there’s a limit.

There's a limit.

And you've obviously spent a long time writing the album, so it must be great for, you know, finally getting to hear what people think of it.

Definitely like as soon as the fans started messaging me saying like, oh, my favourite one is the last track or this track. It's so exciting to share. It's been my secret little baby for so long because I've been listening to it for a year. So, like finally everyone else having it now it's great, but me being me, all I can think of is what's next. What should we do next? I'm yeah, I'm already thinking about next thing.

Right.

It's just the way my brain works.

There's nothing wrong with that. I mean, if you want, if you're enjoying what you're doing, you're always thinking of what you want to do next.

No. Yeah, it is. I think the process in the like making the songs is my favourite bit. I enjoy releasing them, but I think my favourite feeling is when I've written them, like when they're fresh.

When you, you know what you've done, but nobody else has heard it?

Yeah, it is. It's like I get to drive around in my car listening to my myself and no one in the world has heard it except me. And like that is like a magical feeling. So as soon as this album. As soon as it came out, my first thought was right, I need to make some more songs now.

Have you started yet or are you still to start?

Oh, yes. Yeah, I have many songs because for this album I had to narrow it down from 40 songs and that was really difficult. So then now it's like I can separate them into more themes, that I've got, which I'm going to do like EP's that are themed. So I'm excited to do different concepts.

Excellent. So, you're thinking some EP's next year then 2025?

Yes.

Excellent. Keep the momentum going as well.

Definitely.

And you've got any plans for 2025 in terms of festivals or anything else, are you allowed to tell me about anything that's lined up?

I'm not allowed to tell you about. Oh Wait!

It's OK if you're not.

That's okay.

I just wanted to ask.

No, it's announced. I'm pretty sure Slam Dunk's announced, Yes, it is.

I'm pretty sure I saw that. So yeah, I think that is, yeah.

Yes, double check. Wait, yes. Slam dunk.

Yeah.

And then everything else the I've got a big one that's abroad, but I'm not allowed to talk about that one yet.

OK, OK. And you, you've taken off in Europe because I know you obviously you were on French TV last year.That must have been an amazing experience.

Yes. Oh, it was crazy. I felt like I was dreaming. It did. I was so nervous, and it was the first time I'd ever used an ear pack, and my ear pack didn't turn on until about a second before I had to walk out and sing.

That would be quite scary. because you’re thinking it’s not working?

Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, it was. The Taratata show was such a such a big production, like it was massive. It was a different world. I've never, ever experienced like it felt like for a day I could be like a famous person, and it was crazy. I just, It just felt like I was in a movie.

So any more TV appearances coming up then?

There's nothing planned, but I really see when I played Taratata the guy who runs it, told me that you would get me back on the show. So I’ve got to keep sending him emails and annoying him.

Well, that's only way to do it, isn't it? If you're promoting yourself, you just have to go out there and really promote it, yeah.

Yeah. Yep, definitely.

One of the questions I wanted to ask is obviously you were previously in Hands Off Gretel and then you moved on. Do you feel you made the right decision there?

I think, obviously I miss Hands Off Gretel. I miss the music mostly like because the fans that liked what I was about back then, they're all still my fans now.

Great.

So it's like I've still got fans from way back then that support what I'm doing, but I think the main thing that makes me enjoy what I'm doing is the lyrics more so is the fact that I can just do it all myself and it's just at my thing.

Yes.

I think a lot of the time in a band you're trying to make everyone feel equal and I have a tendency to just take over and just kind of like I know exactly what I want. And I think sometimes in a band scenario it's like people disagree and it's hard like you're working with different people. And then doing that on my own with just myself to work with. It's like I can make music a lot faster, and I feel like.There's a less pressure for me to do music.

OK.

Yeah, but I do. I do really miss Hands off Gretel, and I miss the genre as well because. I always enjoy like grunge and like heavy rock.That's will always be like my favourite genre.

So maybe go back someday then?

Maybe, I don't know. I guess it just it just depends with wherever people are at in their lives at the time. But yeah, I think I would definitely like to see the certain songs that I just missed that I just wish I could sing bigger than me. I think that was one of my favourite ones to perform live, so maybe someday.

Your fans, they're very passionate and you feel that there's a real connection there?

Definitely. Yeah. I feel like they they'll message me on Instagram and like talk back and forth. If they message me about a song having like relating to them and the other connecting to my music, I always make sure to reply to people and then when I play gigs live as well, I look out in the crowd and it's like I recognize people. And it just feels like it feels like a community and growing up without like many friends. And even now in my personal life, it's like I don't have many friends. My fans are like my little family.

That must be a really a good comfort to you as well because you know you got those people there for you.

Mm hmm. It is definitely yes.

Yeah, yeah. Cool.Because I remember when we spoke before you mentioned to me about when you were growing up and you felt quite isolated. So this must be a real change from that.

It is, I think I still have my moments where I feel like teenage me in my personal life. I still struggle with friends and struggle with like weekends and thinking who can I hang out with? Who are my friends? And then it's like a weird. It's like me and my personal life. I can get lonely. But then me and my Delilah bond life, it's the opposite. And I think sometimes it's quite difficult because you get used to like people being around you all the time. Like on tour, it's like you constantly around people. And then when tour ends, you go back to your bedroom and it's like this contrast is difficult sometimes.

And a lot of people in bands, and all of artists struggle with that because you go from that really full on experience to just being yourself again. And that must be quite difficult.

Sometimes I need it. Sometimes I think I cannot wait to get back to my bedroom and just be on my own. But then other times it is like you think you want to go out and you want to see your friends, but you've not seen your friends because you've been on tour and then you realise who your real friends are really quick. As soon as you start as soon.

Yeah.

As things good happen for you, it's like you recognise who congratulates you and you recognise who just drops off. And I think that's happened to me this year.

That's good though, because then you get to know your friends, as you said, and you can get to know the people you're rely upon.

Yeah. Yes, it is.They show the true colours you.

Yeah. Good. So, in terms of, you know, obviously a lot of your music though is very it's very full on very sure of yourself. Is that something that's you're happy with? How that's going, the direction that's going in?

I think it keeps it exciting for me as I'm writing things a lot of the new album it's like, certain words, like finger blast your mother.

Yeah.

And singing these kinds of things, it's like they're quite cheeky, they're quite out there.

Yep.

And it excites me. It keeps me excited for my music because I think there truly is no rules now. Like it's just it's I can just do whatever I want and it's very freeing and I can show a different side of myself because I think, some people look at me like I'm just angry all the time and it's really not true. Like I get angry about things. I'm a passionate person, but as well it's like I'm quite, I'm quite mischievous and I'm quite silly and I like having a joke and I think in this music I can blend all of those things, which means I'm not putting myself in a box. I'm not just trying to be political. It's like sometimes my songs are just fun and that means I can just write and write and write as much as my heart wants.

Excellent, good, good. And one thing I've never quite worked out with your music is what genre it is, and that's a good thing because I don't think it actually has a genre. I think it's you're almost creating your own kind of musical genre yourself.And is that that must be quite exciting thinking. You have no limits.

Mm hmm.Yes, definitely, because as I'm writing new songs, it's like I know I can take it heavy cause I've been there like with evil hate filled female. I did a very low scream and I've never done low screams before, but like I did that and shocked myself that I could do it because I didn't realise I could do that. But then I still know that I can do like a soft song and the spectrum wide for what I can create and it's good because I think with my band Hands of Gretel like that was the problem for me. Artistically, it was like I kept trying to make the same song all the time because I didn't want us to be softer. I didn't want us to be heavier. I wanted us to be how we were and that can work for a few years, but I think as an artist, it's like you've got to keep entertaining yourself and that’s what I do with Delilah Bonn. It's like as soon as I get bored, I just t hink, right, we need to sing something to make ourselves interested again. Be angrier or be funnier or be softer.

And the girls, do they contribute as well? The girls on stage with you? Do they contribute to songs or is it all you?

No, it's all me. So they're just live. They bring it. They bring it to life live, so it's like Runa and Hella. So Runa's the bass player and Hella's the dancer, and so they'll carry us together and they'll do like choreographed dancing. And I think because at the core of it were just best friends. It's like it works so well because they just get it. They just understand. I just say like, can you make a dance to this?And they're like, easy. Of course.

Great. And obviously when you're all on tour as well together, that must be a really good feeling if you're best friends.

It is. It's so much easier because, I think sometimes in bands you don't get to know each other until you're on tour, because you'll just meet and rehearse together, and then all of a sudden you you're living together for two weeks straight, so you've got to like each other so. It's a definite benefit being friends in the first place because you need it.

Same as anything in life really, isn't it? You have to like the people you're working with.

Oh yeah.

You have to like the people you're on tour with, or else you're in trouble, yeah.

Yes.

So next year, you know you have couple of EP's, maybe some, maybe some festivals.

Mm hmm.

You can only tell me about the one, obviously. I'm guessing there might be others. Is it a big year next year? Is it a real push to really push the album next year?

Yes, I think my content that I make online needs to be more full on. I need to promote all of my album that I've already released, but then I need to get to America. That was like something that I've been trying to do for a long time, so I'm speaking with an agent finally and trying to get it together and make it happen because every time I release any tour dates or anything, all my fans say is come to America, come to America. So that's what I'm trying to do next year.

Have you been before?

I've been when I was younger, but I've never been as like a musician.

So that's a big hopeful for next year then that would be good because you know could obviously tease that your fans you know in the hope that you actually get there.

Yes.

Listen, I'm not going to take up to you too much your time, but this is really nice speaking to you again. So, you know best of luck with whatever you're doing next year.

You too.

The album I think personally is brilliant. I love it.

Thank you.

It's absolutely brilliant and fantastic what you're doing and thank you for your time today.

Oh, thank you so much.This is wicked. Thank you.

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