A live performance is often more than just about the music, it’s about the show and the visual element too. Harpy can sing, like a bird actually, but she also wowed the Download audience with her aesthetic. Here she chats to Gary Trueman about both aspects of her live performances and what helped shape them.
We saw you recently sharing a stage with Wargasm. Presumably you’re good mates?
“Yes we are, me and Sam write together a lot. Milkie helped me write my latest single ‘Last Time’. We’ve been hanging about together for a little bit.”
You’re a part of a wider new generation of creatives aren’t you, including Cassyette and Bambie Thug who are both doing really well too?
“Yes, we’re good friends. I love those guys very much Cassy and Bambie are incredibly talented artists, and Wargasm also. There’s a little magic between us all.”
It must be great to be all supportive of each other and to see everyone doing so well?
“It is. This industry can be tough on your own, especially solo artists. It’s good to have people to bounce things off of, and just rant to if you need to.”
You’ve just played the Avalanche stage and your aesthetic is amazing. You did this double costume reveal in under two songs which was visually stunning. How did you come up with that and where do you take your style inspiration from?
“I’m definitely a theatrical kinda gal. I have a flair for spooky theatrics as well. Today I came out in my veil, slipped that off, then we took the jacket off, then we had the blood. There was a lot packed into 25 minutes. It’s really important that I express myself through the way I dress and how I use clothes. I think it’s connecting with people that also feel that way that’s also important.”
You do see a lot of bands in jeans and a t-shirt – it’s important to put a show on too isn’t it?
“Honestly yes I think so, I mean it depends on what kind of artist you are. If you’re an artist that just wants to have a great streaming story and you don’t really care about how people see you visually you can make amazing music that takes people to that other dimension. Or if you’re like me then the visual is important then you can tell the story almost as much or more with the visual than the music.”
Your outfits are always on point and very much suit your style musically. Where do you take your visual inspiration from?
“I was a regular on the London fetish scene in the early 2020s and I met a lot of up and coming designers there. Lots of rubber based stuff, lots of latex, leather, chains, buckles, all that kind of stuff. I’m really into high end fetish fashion so that’s where it comes from. I like the contrast between like a silk dress and a harness.”
Some people will read the word ‘fetish’ and stand back a little bit but there’s a lot of stuff from the fetish scene that has made its way into other alternative and even mainstream fashion over the years. You only have to look at the metal scene with studded belts and wrist bands and chains.
“Yes. A great example of that is when Balenciaga started having gimp masks on catwalks. That was done on the fetish scene way before they did it. Funny story actually, I used to have a lot of gimp masks on my content and it would always get taken down on Tik Tok. But if Balenciaga is doing it apparently it’s fine. So yes the mainstream does take influence from the fetish scene but I’m not going to gatekeep, I love seeing that stuff everywhere. I love seeing people express themselves.”
The thing is it breaks down barriers doesn’t it?
“It does, and it’s really important to break down those barriers. People need to feel like they’re accepted whoever they are.”
You vocal, it’s like a sirens song, it’s so ethereal. Where does that come from because when you’re talking there’s no hint of it.”
“That’s very nice of you to say. I have always sang since day one.”
Have you always had that pitch and tone?
“I have, from birth. My dad was in the music industry and he put me into one vocal lesson and he hated the way the teacher was changing my vocals so I never did any vocal training after that. So it’s all naturally from inside of me.”
Do you do anything to look after your voice?
“Honestly, I have managed to quit smoking. But I do barely warm up and I know I should as a professional singer but I can get away with it even though it’s really naughty and I shouldn’t do it that way.”
Which vocalists do you most admire?
“Hayley Williams is a big one, Amy Lee, Courtney LaPlante to she’s amazing. I love the way she can switch it up from screaming to singing, it’s incredible. I’m not a screamer at all.”
Your tone and pitch is quite Amy Lee like.
“I’ll take that! I loved Amy Lee growing up.”
Who will you be checking out while you’re here?
“I’ll be watching Korn. I’m a huge fan of them. I’d like to catch a bit of Spiritbox. Jinjer too, she’s so impressive, and stunning as well.”
Have you got anything you’d like to say to all the people that came to watch you perform at Download?
“Mummy loves you, haha.”
Interview and photos by Gary Trueman