I’m not normally a big fan of pop music, so when I hear something good, it’s very good! Daniel Antonio’s song everything i touch really caught my attention – it’s poppy, but it’s a little different to the norm, making it sound all the more impressive! Check out the stream at the bottom of this interview if you missed it!

By Jane Howkins

You recently released a single titled everything i touch. What can you tell us about the track?

This song acts as an introduction to the musical ideas and lyrical themes that I will be exploring further on future releases. All my songs run as part of a connecting narrative and everything i touch acts as ground zero for me to build off of sonically and lyrically.

It’s the beginning of the larger story I’m telling.

How has the reception to everything i touch been so far, and where can the song be purchased?

So far it’s been received well, the best thing for me was seeing the song resonating with listeners within various genre contexts, whether that was pop listeners, rock and metal fans or hip-hop heads and fans of electronica. One of my aims with my music is to help break down genre barriers to encourage people to listen to music without any preconceptions of what it should or shouldn’t sound like, it’s all just music at the end of the day.

You can listen to it on all the major streaming platforms.

You’ve also released another song called the ballad of narcissus and echo. What can you tell us about that track?

Whereas everything i touch lyrically is a moment of clarity which addresses coming to terms with your own failures as a person, the ballad of narcissus and echo is an exploration and character study into two individuals locked in a narcissistic abusive relationship. It references the ancient Greek myth of Echo and Narcissus as a metaphorical jumping off point.

In the song, I take on the character of both the victim and the abuser in order to explore their motivations and behaviour which is perpetuating this dangerous dynamic, as well as how the person on the receiving end eventually gathers the strength to break free from this grip and emotionally and physically detach from the situation. It’s a very complex theme which a 3-minute song can’t do justice to, but hopefully the song provokes people to consider these situations on a deeper level.

The story told in the music video is an abstract and metaphorical exploration of these same themes in the style of a sci-fi/art house film.

What is the writing and recording process like for you?

Usually, I approach the writing from a production standpoint – when an idea or demo that I’ve worked on has a clear musical or thematic identity it will often spur me into writing lyrics. The writing process always begins with electronic production and vocals, then the band instruments are written in afterwards to flesh out the sound.
In terms of recording, I work with a small group of producers and musicians remotely with whom I have developed strong relationships with. I’ll track vocals and guitars from home – my drummer, Elio Severino, is based in Naples – so he will send me the drum tracks he’s recorded. Then it all gets assimilated alongside the production which me and my producer Jared Harding have collaborated on to be made into a full sounding track.

Do you plan to release any more singles in the near future?

Yes, I’ll be releasing singles throughout the rest of this year.

Do you plan to release an EP or an album anytime soon?

There’s a larger body of work in the pipeline, but for now I’ll be focusing on releasing stand-alone singles.
As a music listener I primarily consume music through albums, so the album format is important to me in presenting a larger idea or theme that a single on its own can’t achieve. At this minute I’m focusing on establishing my sound through single releases before arriving at an album. I want to let people get hungry for an album from me before dropping it.

Your music mixes together alt pop, rock and electronica.. What/who influences you most as an artist? What have you been listening to recently?

Generally, the ideas that excite me across all types of art juxtapose different styles or moods and place them next to each other in a way that works to subvert the form – this is something that films such as black comedies do excellently. When you take different musical ideas and conventions that on paper shouldn’t work together but you find a way to make them co-exist, you create something that’s greater than the sum of it’s parts. Whichever sound or style that I draw upon is done so with the purpose of matching the emotion of the song, or the story the lyrics are telling. There’s a strong sense of duality within my lyrics which I naturally want to reflect in the music.

I’ve been listening to a lot of Sleep Token recently, they’re a group who I think do what I just described really well. I love how theatrical their live show is, it feels like you’re taking part in an otherworldly ritual. It’s awesome to see how popular they’re getting.

Where are you based? What is the music scene like in your part of the world?

I’m currently based in Glasgow. The music scene here is awesome; there’s a lot to see and people here care so much about their live music, which was a factor in me deciding to relocate here last year– not to mention crowds go absolutely crazy at shows.

So many touring musicians from all over the world mention Glasgow as one of their favourite cities to perform in and I totally understand why.

Do you have any tour dates lined up for the UK?

Nothing is announced as of yet, but there’s some things in the pipeline for later on in the year. As much as I’m itching to perform live, I also don’t want to rush into it. I want to make sure that by the time I start playing live I have enough material out and that I’m ready to deliver a good show to an audience.

Any last words for the fans?

Send the ballad of narcissus and echo to all your friends, enemies and even your exes. Let’s get this in front of as many people as possible!

Check out Daniel’s Linktree here: li.sten.to/ccozlbah