For those who may be new to your music, how best would you describe your sound?
Brendan Dalton
It's very honest. I like to write music that connects with the listener on an emotional level. If I can write a song and the audience finds something within it that resonates with them, then I'm one happy chap (even if I don't sound like it).
What challenges have you faced in the music industry so far?
It's a tough industry right now. It's so overly saturated with so many musicians doing amazing wonderful things that it really is hard to keep up. I guess the biggest challenge is to get it to the listener without it costing an arm and a leg. There's only so many emails,Facebook posts or tweets I can put out in a day you know?
How difficult would you say this career path is in terms of making a name for yourself?
I'm not out to be the next Ed Sheeran or Ben Howard. That would lovely but, as long as I can have a sustainable career that let's me do what I love everyday. I get asked a lot if I'm releasing an album and that's not where I'm at right now. I think I'll just keep releasing singles and EP's until I have enough to say and the time is right for album.
How important is it for you to have creative control over the work you produce?
Right now, it's everything. If I didn't have it I wouldn't even be writing music or performing. If I wanted to write music that was gonna be a hit I'd rather just write it and let someone else perform it. For me, at this moment, it's all about being me and expressing myself through music.
Where do you draw influence and inspiration from for your work?
From a lot of different sources, particularly music, art and film. The musical influences are probably quite obvious. But, in terms of film I really like the work of Jeremy Saulnier and David Robert Mitchell; the directors of Blue Ruin and It Follows, respectively. They can build such an atmosphere without bombarding the viewer with dialogue, which so many films do these days. So much of what we watch, look at and listen to has been dumbed down and we very rarely get to use our imagination to really delve deeper into an art form. So I guess I like to use the same philosophy and let the listener draw something from my songs that they can relate to in a positive, even a negative way.
If you could collaborate with anybody going forward, who would you choose and why?
Iron and Wine. Hands down. Sam Beam is just one hell of a guy and He's been at it since around about 2000. Every album has been so touching and honest. He's a great story teller and always writes music that connects in a way that I long to be able to do. So yeah, that guy. Always that guy.
Tell us a random, funny fact about you that not many people know.
I have a chihuahua called Banditt, he's such a stupid dog but he's really affectionate so that makes him okay in my book. Plus people tell me we look alike that's weird right?
Do you have definitive aims or goals for your career?
I'm not out to sell out wembley, That's just not in my character. I'd like to be able to write, record and play my music on a level that supports me enough that it's all I have to focus on. That would be great.
Where do you hope to be this time next year?
I would like to be playing some shows in the states, that would be great fun and I really feel like that audience could get involved in my music, there seems to be a massive following for emotive tracks over there. I'd also like to be able to quit my day job, but that's the dream right?
What should we expect from you in the coming weeks and months?
I've got another single coming out in the next couple of months and I'd really like to get an EP's dusted before the year is out. I'm also working on something really special that's still in it's infancy right now but will hopefully tour that around the UK once it's finished and ready to go.
Medium is out now via Meraki Records.