Thomas Headon’s cheeky and honest disposition has endeared him to fans, winning their hearts one tune at a time.
Thomas Headon is the epitome of alternative bedroom pop excellence, delivering poppy, light, and authentically honest tunes that groove like nothing else.
In 2022, his debut EP “Victoria,” released on Warner Records, reached impressive charting heights, cementing his position in the music industry, leaving no doubt that Thomas is a rising star to be reckoned with.
Thomas’s highly anticipated project, “six songs that thomas headon likes and thinks that you would like too,” takes fans on a mesmerizing journey through his vibrant alt-pop universe.
The project expertly melds tricksy auto-tuned sonics in the euphoric single “2009 TOYOTA” and armed with jangly guitar riffs and a lo-fi amalgamation of gritty records and solid melodies, ‘Georgia’ conjures up echoes of George Harrison or Michael Penn from the late ’80s, as if they had a rendezvous with Harry Styles, resulting in a delightful fusion of the best of old and new worlds.
The lead single ‘W4NNA DO,’ Headon proves his prowess in crafting pop-bangers, with the nostalgic guitar strums destined to become the soundtrack of summer evenings in “not saying goodbye :(“.
Throughout the project, Thomas showcases his evolved lyricism, offering fresh perspectives in the empathetic “i loved a boy” and an artful balance of angsty, like the cheeky and upbeat anthemic “wet tongue.”
Reflecting on the EP, Thomas Headon reveals, “I’ve always written songs without a purpose, they’ve always just been a documentation of how I’m feeling at the time and then I’ve managed to put them into EP’s as a shared feeling or moment. These six songs are the first time that I’ve put together a collection of songs without a shared feeling, and more so just six songs that I fucking love, made for my audience and hope they love too. I wrote these with some of my favourite people from all around the world, and I’m so excited that everybody can finally have them, especially after I’ve been teasing them for months.”
Thomas Headon, with a bi-continental upbringing, and a little ultimative push from his mother, who told him he had a year to get a “proper job” otherwise he would have to return home, took this as permission to run, go big or go home.
Big it is, as Thomas has gone on to forge an online following of millions on TikTok and Instagram through his charm, live sessions, and songwriting prowess.
His self-written and self-produced EPs, like “The Greatest Hits” and “The Goodbye EP,” left an indelible mark, while “Victoria” propelled him to new heights on Warner Records, wowing audiences with sold-out shows and impressive performances alongside renowned artists.
We caught up with Thomas, prior to heading out on an extensive tour from Manchester to Milan to talk about the inspiration of friends, and single handedly saving summer with “six songs that thomas headon thinks you would like to.”
Happy: What are you up to today?
Thomas: I’m about to go on tour tomorrow, so very busy day. Last minute rehearsal then run then packing then questions then content then sleep.
Happy: Where’s home, and what’s the current music scene like in your neck of the woods?
Thomas: Home for me is Australia, but right now I live in London.
I’m loving it, I’m in a super cool part of the city where there’s live music around me almost every night of the week.
When my roommate and I first moved here we’d go to a show almost every night, it was great.
Happy: Describe your average work day?
Thomas: I’m so lucky it always depends. I sound old and retired but I always make time for coffee, exercise and scrolling social media for 8 hours.
Other than that I either probably have some meetings, have to make content, rehearsals, a show or my favourite, making music in the studio.
Happy: What about your ultimate day?
Thomas: Y’know what, as much as I love my job, it’s probably a day off lol.
I like going out with my friends, sitting in the sun, the beach maybe. We play a lot of board games.
Maybe something like that and reading ? Going for a run ? Very chill.
Happy: Tell us about your creative community. Who are some artists or bands that have inspired you, and how have they influenced your music?
Thomas: I do say this often but in all honesty the people who most inspire me are actually my friends.
My roommate is this kid called ‘Nabes’, his music is so good and he produces and writes a lot of my stuff with me too.
My friend Alfie Templeman is incredible as well, such a hardworking guy that’s just so good at everything he does.
They’re constantly teaching me to keep wanting to be better, i’m forever grateful for that.
Happy: What inspired you to pursue a career in music, and how has your journey shaped your sound and style over the years?
Thomas: I’ve always been into performing in some way. I actually used to always wanna be an actor, so I did a lot of musical theatre then found out I can’t dance.
Music was probably always the right option though, I used to make a lot more lo-fi bedroom pop but now it’s definitely more on the alternative pop side.
Whatever any of those words mean anyway.
Happy: What was your vision or concept behind creating your latest EP ‘six songs that thomas headon likes and thinks you would like too’, and how does it differ from your previous work?
Thomas: I just wanted it to be super fun and bright and way less serious than my last EP. I think that’s mainly how they differ, this one is just way more fun. To listen to, to play live, to promote, everything.
Happy: Did you face any challenges or obstacles while working on the EP? How did you overcome them, and did they influence the final outcome in any way?
Thomas: I think the hardest part was finishing the songs.
I have such a core team of people that I trust, and I think all of us were super opinionated because we were all so excited. So finalising mixes, production, lyrics and melodies was the hardest part.
Happy: You wrote the single Toyota in Australia in 2009 with your good friend Taka Perry, can you give us insight into the creative collab?
Thomas: We’ve actually worked together a lot. In all honesty I actually think I probably have the most releases with Taka ?
We spent a week writing quite serious songs about my relationship or my friends or this or that, and we finally just wanted to write something that purely sounded cool and was fun.
Taka finished it to basically how it is on the day, it was such a fast song which is always a great sign.
Happy: Collaborations are often a significant aspect of an EP. Did you collaborate with any other musicians or artists on any of the tracks? If so, what was that experience like, and how did it enhance the overall project?
Thomas: A lot of the producers and writers I work with are also artists, but that’s about it. At the moment I really like keeping the people I make music with quite a small group.
I’m not very open to meeting hundreds of new people and welcoming them into my little world. It stresses me out quite a lot and I feel like the more comfortable I am with someone the better the result musically.
Happy: Now that the EP is complete and released, what are your hopes and expectations for its reception? Are there any specific messages or emotions you aimed to convey through the songs, and how do you think listeners will connect with them?
Thomas: I actually got an instagram message this morning from someone saying “you single handedly just saved summer” and I think that’s made my day today. If this can be at least one person’s summer soundtrack then I’m super happy. If people are feeling happy and good while listening then I am too.
Happy: Music has the power to evoke strong emotions and touch people’s lives in various ways. Could you share a specific moment or story where you received feedback from a fan that truly resonated with you and reinforced the impact of your music?
Thomas: A fan once told me they made out with their crush listening to one of my songs, that was pretty funny.
Happy: The music industry is constantly evolving, with new technologies and platforms emerging. How do you adapt to these changes, and what are your thoughts on the current state of the industry? Do you think these developments have positively influenced your career?
Thomas: I used to have much more of an answer to this question, but now I’m really like… everything’s always changing.
I think the way to deal with it is to just go with the flow and keep trying new things whenever you can.
I’ve been super positively impacted by tiktok existing, but now that platform is just huge so ? who am i to say !
Happy: Can you give us a sneak peek into your forthcoming project?
Thomas: I get to make an album ! It’s super early stages but I think it’s already coming together super well.
I’ve got a couple songs banked that I wrote a while ago, but after this month I just get to non-stop writing which I’m super stoked for.
Happy: Lastly, what makes you happy?
Thomas: you make me happy, happy mag <3
Check out Thomas Headon’s tour dates and more here.
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