The Artist Explains: Will Killen - 'The Outside'
Having captivated millions with his debut track ‘In My Arms’, Will Killen is back with a new single ‘The Outside’. The song hits upon that feeling of being stuck in your own head and the effects that has on the people around you, it sees Will using the track as a personal apology to those he has pushed away in this moment. He took a moment to talk to us about the track in more depth.
Your track ‘The Outside’ is out now, can you tell us what the track is about?
To put it bluntly, The Outside is an apology. It’s about those times where you get stuck in your own head, which is something I often write about, but it dawned upon me that the worst part about it is how you unintentionally come off as cold, or accidentally hurt someone by not being fully present in their company. So yeah, this song is an apology for those moments.
Where was it recorded?
In the comfort of my bedroom, surrounded by empty mugs and cold teas that I was too distracted to finish. I have a very humble music setup, but there’s an abundance of plants and lamps which makes it a nice environment to get creative. Knowing that ‘perfection’ in these recordings wasn’t ever going to be possible, a weight was really lifted in my mind, which is part of why this all came together so quickly. With too many options, and too many chefs, I sometimes get lost in the production and lose the message of a song, which I was really determined to avoid doing this time.
Are there any behind the scenes stories from the recording process?
Behind the scenes stories are few and far between. The song unfolded over the course of a week, not long after lockdown had begun. It was mostly recorded in the early hours to avoid the passing cars outside my window, which I’m sure if you listen closely, you’ll still be able to hear in the record. It was really a solo venture, diving in to see what I could create in solitude.
What the key influences behind the track?
I didn’t have any set reference songs for The Outside, but I wanted it to exist in the same universe as Ex:Re, RY X, and the early Bon Iver records, all of which I absolutely adore.
What do you hope your listeners take from the track?
As ever, I hope it brings comfort to people. I tend to use music for that reason. There’s albums I always turn to which keep me sane when everything feels like it’s falling apart, which is why I feel obligated to tell my story and hopefully offer that same support for others.