Inspired #248: Deva St John
We caught up with London’s Deva St John to find out what inspires her and her most recent single ‘Preacher’.
Who are your top three musical inspirations?
My inspirations change with every song. For Preacher, my inspirations were bands like Aerosmith and Paramore musically, but Rage Against The Machine and Sex Pistols contextually. For Reckless, my inspirations were 90’s stoner / grunge rock artists. Nirvana, Blind Melon and Alanis Morissette. For the next two songs, my inspirations are AWOLNATION and Twenty One Pilots, though with a slightly more bluesy feel. I seem to gravitate towards those kinds of sounds. It’s a bit of a mix, really!
Is there a certain film that inspires you?
Film was actually my first love! I adore it. Films that don’t take themselves too seriously, but still do pathos extremely well. When a story has the perfect blend of humour and tragedy, I love that. I wanted my music to be like that.
My favourite film is a movie called Withnail and I - it’s about two struggling actors who live in a filthy little flat in Camden and abuse every substance under the sun. They decide to get away from the city and spend the weekend clearing their heads in the countryside. It’s a pretty standard sounding film from just reading the plot alone - but I can’t tell you how hilarious and clever this script is. It helps that Richard E Grant and Paul McGann deliver phenomenally funny and meaningful performances.
Another film that comes to mind is School Of Rock. I watched it as a kid, and I came out of the cinema DIFFERENT. Whenever my mum would put the soundtrack on in the car, I would belt out Tomika’s part in Zack’s song and Long Way To The Top. I think that’s when I realised I really loved to sing. Then, when I met my first agent as a kid, she asked me if I could play any role in the world, what would it be? I told her Freddy from School Of Rock. I really should’ve known who I’d become!
What city do you find the most inspiring?
I feel so lucky that London is my city. It’s so full of history and cultures of every kind. The musical history itself is so rich - rock might’ve been born in the US, but the UK really knew what to do with it. I don’t feel particularly patriotic - blind loyalty is bad news - you excuse the bullshit because you love the good. Nothing is deserving of unwavering praise. However, that wartime attitude of “make do and mend” is still felt throughout the collective British consciousness. I really do like it. Remembering to appreciate what we have, accepting what we can't have, and fixing what we can. Working together to build each other up, and looking after each other when one of us is out of luck… because that really was the reality for many people who are still alive today. The lessons they learned during the war - both good and bad - are still being taught to their grandchildren. I’ve tried applying that mindset to myself - I find it easy to get caught up in what I don’t have and running for the future - rather than being calm and enjoying the present.
Who is the most inspiring person to you?
It sounds corny, but my boyfriend is probably my biggest inspiration. He’s a musician too, his name is Split The Dealer. He helps me, encourages me, teaches me and is honest about what I’m doing. Whenever I feel like the mountain is just a little too high, he’ll pick me up and push me forward, and I'll do the same for him. We’re fully invested in this life and are going for it together. I think if he was in insurance or a doctor or something, I’d feel less motivated to push through. We understand each other’s grind, so we give each other the necessary space, time and attention to make it work.
What were your inspirations when writing your new track?
So, I wrote Preacher during the hell-scape that was Trump's America, and Boris’ bullshit with Brexit. Everyone was spewing recycled word vomit and desperately clinging to their rose-tinted glasses and patriotism. It was gross and infuriating. I could picture some evil overlord laughing at us all - everything going according to their plan. Someone who’s even above the highest position in government. Like a deity of capitalism. I considered how our relationship with money has morphed into this cultist / cult leader type of relationship. Someone who has convinced you that your life is better with them, and you’re worthless without them. Even worse, it’s an inanimate object, so we’re entirely responsible for its meaning. We’re also entirely capable of its demise, but no one’s willing to go against the system because we’ve all been brainwashed into thinking we need it. Even people who say they’re against the system, get romanced by opportunity to thrive within it. We’re all guilty of it. I figure, if I’m going to be a cultist, I might as well make good art from the inside out.
How would you like to inspire people?
I would like to inspire people to question their reality and constantly evolve. It’s never too late to make the most out of this experience. For all we know, we only get one life. Every moment is precious, and every person is a manifestation of the universe. I want people to remember they’re a god. They belong here, and they deserve to be free, peaceful and content. Regardless of what you’re going through, you’re more than enough. You’re a literal god.