In this interview feature, we get to know the most radicalist up and coming stars on the planet. 

This time we had a chat with Boniface, who had recently dropped his exceptional debut album. 

The release is full of hugely atmospheric, unique tracks like ‘Wake Me Back Up’, with an impressive lead vocal providing the catchy melodies that every Boniface track centres on. His lyrics are often personal, making sure to tell a story rather than deliver a selection of random words. This makes every piece he drops a separate adventure, often with an interesting music video to match. 

2019 has been a huge year for Boniface, with a busy touring schedule leading to some incredible live shows and the acquisition of a lot of new fans eager to hear more from the talented songwriter.

We’ve managed to get hold of Boniface and have a chat about the album, songwriting and live shows.

TMR: You’re gearing up to drop your debut record, how are you feeling ahead of the release?

Excited and relieved. The debut record has been something I’ve fantasized about, stressed about, worked on forever, so it’s great that it’s finally materialized into a body of work that I’m proud of. Something that can mark the first chapter in my life as a person and as an artist.

TMR: We love your recent single ‘Keeping Up’, what went into creating that moody, atmospheric texture?

That song, especially, developed over a long time. I wrote the first draft when I was 16 and just kept revising it, carrying a bit forward each time. Before the first chorus you can hear a recording of the rain from my bedroom window, in the bridge there’s a recording of my friends and I getting day drunk at a surprise party. At no point was I trying to create a moody song, it just ended up sounding like the last six years in my life…which I guess has been sort of moody.



TMR: How do you get the huge sound found on tracks like ‘Wake Me Back Up’?

You just need to really listen to yourself. Wake Me Back Up was born from such an urgent place in my life. I deal with a lot of anxiety and this one especially was written during a time when I’d wake up feeling shaky and sick every night. When I was recording it I’d force myself to remember that feeling, remember what it took to overcome it, and then try to channel that resilience into the song. Also lots of reverb.

TMR: Evidently you’re a dab hand at songwriting these days, but can you recall your first experiences writing your own music?

I was always very, very, shy about it. I don’t think I would have ever shared it had I not been surrounded by so many wonderful encouraging people, my brother Joey in particular who I have always really looked up to and now plays lead guitar in Boniface.

TMR: What is the process behind writing bangers for Boniface?

They come together all sorts of ways. Most of the time I demo on my computer or write on piano. But it’s hard, and I get stuck a lot. I’m constantly writing but never feel very satisfied with my work until I look back and realize there’s actually some pretty solid stuff that has accumulated.

TMR: If you had to choose just one track to introduce someone to your music, which would you choose and why?

Wow good question. Hmm. I think ‘Ghosts’ is a good one to start with. I do a lot of reflecting on my personal life in my music and definitely in ‘Ghosts’, but I’m always trying to bring it back to something bigger -- To share stories of resilience. "If it kills us we’ll go down, the sweetest ghosts in this whole town." I think people are wonderful and beautiful and trying so hard even when they’re not living up to their own expectations. Ghosts is a frustrated, sad song but it’s also one that comforted me and can hopefully comfort other people during difficult seasons of life.



TMR: There is a great variety and sense of personal depth to your lyrics, so we’re wondering what the primary inspiration behind those are?

I like to tell stories. Mostly personal, but about others as well. Again, people are so fascinating and beautiful - I want to capture that and amplify it in the stories I tell, and I think songs are the most effective way I’ve found to do that so far.

TMR: Your music videos are always interesting with a cinematic edge. Is there a particular process in matching the visuals to your music?

I’ve worked with my brother on them mostly, and they’ve all come together in very different ways. I have an appetite for the romantic and the surreal so I think that’s made it’s way into a lot of the early videos, but I think I’ve also gone back and forth on how I want to present myself, so it really is just my brother and I throwing ideas around on how Boniface could look and then trying those ideas.

TMR: You have a headline show at Omeara in London on May 27th 2020, what can we expect that to be like?

With Boniface shows, bringing joy is the raison d’etre. When the band and I first started touring the project we realized pretty quickly that the shows we enjoyed were the ones where the performers were truly bringing the audience joy. Giving and not taking. So we structure our sets to be as energetic, welcoming and fun as they can be. We all just want to make people happy and at Omeara we’ll have an hour to do that. Let’s go.

TMR: Do you get more satisfaction from the response to your studio releases or the reactions of fans at live shows?

The sad thing is I don’t think I get enough satisfaction from either. There is a part of me that feels good when people compliment the music or pop off at a show, but what would be really satisfying for me is to know the music has enriched people’s lives beyond the fleeting reaction to a single or the applause at a show. I think I’ll truly feel satisfaction when Boniface becomes more than just "single, tour, single, tour" and is instead something that brings people together and helps people on a larger scale. I’ve seen the beginning of that already and I think the album will be another wonderful step.

By Dan Peeke