Picture this: it’s 2007 and you need the perfect song to set up on your MySpace profile or steal lyrics from for your AIM away message. Or maybe it’s 2023 and you need a line for your Discord status. Either way, Days To Waste has you covered with his latest single, ‘lilac,’ which is a total Y2K throwback in all the best ways possible. We interpret the song as being about finding yourself thanks to someone’s unwavering love and support, which is such a beautiful story to follow.
‘lilac’ is a song our younger selves would’ve adored, but we can’t imagine loving it more than our present selves do. And something we loved just as much is getting to ask Days To Waste all about it! Check out the song below, then keep reading to learn more about the track, Ben’s artistic process, and more.
Hi Days To Waste! Congrats on your new single, ‘lilac!’ How does it feel to finally share the song with the world?
I’m so happy to be releasing ‘lilac.’ I’ve been working on the song for a while and I’ve been wanting and learning how to make a song like it for the past year and I’m so stoked to finally let people hear it.
What does ‘lilac’ mean to you, and what do you hope listeners take away from it?
I think ‘lilac’ is a perfect example of where I want my music to go, and the beginning to a new chapter of my career.
‘lilac’ has so many stunning lyrics, with one of our favorites being, “hold on to me and never release.” Is there a certain lyric you’re especially proud of?
I think the whole first verse before the pre-chorus is my favorite part of the song. I wrote that verse on an acoustic guitar before I knew the song was going to be called ‘lilac,’ or turn into what it became.
You’re known for being unapologetically vulnerable in your music, which has helped you connect with so many fans around the world. Is it hard for you to be that open with so many people or does it feel cathartic?
It’s something I’ve never really thought too much about. There was never a time where I thought I shouldn’t be so open in my music. It’s always been an outlet for me and I’ve always written about the things I’m feeling.
When you were 14, you started a YouTube channel where you focused on covers before eventually shifting to making your own music. What’s something you learned from that time that’s helped you with making and releasing your own work?
Making covers back then and making music now are night and day differences. Plus I had no idea what I was doing back then. But I guess the main thing I took from it is consistency is very important.
You cite Nothing, Nowhere, who we also love, as one of your biggest influences. If you could hop on a remix of any of his songs, which would you choose and what kind of verse would you add to it?
I think I’d wanna throw a verse on ‘Venom.’ Been listening to that song a lot lately!
We love how the production of your songs really matches the emotions in the lyrics, especially on songs like ‘Breathe,’ which is one of our all-time faves of yours. What is your creative process like? What usually comes first, the production or the lyrics?
It really varies when making my songs. Sometimes I’ll write the whole song on paper with an acoustic guitar before eventually taking it to my DAW, and sometimes I’ll produce a whole instrumental without writing any lyrics. So it really varies.
You’ll be touring with sadeyes for two weeks this summer, which is so exciting! How are you preparing for those shows? How do you go about picking the perfect setlist?
I’m so excited to go on tour. It’s gonna be such a great experience. And it’s been pretty difficult trying to pick the perfect setlist. I’ve slowly been getting my gear together and practicing but I think it’s going to be awesome.
Inspired by your stage name, when you feel like you’ve wasted a day, how do you get motivated and turn it around?
I actually tend to struggle with motivation a lot, but one thing I’ll always do is go on a walk or just go outside. I find when I keep myself indoors, I tend to just sulk around and not feel very motivated, but when I hop on my skateboard and just cruise around for a bit it tends to make me feel a lot better.
How do you feel you’ve grown as an artist since releasing ‘suffocate’ in 2019?
My music and my mental state and my maturity and growth have changed so much since I released ‘suffocate.’ The person I was back then and the person I am now are two completely different people. not to mention the sound and quality of my music have just gotten a lot better as well.
What can your fans look forward to in the rest of 2023?
My fans can look forward to a much more active and busy Days to Waste this year. I hope to release at least a couple more songs before the end of the year.
Is there anything else you’d like to mention or say to your fans that the questions didn’t touch on?
I appreciate everyone who has stuck around and everyone who’s found me recently. I couldn’t do this without you and every single nice comment and message is the reason I wanna hop out of bed in the morning, so thank you.
Thank you so much to Ben for answering all our questions! We’ve had ‘lilac’ on repeat and can’t wait to see what’s next.
Now we wanna hear from you! Which Days To Waste song is your favorite? Let us know in the comments below or hit us up on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter! And be sure to check out more of our exclusive interviews with your current and future favorite artists.
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