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Every Monday we will be bringing you interviews with unsigned UK or Ireland artists for Independent Music Monday. Recently we caught up with unsigned Swansea singer Geraint Rhys to find out more…

Where are you from and how did you first get into music?
I am from Swansea, South Wales and music has always been a very important part of my life. It has always been the thing that has moved me the most.

Who were your musical influences when you were growing up and who are your influences now?
I’ve grown up listening to a variety of music. My CD collection (which are now a thing of the past) contained all sorts. From French house music like Daft Punk, Modjo and Cassius, to political rock like the Manic Street Preachers and The Clash, to American hardcore and punk like Jimmy Eat World, NOFX, Saves the Day, to Funeral for a Friend to Public Enemy to Brian Eno, to David Byrne to Feist to Anna Calvi to Kanye West etc etc. The list is honestly endless.

How would you describe your sound?
Because I listen to all sorts of music I think that is reflected in my own work. The beautiful thing about music is that you can express yourself in so many different ways using so many different sounds. I don’t think any artist should be confined to genre. For me personally that gets boring so whenever I write something it comes out in the way it comes out and that’s it.

What is your latest release called and what was the influence behind it?
My new track is called ‘Stop the War’. ‘When the Syrian War broke out and the images of helpless families and children were everywhere, it made me further question the point of war. Since then we have had countless conflicts. Whether it be between Ukraine and Russia, Saudi Arabia and Yemen or the numerous terrorist attacks, graphic violence is now a staple of the social media world, but yet, we easily move from watching horrendous scenes on our phones to seconds later retweeting a funny dog video.

Through this song I ask a bunch of rhetorical questions. Searching for no answers I express how I felt when seeing image after image of people in pain through no fault of their own. Although lyrically heavy, I emphasise that through the process of questioning can come understanding.

For the video I wanted to represent the contrasting chaos and beauty of human struggle and so worked with the dancer Ffion Campbell-Davis to use movement to capture the immediacy and complexity of war.

What’s your local music scene like?
I tend to move around a lot. I really enjoyed when I lived in Cardiff though that was when I first started gigging. There used to be a really good scene there. It is however being destroyed by the closure of many good venues due to the council favouring building more student flats which will remain half empty, rather than supporting the local culture of music.

What do you have planned for the next 12 months? Any albums or festivals?
I plan on playing a lot more gigs and to make more videos. I have filmed a documentary about Russian political art so plan on finishing that too.

Is there anyone you’d love to collaborate with?
Christian Löffler, he does some great electronic stuff.

Any funny stories surrounding your live performances?
Too many. I once played a place called Cleopatra’s in Newport, a typical dive bar down some stairs. The only people there were a couple of my mates, the barman, the promoter and a few random people in the background, one of which was an old drunk who heckled me throughout my performance to play ‘Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door’. I was quite green at the time so didn’t have the confidence to tell him to fuck off. He eventually ended up on stage playing the song with my guitar whilst I did backing vocals! Bizarre!

What is the one thing that you want readers to know about you?
That the meaning of the lyrics always comes first.

You can find out more about Geraint on his website or via Bandcamp, Facebook, Instagram, SoundCloud, Spotify, Twitter or YouTube.