Interview Kwabs: Phases

We’ve all been through musical phases, haven’t we? Pipe down those of you at the back claiming to have liked Wilco’s earlier stuff since birth, cos it don’t wash here. Sure, a few of them seem a little embarrassing in retrospect. From the ex-emos who single handedly supported the global eyeliner market to those expensive trips to Cyber Dog in Camden to snap up some ‘nu-rave’ garb, we’ve all had ‘em. For every ten questionable choices, though, there’s one gem; the CD your Dad lent you, which you scratched up in your walkman, or that memorable song that can almost make time travel happen. Even though everyone eventually moves on to the next ‘thing’ - something newer, shinier - those phases stay with you.

The new bumper double issue of DIY is officially out, hosting multitudes of new talents to watch within its lustrous matte pages. Among them is Kwabs, a young man with a take on soul that’ll stop you flat in your tracks. He’s put together his own playlist of musical phases. Skipping from Aaliyah right through to James Blake (with a Stevie Wonder pitstop en route) it’s a look at the influences that affected Kwabs most when he was growing up and finding his own voice.