Interview London Grammar: “We want to evolve, but we’re not chasing commercial goals”

Hey Dot! It’s been around eight months since the release of your fourth album, ‘The Greatest Love’. How do you reflect on that body of work?
Interestingly, it was the first time we had our own space. We always used to record in different commercial studios, but with our own studio, we could be more vulnerable with each other. The process itself was the most enjoyable one we’ve had.

How did you approach the process of writing and recording it? Were there any significant creative differences compared to previous records?
Even though we had the studio, there were more periods of time where we were separated - one of us could go, or we’d go in pairs, so there are probably sides on the album where you can hear that. For example, ‘Into Gold’ was a demo Dan and Hannah wrote years ago, probably around album two [‘Truth Is A Beautiful Thing’], then I flipped it and essentially turned it into a remix. But ‘Fakest Bitch’ was just the three of us in a room; that whole song is one live take.

Did working individually rather than collectively affect your dynamic?
It felt quite liberating. We’re all doing our own things now, which is really amazing when you come back into the studio; it helps you appreciate what you have together. We were incredibly introspective for a long time, but now we’ve got perspective. Our relationship is the best it’s ever been, and when we’re in the studio, it feels very carefree.

What were you hoping to explore with ‘The Greatest Love’ that you hadn’t before?
Lyrically, Hannah explored relationships a lot. That had to do with the place we were in; Dan and Hannah both have families now, and I think that’s definitely influenced them. It’s a very natural evolution.

Now that the record has spent some time out in the world, has your relationship with it changed?
It always does. When I’m making something, I listen to it incessantly, but as soon as it’s out, I never listen to it again: you can’t change it anymore. Although, you do get more perspective when you play it live.

It’s been over a decade since your debut! How do you feel about what that polished, atmospheric pop scene has evolved into - and where do you think you fit now?
Music is in an interesting place. A lot of scenes have come back because of how TikTok and social media work, [so] there’s been a kind of democratisation of the audience - it’s less scene-y; everything’s co-existing. Our fanbase is amazing - many have been with us from the beginning. That’s always a battle in the studio: you want to go new places, but not alienate the people who love you for what you’ve already done.

Do you feel pressure to reinvent yourselves?
We don’t, really. We’re naturally curious - sonically and emotionally - so things change in an organic way.

Your live shows are known for being immersive. Do you see them as extensions of the albums, or something else entirely?
They’re a different experience; we don’t approach them as just playing the tracks, we’re always thinking about how to push it further. We’ve had many iterations of live sets - too many lights at one point, then very melancholic and minimal. For LIDO this summer, we’re doing something we haven’t done before… it’s going to be more intimate, which should be interesting.

How are you planning to bring that intimacy into a festival setting?
Part of it is a surprise, but through the staging we want to present a different side of ourselves. At The O2 last year, we had big laser moments and big gaps between us. Within our own experience of that show, it felt like we weren’t connected enough, so that’s something we’re looking to change at LIDO.

Why did you choose LIDO to kick off your summer shows?
It’s been a while since we played a festival in London, and the LIDO location looks amazing. We usually do Sundays or end-of-day slots - we’re kind of a sunset band. London shows are beautiful, but stressful, because all your friends and family are there; performance can be a kind of facade. But we’re from here, we live here - it always feels magical. It’s a homecoming, for sure.

What do you hope people take away from your LIDO set?
Hopefully, a mix of emotions. Our shows can feel quite emotional, but we don’t want it to feel constantly intense; we want there to be moments where you can party, moments where you can cry - something dynamic.

After everything you’ve achieved, are there still goals you’re chasing?
We’re very aspirational; we want to evolve, but we’re not chasing commercial goals. Just being able to do what we love and to still be so close is the biggest gift.

What kind of energy do you want to carry from this era into your future work?
We want to keep pushing that dynamic range: higher highs, lower lows. And there’s something so nostalgic about being back in London, we want to keep that feeling in the music too. 
But the way we’re looking at the new music, there’s potential for us to do something that’s slightly disconnected, where we push the envelope into a completely new genre that we haven’t done before. The studio feels so liberated now, whereas with our very first album, we spent some time chasing single-driven hits. Now, you can be as left-field as you want, and that’s probably better sometimes.

What’s been the most surreal moment of your career so far?
It probably sounds cliché, but playing Glastonbury. I’ve gone every year since I was sixteen, so I could never really look past that weekend. It’s always so special.

What’s the most important thing you’ve learned about working together as close friends?
Protecting the trust between the three of us. There are so many external forces in the music industry. When you’re young, you don’t realise how important that trust is, but you’re really so vulnerable when you’re creating music together.

London Grammar will headline LIDO Festival on Sunday 15th June in Victoria Park, London. Find out more and get tickets here. 

Tags: Features, Interviews, Festivals, LIDO, London Grammar