Every year is the same. as the start of another twelve-month cycle comes around, the new band tips begin. Who will shift the most units? Who is the ‘priority act’? Who has the biggest budget? But this year, this year might be a bit different. A group of young bands and artists have been gaining momentum over the past couple of years. Here is when they’re set to come of age. Prepare for something special. Prepare for... the New Wave of 2017. Over the next few days you'll be able to find out more about some of our top picks for the year ahead, or find out more in the latest issue of Dork, right here.
This has been a tumultuous year for many reasons but for
Declan McKenna, it’s seen him undergo a stratospheric rise from promising indie prodigy to a genuine bona fide star in the making. As he looks forward to even greater things in 2017, the 17-year-old songwriter is in a confident and ebullient mood.
“There were so many cool things all in one year,” he excitedly proclaims about a year that has taken him gigging across the country, over to America and from US talk shows to our own Jools Holland. Declan has been making his presence felt and winning hearts worldwide. His appearance on Jools Holland in September though is one moment that stands out. “It’s still hard to believe for me because it’s something I’ve always wanted to do from when I was young,” he says. Striking in his debut UK TV performance was a newly assured stage presence and simmering bravado, backed by his newly formed band who played like demons. This was Declan making a statement. “I was just thinking that I can’t really go on Jools Holland and do nothing,” he laughs, noting his expanded performance skills.
Perhaps the main change for Declan that will shape him for the future is the evolution of his songwriting process as more opportunities come his way and his way of working develops. It’s a change that he acknowledges and relishes: “I think I’ve learned a lot about the way I write songs. I know how to do that better than I did a year ago. I think that’s a good thing. I’ve been pushed this year to write in less comfortable conditions than I normally would choose to. That’s made me better at what I do. There’s been a lot of change and it’s made me more confident.”
