Singer-songwriter Declan McKenna is a rising star in the music world who is slowly building a strong following thanks to his powerful lyrics and energetic live shows.
After gaining attention for social commentary tracks including 'Brazil' and 'Paracetemol', Declan is releasing his first full length LP 'What Do You Think About The Car?' on July 21.
The highly-anticipated release from the singer-songwriter is expected to be full to the brim of relevant social issues which his young audience have found solace in since his breakthrough.
Ahead of July Declan has been performing across the UK as part of his biggest headline tour to date and readying for a summer of festivals sets.
"It keeps it fresh for our own sanity and the audience's"
On the tour so far Declan tells us: "It's been awesome, I'm looking forward to the whole tour.
"When we're performing live versions from the record we're free to do in whatever way, there's not a restriction.
"We don't have to try too hard to be completely accurate to the recording. It keeps it interesting and constantly fresh for our own sanity and the audience's."
On playing his well-known tracks live he says: "It's very cool and different to the studio, I'm really loving it creatively at the minute."
Declan was in the midst of his tour when we spoke to him and had just performed a headline a show at London's Heaven .
The London gig took place the day after the Manchester terror attack and he tells us: "I got a few messages from people about rescheduling, but I thought, to when? When bad things stop happening?
"You have to go outside and stop worrying really, the only way to keep our communities going is to keep living and enjoying our lives.
"We can't let these people dictate how we live our lives. It's like admitting you want to give up."
He later reassured fans on his Twitter page that he wouldn't be cancelling and performed a stellar set which featured 'Make Me Your Queen', 'The Kids Don't Wanna Come Home' and a finale of 'Brazil'.
Declan McKenna performing at Heaven on May 23
Declan expresses how he wanted the show to be an escapism for the audience saying: "People were constantly hearing about it so the show at Heaven we didn't want to make a big deal obviously.
"But just make a point to be happy when it comes to going to a live show and give more hope."
The tour also stopped in Bristol, Manchester, Dublin to name a few ahead of his summer of festival sets including a welcomed return to the world's biggest festival - Glastonbury.
In 2015 Declan entered and eventually won the Glastonbury Festival's Emerging Talent Competition which included a £5,000 cash prize and a slot on the festival's William Green Stage.
Since then he has been invited back to play every year, with this year's event seeing him perform on the iconic John Peel Stage.
On playing for the third time he says: "It's crazy being 18 and about to do it for the third time. It's 'the one to play at'."
Glastonbury is sure to be a special place for the artist as it helped launch his career with more than 40 record companies fighting to sign him and he later gained a slot on BBC's coveted 'Sound of' poll.
Declan adds: "I'm really excited to have that chance and have such a good time again. It's so good, you can kind of not be an artist and go off and experience it, being surrounded by 100,000 people."
He's also heading to the likes of Reading and Leeds Festival , TRNSMT in Glasgow and a number of big European festivals and the singer-songwriter has slowly proven himself to be an act to watch live after two years on the circuit convincing the crowds.
He says it can be mixed bag performing at festivals: "It's very fast pace, you get in play and get out. It can mean you end up playing amazing shows and ones you might want to forget, but I always love going to festivals myself."
However bad weather can work in emerging artists favour sometimes as Declan tells us: "Especially hearing the rain and the tent packs out those moments are important when you are starting out - there's nothing like it."
Declan often writes complex narratives in his songs often reflecting current social affairs, a quick look at his Twitter proves how determined he is to get more young people to sign up to vote in the general election.
On his track 'Brazil' calls out the heads of FIFA, focusing on the corruption within the governing body whilst 'Paracetamol' was inspired by a transgender teenager who committed suicide.
It was written by Declan from the perspective of the media and their misunderstanding when reporting of transgender teens and minimising them to only their trauma.
"Don't just take in one story and take is as the truth"
However Declan tells us: "It's not quite like I sit down to write about that one issue, you're just surrounded by different stories and a lot are quite negative.
"I express by putting it in music, and writing a song. A song can come from anywhere and still be really beautiful."
On the upcoming general election he says: "It's an important thing, don't let anyone make your own decision for you. Don't just take in one story and take is as the truth. It's very difficult to find an unbiased story or not allowing other to affect your opinion.
"Try and form your own opinion.
"The most important thing is that young people are actually voting, the more the better and politicians are seeing this!"
Declan is performing at this year's Reading Festival on Friday August 25 and you can buy tickets here and his other summer dates can be purchased here .
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