Showing more creativity in his left pinky finger than most of us will ever feel in our whole lives, Skull The Pierre took time out from getting some rays and baking scrumptious banana bread to lead us into his new much-anticipated release BEBEYX3. Fresh from cooking up a treat with the wine-filled cherry tree nibbling LABUM, the massively inventive Irish-based Stockholm-born artist tells us all with one of the best interviews we’ve done all year. Get those glasses on and let’s roll.
Llewelyn: Skull The Pierre, how in the world are you? Firstly, welcome to A&R Factory and our virtual couch. Would you like a beverage and what can we get you? Firstly, how did you get your artist name? It’s a fantastic musician’s name.
Skull The Pierre: Hello Llewelyn! I’m feeling fantastic thank you and I’m honored to be here for this virtual chat! I’m good for a beverage for now thank you, friend. Ah my artist name, it all started with me balding back in secondary school. My friend started calling me Skalle Pierre (Pierre being my real name) which is a pun on the fictional character Skalle Pär from Astrid Lindgrens ‘Ronja, the Robbers Daugher’. Skalle is Swedish for skull, but it’s also a balding reference, hence why my friend thought it was hilarious. To be honest, so did I and so I made it into my artists name. A couple of years later I decided to give a more international flare and made it Skull The Pierre!
Llewelyn: Alrighty. Where do you live on planet Earth? I’m currently in SW London and it’s supposed to be summer but it’s raining. Why do you stay where you do…what makes it special for you to reside in?
Skull The Pierre: Llewelyn my fellow earthling, I’m not too far away from you, I’ve been residing in Dublin since 2020! I moved here from Stockholm to study music at BIMM Dublin which I am still doing, and I’m absolutely loving it. Not only do I love my college and course but I’m totally in love with the beautiful people of Ireland, and the intimacy of Dublin. The Irish, are -in my experience- so well versed in the fine art of welcoming and embracing the new and different, and they greet strangers with ease and compassion. There’s also excitement and enthusiasm in the Dublin music scene that can’t really be described, only felt. The hard-working and incredibly talented youths of the city only leave space for love and understanding, and the city is small enough that if you want to be a part of it then all you have to do is come along. But hahaha yes it’s like only raining here at the minute as well!
Llewelyn: Ok, let’s chat about music. BEBEYX3, hip-hop and LGBTQ. How do all 3 mix and what was the inspiration behind the new release? LABUM is doing quite well it appears so we’re biting our lips here in anticipation. Also, there’s a music video? Even more excitement! Please…the floor is yours.
Skull The Pierre: Thank you for the great question! How does BEBEYX3, hip-hop and LGBTQ mix… hmm…effortlessly, I’d hope and say! That’s not intended as a braggadocious statement by the way, I love the fact that I’m a gay rapper but I and my life is so much more than that! Ultimately, all my creations are a part of my lifelong task of documenting my life, a life I believe to be well lived, and so I write about it, which embodies all aspects of me. That includes my love and desire for men, but not more or less than any other part of me. I am everything! Besides, things are way cooler when they’re more like easter-eggs anyway.
I can’t remember an exact song or artist that inspired me to make ‘BEBEYX3‘ to be honest, a lot of times the process of making the beat is what inspires the theme, lyrics and the feel of my songs. I can confidently say though that the weather’s hint of summer and career milestones achieved at the time inspired the song. And yes there’s a music video to go with it and it’s gorgeous, if I may say so myself! It was shot by my very talented friend Joe Kelly and together we made something I’m very proud of, it’s definitely my prettiest music video to date!
Ah thank you LABUM and the world I created around it is without a doubt my craziest project to date and my friends and fans have been incredibly kind to it and me.
Llewelyn: Sounds From The Secret Orchard Sessions. These sound like a dream! What’s the energy field here and were you illuminated by being involved?
Skull The Pierre: That was my first ever real interview and to be honest with you, I was giddy beyond belief, and it shows. It was completely a dream come true, and getting to be there with such talented acts, crews, event coordinators, managers etc was such an incredible experience. I might even have something exciting with the SFSOS family in September!
Llewelyn: Music production. Some think it’s easy and some think it’s hard. What’s it really like and what tips would you give youngsters who are keen but aren’t sure about it all?
Skull The Pierre: What a lovely question! I think it can be both but if you don’t find it to be that much fun, then it will definitely be more hard than easy. If I was in a position to give advice, then I would say start with the very basics of what it is you want your DAW to do for you. If you make beats learn how to sample, if you write indie-pop songs on guitar learn how to record guitar and vocals. All the fancy plugins and mixing tips and effects will follow as you grow, learn, and explore. Getting the basics right is all you need, and I think that’s true for most things. Also, give it time, don’t be a perfectionist and love yourself.
Llewelyn: How was the launch party at Crow Bar in Dublin? It looks like we missed out on a big party! Were you happy with the response and the overall vibe from the night?
Skull The Pierre: I think I only understood in retrospect how much it actually meant to me that so many friends and friendly faces were there, and that they were there for me, for something I created. It is still hard to grasp to be honest. It was beautiful, a night I’ll always remember and cherish, and most importantly, it was so much fun. To all the people that came, to everyone that bought merch, posters, books, to everyone that helped on the night, to the bartenders, just to everyone there, thank you, ya’ll are crazy and I love you.
Llewelyn: Lastly…and once again thank you for blessing us with your time today.. who inspires you most in the world and who do you look up to? Who is your team and what advice would you give yourself 5 years ago if you could zip back in a time machine quickly?
Skull The Pierre: Oh thank you for all the wonderful questions! You know, I wholeheartedly believe that I am the luckiest man alive, and that’s almost solely because of my outstanding friends and family that have inspired me every day of my life with their wit and humor, love and compassion, wisdom and foolishness, sensitivity and anger and everything in between. The one that inspires me most in the world though is most likely my grandma Lena. She is an author and writes mostly children’s-books, and her childlike, optimistic, and playful interpretation of the world is probably the greatest gift of all. She also gave me my armor in solitude, my love of writing. Wax (rapper), is my musical idol though, and the one that made me want to make music when I was 14.
My team consists of myself, my manager and friend Josse, my DJ and friend Alvaro, my cameraman and friend Joe, and all my other friends I have the privilege of sharing this life with. Five years ago I’d tell myself to come out of the closet already hahaha!
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Check the video out on YouTube.
Feel more of the genuine vibes wash the pain away on IG.
Interview by Llewelyn Screen