Philip Brooks – ‘I’m So In Love With All Of My Friends’ + exclusive Interview

Hello, thank you for your time, please introduce yourself in a few words!

Hi, thank you so much for having me! I’m Philip, a non-binary dream-pop artist and producer currently based in Brighton. I write music about my friends, mental health struggles I face and whatever other things occupy my mind.

Please give us an update about – new single, new album, tour dates, new videos

I wish I had tour dates to announce but I guess that’s not gonna happen for a bit. I don’t yet know what’s gonna come after „i’m so in love with all of my friends“. I’m in a studio in rural germany for the rest of the year, writing as many songs as possible. With my recent coming out as non-binary and just generally a lot of shifts in personality I feel like I can write freely and like myself for the first time in my life. So the only thing I can say is, expect things that are as authentically me as never before.

Name 5 things we all should know about you as an artist?

1. I write, perform, produce and mix all my music myself.

2. I try to always include the people who listen to my music and my friends in the project and the creative process as much as I can.
3.  The first instrument I learnt was the drums, I then did piano and guitar and eventually taught myself how to use music software when I was 11.
4. I have a promise to myself to make my music and the spaces around it as safe and inclusive as possible.

5. Snails are my favourite animal.

Do you have bad habits? A guilty pleasure you can’t seem to quit?

I always undercook pasta. I don’t know what it is, my lack of patience just never allows me to cook them for their full time. That really bothers me. Also throughout lockdown I started putting hot-sauce on absolute everything and with the speed my tolerance is building up I will probably soon lose all feeling in my mouth. Usually this would be the part of me joking about not having any feelings, but that’s also a thing I’m trying to quit, ha.

Beside music, do you have any special talents?

I think I’m really good at cooking and baking. I’ve lived with my grandma for 6 years so I picked up a lot of her skills. I also really like my photography, that was my job before going into music full-time.

Being on stage feels like….!

It really is my favourite thing. It’s the only time I don’t feel nervous, anxious or anything at all. I honestly don’t really have a lot of memories of being on stage ‚cause I just completely zone out. Sometimes I’d watch back videos and be like „Oh did we have strobe lights on stage? I didn’t notice.“. But it just feels so freeing and I love interacting with people and seeing their reaction to things I wrote on my own in my room. Also hearing those songs I made on my laptop come to live with a band feels so special.

Must Have – and No-Go in your Wardrobe! – Favorite Fashion Brand and Fragrance?

I really wish I was that fashiony kind of person but really I just smell like bread and wear one second hand solid colour t-shirt over the only pair of jeans I own for a week straight. But I do really have a thing against low-rise jeans. If you ever see me in one, know it’s a call for help. In the very rare case of going out to socialise I will put on The Woods by Brooklyn Soap Company and if I feel extra adventurous I might put on some jewelry. My dad collects old swatch-watches so I have a few cool ones.

A question you’d like to answer, but never been asked in an interview before?! + Answer pls

I’ve been thinking a lot lately about what songs I wish I wrote. I think the main one would be Dreams by Fleetwood Mac. I can not believe how many songs from the 70s on sound like they were inspired by it and how many artists reference that one as one of their biggest inspirations. Imagine having that to your name. But also A Case Of You by Joni Mitchell. It’s one of the first songs I remember to exist from when I was little and the way she builds songs and vocal lines always fascinated me. There really isn’t anyone like her and that song really showcases that the most I think.