W: Zoe Harrison

London’s newest solo powerhouse is blending Fontaines D.C., Olivia Rodrigo, and sheer chaotic efficiency into a high-octane barrage of slacker-garage-rock.

"I’m hoping to end up in the small overlap in a Venn diagram between Fontaines D.C. and Olivia Rodrigo."

MOTH TLK (pronounced Moth Talk) is a London-based songwriter, producer, and self-described alien sent to document the high-wire chaos of late-20s and early-30s life. Armed with slacker-skate-indie-garage-rock hooks, he’s carving out a lane that feels equal parts nostalgia and raw, unadulterated energy.

Growing up, he spent years writing and performing in bands before life took over and put music on the back burner. Now back in the driver's seat, he isn't taking a single second for granted. The mission is simple: write anthems for people who love heavy riffs just as much as undeniable pop hooks.

If you had to map out the MOTH TLK universe in a single image, imagine the grungiest, stickiest-floored dive bar you’ve ever stepped into getting headlined by a pop-punk-loving, skateboarding extraterrestrial.

"My pre-show chaotic nervous energy can be calmed by only two things—a super-sized box of sweet popcorn and a lager shandy, hold the lager," he admits. "After that, a couple of sweet kickflips and I’m ready to go. I can’t actually skate, so I very rarely land these."

"I’m a solo artist... so my superpower is ruthless efficiency. It makes arguments shorter, though probably a lot more bizarre from the outside."

Transitioning from full bands to a solitary bedroom setup brings its own wild balance. Without a committee of bandmates to navigate, decision-making happens at breakneck speed—even if the process looks slightly unhinged to an onlooker.

"Being a solo artist who’s previously only been in bands, you don’t have anyone to immediately bounce ideas off of, so you have to learn to back your own convictions," he says.

"Celebrating finishing all the rhythm guitars with a quick game of pool hits different when there’s only one player."

His debut single, ‘These Friends Of Mine’, captures the sharp ache of growing up and watching your inner circle drift into adulthood. It’s built on the ultimate form of FOMO: rallying your mates behind a massive shared dream, only to wind up as the person who flakes after everyone else commits.

"It’s inspired by a lot of my lifelong friends all settling down in the same city and the FOMO that comes with watching this from afar," he explains. "Even more generally, it’s about the FOMO that comes from not being able to be with all of your friends all of the time. And then I found an alien mask I thought looked sick, so I wanted to put that on the cover."

When asked what kind of film ‘These Friends Of Mine’ would soundtrack if it hit the big screen, MOTH TLK doesn't hesitate. He envisions the ultimate high-concept, chaos-fueled cinematic ride: "The Jackass x E.T. collab we never knew we needed, this time with Paul Thomas Anderson in the director’s chair."

To keep himself from getting boxed in, MOTH TLK relies on an online genre wheel before writing—forcing at least two random styles into every track.

"Before I write a song, I put all the genres I like up on one of those online spinners and select at least two that have to be present in the song—three if I’m feeling particularly wild that day," he reveals. "Luckily, 'smooth jazz' hasn't been landed on yet, but it's only a matter of time."

That clash of influences is where the magic lies. From early obsessions with Sum 41's All Killer No Filler to indie heavyweights like Bloc Party and Pavement, right through to Charli XCX, MOTH TLK synthesises decades of guitar culture and modern pop into something entirely his own.

With a string of new singles set to drop over the coming months, MOTH TLK is gearing up to take the project from the bedroom studio to packed venues—sold car or not.

"I’m right at the start of MOTH TLK, so to be honest, just getting to the point of releasing music is huge. You can demo songs forever, but it’s super exciting to just back yourself and take the plunge. Also, I sold my car, so getting all my gear to gigs is gonna be a nightmare."

Ultimately, the drive comes down to pure creative fulfilment—and a very strict domestic agreement.

"It’s by far my biggest passion in life, and if that doesn’t drive you, what will? Plus, I have loads more alien masks, and my partner told me I could only keep all of them if I released at least one single per mask."

Expect massive choruses, high-velocity setlists, and an overwhelming urge to text everyone in your contact list the exact second the needle drops.