“I’m not really looking to impress anybody other than myself. I make the music that I want to listen to and I think being authentic is the greatest thing you can do as an artist and as a human being.”
These words from UK-based lofi hip-hop artist Confidential (real name George Wakerley) are as honest as his music. He isn’t your typical lofi artist. Instead of hiding behind anime artwork or grainy photos, the classically-trained guitarist lays himself out for the world to see. His introspective stories about his battles with depression and willingness to give his real identity have led to Planet Singer naming him “the live-action face of LoFi Hip-Hop”.
After releasing 3 albums in under a year with AEC Music (Lawson, Jake Quickenden, Adam Lyons), Confidential is releasing his biggest project yet in 2022, via Sound Noir Records: a 35-track album of instrumental and spoken word beats, showcasing the highs and lows of his journey towards finding an identity, along with his willingness to push the boundaries of the lofi hip-hop genre.
Where are you based?
Brighton, UK
How long have you been making music?
Since I was 12 years old
What genre would you consider your music to be?
Lofi hip-hop. Some might call it chillhop
What inspired you to pursue a career in music?
Getting paid to do something I love? Yes, please! Ummmm… honestly, I never really thought about it that way. I just really enjoyed playing guitar, so I studied music at college and university in order to get as much playing time as possible. Since then, I’ve been playing in bands and have been a solo artist since July 2020. I never even intended to be a solo artist, it just kind of ended up that way because of the pandemic, lockdowns and my mental health. I’ve been really lucky, to say the least
What are your biggest musical influences?
I try to take some kind of influence from everything I hear or experience, whether it be a piece of music, an emotion or a scene. But the biggest ones would be The Roots, Jurassic 5, Pete Rock, J Dilla and DJ Screw
Are you signed to a label or are you an independent artist?
I’m in independent artist at the moment. I hope to work with some chillhop labels this year, but in the past I’ve worked with a hip-hop label in New Level Music and a pop label in AEC Music
What have been the biggest challenges in your music career?
I’ve been battling depression for the past 3 years. Some days I feel fine, then all of a sudden I’m overcome and weighed down with a low mood. It’s been a big source of frustration for me and delayed my new album by at least a few months.
How many songs or albums have you released to date?
I’ve released 4 albums and a non-album single. My latest album just came out on February 11.
Can you tell us a few things about your latest release?
It’s a 35-track album of lofi hip-hop beats, with 4 of them featuring Amanda Bourne, who’s a spoken word artist based in the UK. It was a real pleasure to work with her. The album itself represents the experience of somebody with depression. It’s based on my own story, and I set it up to be a bit jarring at times, where you have soaring highs then sudden lows. Your mood really is like a rollercoaster when you’re depressed, and I wanted to get that feeling across to the listener.
Any plans for new music or upcoming projects we should know about?
I’ve got a collaboration with Lu’Ami coming out later this year, which I’m really excited about. I’m currently mixing the track, and we’ll put it out together with some remixes as the b-sides.
