Dan Ottewell has performed the most sets by someone under the age of 18 in Glastonbury’s history and this year he’s also celebrating 10 years since he first played the festival with the Greenpeace Kids Band. He joined us for an interview to discuss his music and time at Confetti.
Tell us about what you’ll be doing at Glastonbury this year.
I’ll be performing a few sets across the festival site in the Circus, Avalon and Woodsies vicinity. I’m buzzing about it!
How has your time at Confetti helped your career?
My time at Confetti has created some fantastic opportunities for me. It’s such a creative hub and an invaluable asset to the city. Giving creatives a space to work and collaborate is vitally important to keeping Nottingham the cultural and rebellious centre that it is.
What’s one piece of advice you’d give to aspiring musicians?
Just keep going. Nothing is stronger than will power. Keep doing what it is you love and telling people about it. It’s all about making friends. People can tell if you love what you do or not, so if you’re passionate, it shows.
What’s one piece of advice you’d give people thinking about studying music?
The way I look at it is that the creative industry is one of the only industries that this country really dominates in, so don’t let anyone tell you it’s a waste. If you are doing something you love, you will get good at it and if you are good at something, your skills will always be needed.
What’s one emerging trend you’re seeing in your industry?
Something I’m loving is that young people are starting to get their voice heard again. Starting with Sam Fender’s Hypersonic Missiles to artists like Chloe Slater now, popular music has a bit of an attitude and heart again. Young people aren’t pulling any punches and aren’t being told what to sing about and I love it.
What’s one thing people should know about you?
Something I’ve started doing a lot more is sewing my own artwork. So if you want an exclusive CD case with unreleased material (recorded at Abbey Road in London), come down to a show. I’m a lad who uses a sewing machine – deal with it!
