Feature - Billy Lloyd

We’ve been stuffed into a tiny cupboard sized room at Leeds College of Music (Billy’s home for the past three years), with a trombone blasting big band in the room to our left, and a jazz saxophonist playing scales I wouldn’t even dare to pronounce to our right. Yet the personality that is Billy Lloyd has no problem drowning out the distractions. Dressed in a flamboyant floral shirt with the intimidating face of a tiger hiding amongst the shrubbery, studded black Dr.Martens and perfectly styled hair, it’s clear to see he’s not only a talented musician, but a fashionista too.

Having been an accomplished pianist for fourteen years Billy tells me of how he has moved onto bigger and better things. Originally known by the name Billy Simmons, he confesses, “Lloyd is actually my mothers maiden name, people can never seem to spell Simmons right, plus it just sounds better.” He giggles and seems giddy, I can imagine a tremendous amount of fun to be around. After chatting to this excitable character for a few minutes, I wish now I’d suggested a bar, it seems that would have been more of an appropriate setting. Laughing and chatting over wine, rather than trying to ignore the disruptive students charging up and down the corridors.

Billy produces all of his own musical ventures, he delves into the production process telling me how it has changed the way he works entirely. “The way I started was by writing songs on the piano and then taking them to Logic and producing them that way. But it’s kind of evolved to a point where I write while I’m producing them, sometimes I even make a whole beat first and then write to that.” With so many textures and unusual elements to his work it’s no wonder he wants full creative control. He explains, “it means I don’t have to rely on anyone else to understand the sound that I want.” The atmosphere shifts in this tiny space, suddenly getting serious and it’s clear to see I’m about to get a first hand account of how these in-depth tracks have come to be. Shifting in his chair, looking more formal than before, it’s obvious that he takes his musical career incredibly seriously. Rightly so. Billy explains the problems that are intertwined with producing his own work, “it can be frustrating at times when you know in your head the kind of synth you want, but you can’t find it or you can’t make it, and it’s a very laborious process. But I love it.”

“I have a strong goal with my music, to challenge old ideals and make positive change in the world.” The themes hiding in between the lines of harmony led track ‘Normal’ seems to be what entice the listener in. The lyrics discuss the struggle of being gay in an unforgiving society, about not fitting in and about being true to yourself. Billy gives me an insight into his world, “As a queer person you’re still given expectations, whether they’re fed through parents, through the school system or whether it’s just through the media that you consume.” Proudly describing his parent’s liberal and open-minded attitude it’s obvious he’s had a supportive upbringing. However the veins of hatred that run through this song are bound to a wider source. “I used to dress up as a girl a lot in costumes, my parents were totally fine with it. It comes from societal expectations I guess.” Billy insists that the ‘message’ of his songs are the most important to him, “if I could wish for anyone to take anything away from my music it would be the messages that I'm trying to put out there.”

Drawing on personal experiences, there hasn’t always been support and understanding for Billy, he reveals times of torment and unhappiness, “people heckle you in the street, and that’s something that I’ve experienced a lot.” It seems absurd that such a thing would still occur in our modern society. There’s an admirable look of determination on his face as he talks about these troublesome issues. This strong-willed gifted individual isn’t going to stop until he’s made a difference.

Having moved away from the LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender) community Billy explains “LGBT artists sort of told me indirectly that I could be out and didn’t have to hide my sexuality.” However not wanting to be tied down to writing tracks to fit in with the LGBT ethos, Billy strives to be a musician that stands out from the norm. The thematic elements to these modern, current songs are what make him such an important up and coming artist. “I got very bored quickly about writing songs just about love, I wanted to write songs about more specific issues. Important issues.”

Currently working on a track about masculinity in the gay community, Billy’s writing process is fascinating. Harnessing new experimental methods that one would think to be linked to folk or some other worldly music, rather than dark mysterious electronica. He patiently teaches me about his version of ‘lucid writing.’ (Although he admits he’s not sure if that even makes any sense.) “I go into a zone and I write three or four pages around that topic and I don’t stop myself from writing anything.” It’s clearly letting his thoughts roam free that make for such complex and engaging lyrics. He describes, “very often the poeticism just comes out.”

We agree to lighten the mood and move on to our mutual love of fashion and immediately the bubbly character from earlier reappears. Drawing inspiration from couture clothing, the visuals are every bit as compelling as the music. Pastel pale flowers coil around shirt collars, cast upon an androgynies background of ghostly white makeup. We lust over being able to afford high fashion and Billy tells me that for now (on a student budget) he will be sticking to a glue gun and EBay, although I wouldn’t be surprised if one day the fashion greats battle it out to dress this creative genius.