A Quick Chat with Darcie Haven

‘Hounds’ is such an emotionally raw and haunting track. Can you tell us about the inspiration behind it and what was going through your mind when you wrote it?

Hounds is maybe my favourite song I’ve ever written. I’m always trying to push myself to be more honest, more brazen, more detailed, and I don’t think I’ve gone into more granular detail about the insides of my brain in a song before now. It’s an x-ray of what anxiety looks like for me. It’s about my relationship with my sister, my mum, my friends, and how you can be fighting a battle in your head without any of them ever knowing.

The song explores the anxieties of early adulthood in such a relatable way. Was there a particular moment or experience that sparked the lyrics?

There are so many moments taken directly from my life in this song. Getting my aura read for one, where the woman told me I put too much pressure on myself and that I need to have ‘more fun.’ It was an experience I’d always wanted to write into a song because, above all, I thought it was funny. It had never fit anywhere until I was looking at the second verse of Hounds.

‘All that glitters is not always gold / A shiny new thing is cute, until it gets old’ was exactly how I was feeling when I had that experience. So I wrote in the story of getting my aura read in the next section!

Your music blends deeply personal storytelling with sharp indie-pop production. How did you approach the sonic direction of ‘Hounds,’ and what influences shaped the track?

This was a song where we actually leaned on no reference tracks whatsoever. I knew I wanted a pulsing synth on top of my acoustic guitar, but that’s about it. My producer, Edvard Hakansson, is incredible at creating really moody soundscapes, so I handed the reins over to him to experiment with vocal chops and distorted guitar parts. It was one of the most satisfying experiences I’ve ever had in the studio, walking out at the end of the day with the song pretty much done.

You’ve been gaining a strong following online and have had incredible opportunities supporting artists like Vance Joy and DMA’s. How have those experiences influenced your songwriting and career so far?

It’s honestly just an honour to be let into the orbit of artists like that, even if it’s only for an evening or a few shows. I learn so much from watching people that have been doing this for a lot longer than I have.

In terms of songwriting, it’s made me consider how songs are experienced live. That’s such a huge part of being an artist, and a part that I often forget as I write all my music in the safety of my bedroom.

Beyond music, where do you draw creativity from? Are there particular books, films, or places that inspire your songwriting?

I love reading. Listening to audiobooks too. I draw so much inspiration from novels—the way they use language and cadence. I’m recently on the Sally Rooney train—Normal People has changed my life.

You’ve already achieved so much early in your career. What’s a dream collaboration or milestone you’d love to reach next?

I would loveeee to go on tour this year, maybe sell out some shows if I’m lucky? Meeting the people that are incessantly supportive of my music online is my favourite thing in the world.

With social media these days, it can be hard to process that any of the support is real, you know? So playing in front of people and hearing them sing my lyrics back—that will be a really special moment.