IN CONVERSATION
WITH DEYAZ
Dr. Martens
"BEAUTIFUL THINGS ARE CREATED WHEN YOU SEEK DISCOMFORT"
Laced up in our new Carrara collection, multi-instrumental artist Deyaz sat down with DM’s to chat about the influences behind his confessional songwriting. With over a decade of self-taught musical education and ten lifetimes worth of experience – his innate and authentic connection to his music is indisputable. Showing us how he’s styling our new collection whilst backing up why he’s known as ‘London’s next greatest musical storyteller’ – we sit down to talk music, intuition and trusting the process.
"TRUST YOUR INTUITION AND THE PROCESS. EVERYTHING WILL ALIGN WHEN THE TIMING IS RIGHT"
Bored and left to his own devices during the school holidays, a 13-year-old Deyaz picked up a guitar for the first time after persuading his brother to trade it for a tenner and a cheeseburger. Teaching himself the basics with online tutorials and learning songs by ear – Deyaz says he became “obsessed with it immediately”. And it wasn’t long before he was offered a place at a prestigious music school in London.
"BREAKING BOUNDARIES MEANS BREAKING THROUGH THE STRUCTURE OF MUSIC – LET ALL ASPECTS OF LIFE AND ALL GENRES OF MUSIC INFLUENCE YOU TO CREATE SOMETHING AUTHENTIC"
Feeling restricted by the barriers of academia, Deyaz wanted to redirect his energy into building a more authentic connection with his music. Trading in his scholarship for a more autonomous education – the artist took to streets of Camden.
"JUST SURVIVING WAS THE ONLY THING ON MY MIND FOR QUITE SOME TIME”
Crashing on mates’ couches without a proper place to call home – Deyaz spent a few years busking around Camden and cutting his teeth drumming with the local punk circuit. Flying in the face of the odds stacked against him, he found inspiration in Camden’s culture of radical self-expression. A seminal part of his life - the artist says Camden “symbolises the start of my journey, it’s an integral part of my journey as a creative. It’s a place where anyone can be themselves, me included.”
Written for Dr. Martens.
"‘WHY NOT’ WAS THE FIRST PROJECT I PUT OUT – THE START OF MY JOURNEY AS AN ARTIST. IT REPRESENTS BEING ABLE TO OVERCOME THE THINGS YOU BELIEVE YOU’RE NOT CAPABLE OF."
Influenced by genres from hip-hop and grime to folk music – genre-fluid Deyaz found his voice. And it wasn’t long before he started attracting attention. With his stripped-back sound, melodic vocals and minimalistic instrumentation, his confessional songwriting is laid bare for all to hear. Promising he “wants to break as many fun boundaries both musically and in myself as I can” - it's looking like he's just getting started.