TRUCK PREVIEW |ANTONY SZMIEREK | INTERVIEW

Antony Szmierek is an artist that we have been big fans of for a while at Northern Exposure. Since he began releasing music in 2021, he has caught the attention of music moguls that most musicians could only dream of at such an early stage of their career. His tracks are now a regular feature on BBC Radio 6 music, he has appeared on BBC Radio 1 as a future artist, and earlier this year he played support slots for indie royalty Friendly Fires.

After building a loyal local following in Manchester, Antony has spent the summer playing festivals including Sheffield’s Get Together Festival, Brighton’s The Great Escape, two slots at the ever fabled Glastonbury and even a set at Down The Rabbit Hole in The Netherlands, seeming to draw larger and larger crowds wherever he goes with his band’s infectious on stage energy.

We caught up with Antony ahead of his appearance at this year’s Truck Festival.

Last time we sat down for a chat, you had just released Sriracha, a song that could now be considered your break through single. How have things changed for you since that release?

I was still just messing about with everything at that point, which is quite nice looking back. Feel like I’ve lived several lifetimes since donning that sauce bottle costume and it’s all gone a bit pro. It got me noticed in Manchester which is really important to me, and then it was subsequent releases that broke through everywhere else. It’s a silly song but I do like silly. It still gets a run out live if we have time.

Sriracha features on your EP Poems to Dance to which you released earlier this hear, tell us a bit about the EP?

It’s sort of a mission statement and a collection of different genres and styles mashed together. There’s spoken word and hip-hop inspired stuff but there’s also some UKG and indie on there. I think most importantly it’s still words first.

This week you released a new track, The Words to Auld Lang Syne, an interesting name for a track released in the summer, what’s the inspiration behind the track?

I find New Year’s Eve quite difficult – the pressure to party, the reflecting, and the looming resolutions. But if you think about it, every night can be New Year’s Eve – even if it is the middle of July. It’s a song about not conforming to arbitrary dates and instead thinking about what really matters – your friends, your loved ones, and the moments of beauty you create alongside them.

Your music has had support from BBC 6 Music and some legendary DJ’s like Steve Lamacq and Craig Charles. How important do you think radio play is for emerging artists?

I am a self-confessed radio head, and to me there’s nothing else like it. It’s communal and unpredictable and curated and just a beautiful important thing. I’ve sat in with Steve and Craig now, and it really is dream come true stuff. Roundtable was a bucket list thing, and I just feel so honoured to be taken under their wing. Lammo has come to a few of our shows now, and he’s just been so supportive.

You’ve had a jam-packed festival season. What has been your favourite moment so far?

Glastonbury just blew our minds, I’ve never experienced anything like it and still get a bit teary if I think about it for too long. We also just got back from the Netherlands and to see people in a different country singing these (quite wordy) songs I wrote not too long ago on my bed is insane. I feel really lucky.

You’re playing this year’s Truck Festival, is this your first time at the festival? What can we expect from your set?

It’s my first Truck! I hear good things. The mission this summer has been to show everyone that the project is a band – it’s live guitars and indie-frontman behaviour and most importantly, the show is fun. I think it’s taken some people by surprise. It’s definitely a different experience from the recorded versions of the songs.

Are there any other artists that you’re looking forward to watching at Truck?

The stage we’re playing is pretty stacked – I’m heavy into Deadletter and would like to catch them. Also Prima Queen are excellent and I’m a big Swim Deep fan so fingers crossed we get to catch them too.

What are the three things you can’t live without at a festival?

1. At least one big late night two-step in a dark corner of the festival
2. Shade
3. A small bag full of secrets

I’ve learned against my will that I can live without much sleep and a proper tent.