Indie vertical take-off
Master Peace: Carrying the indie torch
British shooting star Master Peace had to cancel his planned appearance at the FM4 birthday party, but at least he presented his successful debut "How To Make A Master Peace" at Frequency last summer. The "Krone" spoke to the Brit in advance about 2000s indie rock, aesthetics in music and his run to success.
Mid-August, 2.25 pm, felt like 40 degrees. The Austrian live premiere of the British Master Peace took place in midsummer 2024 at the Frequency Festival. He opened the second day of the festival and sweated every last drop of sweat out of his hyperactive body. Peace Okezie, as Master Peace is known in real life, released his boldly titled debut album "How To Make A Master Peace" just under a year ago, which not only earned him an Ivor Novello Award as a "Rising Star", but also a considerable fan base, a manageable number of whom shone with lyrical confidence in front of the stage at the aforementioned Frequency just a few months later. The South Londoner's musical recipe is as simple as it is effective - mixing the indie rock of the 2000s with good humor, rap and pop and thus actually fitting in better at the old Frequency Festival, which once brought together the world's most exciting indie and alternative bands for a get-together.
Step by step
"I really love this album," the likeable artist tells us in the Krone interview, "I've been on the road with it for a while now and see how many people sing along and dance to it - that makes me very happy." The Brit with Nigerian roots fell in love with music early on through the No Doubt classic "Don't Speak". Over the years, he has become fond of snotty UK rap, but also enjoys covering songs by the Arctic Monkeys and Bloc Party with friends at home. In 2018, he released songs for the first time; the track "Night Time", which Master Peace sang with Jme, was praised by British grime rapper Skepta. The first EPs followed with "Love Bites" and "Public Display Of Affection", which fell a little behind due to the pandemic. In 2022, Master Peace released the single "Wrong Answers Only" with The Streets aka Mike Skinner - a planned joint tour also fell through due to the coronavirus aftermath.
"Working with Mike was an incredible experience," he recalls with shining eyes, "this guy is my idol, I've always looked up to him. I listened to his songs as a kid, now we've worked together - how crazy is that? He took me under his wing and opened some doors for me. I really appreciate Mike and that's not just talk." The Streets' protection was certainly helpful, but perhaps not necessary. Master Peace wrote, played and recorded the songs on his debut in an almost unbelievable two weeks. "I knew what sound I wanted and it all flowed naturally. A lot of people don't believe me, but that's how it really was. My producer didn't waste any time either and we deliberately used a lot of first takes - we didn't want perfection. That makes the songs fresher and more natural. From the gut and not reworked beyond recognition."
Revitalizing the sound of yesteryear
Master Peace knows that he is bringing a music that has seemed to have fallen asleep in recent years closer to a generation that is still quite unsophisticated in this respect. "This indie sleaze of the early 2000s had a huge impact on me. I also grew up with LCD Soundsystem or Santigold and adored these acts. If people say that I'm carrying this torch for a new generation with my songs, then I'm happy to do so. It's important to me to revitalize the sound from back then and carry it around the world." However, the almost 25-year-old is also enthusiastic about contemporary acts. His biggest favorites at the moment are Charli XCX, who wrote "Brat", probably the most important pop album of 2024, and the British band The 1975, who reinvent themselves with virtually every song. "Sharing the stage with them or going on tour would be a dream. But let's wait and see, you should never say never."
His most important awakening experience was the debut album by French electronic musicians Justice. "The music, the presentation, the cover, the iconography, the advertising they did back then - it completely threw me for a loop. My music is much brighter than theirs, but Justice encouraged me to create an overall image with Master Peace that conveys more than just the music." In October, the artist followed up with a short EP, "How To Make A(nuva) Master Peace", which already hints at the desired direction in gentle echoes. If the artist has his way, his songs will become more accessible, poppier and more suitable for the masses. "There's so much bad shit going on in the world that I'd rather use my music to put people in a good mood and highlight the beauty. Nowadays you can also make indie music that doesn't have to hide behind a pseudo-coolness. I also wrote a lot of personal stuff on my debut album - now the world feels very free to me."
The career has taken off
If Master Peace has his way, you won't have to wait too long for the second album. He doesn't just have a lot of bumblebees up his backside because he has ADHD, but because he wants to realize an incredible number of musical ideas and visions. "It's funny, because until about five years ago I didn't want to be a musician at all. It's interesting how things turn out in life when you enjoy doing them." However, he reassures any doubters among his fans that there is no need to fear a complete mainstream ingratiation. "Indie with an electro touch will always be the foundation on which my sound is based. But Charli XCX has also shown that it can be done with a lot of pop without losing credibility. I'm young, I'm motivated and I want to try myself out. Dip my feet in different cold waters and see what else the world has in store for me."
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