Stephan Folkes Forged Fire from Resilience: An Interview

Stephan Folkes’ debut LP Hazard may be independently produced and self-funded, but its emotional resonance places it firmly among the most striking introductions of recent years. In this interview, Folkes reflects on the album’s conceptual depth, which navigates grief, resilience, self-preservation, and empowerment with a raw honesty that resists the polished moulds of mainstream music. The discussion ranges from the bold dual release of Is This Paradise? and It’s None of Your Business to the challenges of independence, the importance of authenticity, and his commitment to self-investment as both an artist and individual. With reflections on collaboration, family influences, live ambitions, and even the gym as a creative catalyst, this conversation captures an artist intent on shaping a path on his own terms, uncompromised and fuelled by conviction. Q1.  Hazard is such a bold debut LP—each track tells its own truth, but together they hold a mirror up to resilience, grief, identity, and inner power. When you look back at the making of the album, what emotional or creative threshold do you feel you crossed in the process? A: Hazard is my debut album — a bold, conceptually and emotionally charged body of work that explores pain, resilience, relationships, and inner […]

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