Emerging from the shadows with a voice that cuts straight to the soul, Gareth Haze is not your typical debut artist. The South African-born, London-based singer-songwriter arrives with ‘Stranger in a Strange Land’, a powerful first EP that blends the emotive grit of 90s alternative rock with the raw vulnerability of folk confessionals. At the centre of it all is ‘Stars’, a brooding yet beautiful anthem that drifts somewhere between Radiohead’s atmospheric ache and Jimmy Eat World’s punchy introspection.
But it’s not just the sound that sets Gareth apart, it’s the honesty. Each song feels lived-in, emotionally scorched, and defiantly human. Themes of mortality, self-worth, and quiet rebellion course through the record like electricity, marking him as a writer unafraid to face the darker corners of life and still search for light.
So we sat down with him to find out more about his origins and what has inspired him most over the years.
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What was the first instrument you fell in love with?
The drums. I was probably about 3 years old when I saw my uncle’s band perform for the first time and I instantly had a connection to the drum kit. I started off using colouring pencils as drumsticks and playing on pots and biscuit tins. I begged my parents for a drumkit for years and eventually, when I was 11, I was in a music store with my brother and grandfather, and I just sat down behind one of the kits there and started playing. My grandad convinced my parents to get me a kit for Christmas that year, which was pretty life changing for me.
What kind of music did you love when you were younger?
I always loved rock music from an early age. My dad had a great vinyl collection, which included Queen, The Beatles, and a bunch of other amazing albums mostly from the 60’s and 70’s. As a teenager in the early 2000’s, I was big into pop-punk and emo. Bands like My Chemical Romance, AFI, and Taking Back Sunday were all part of my album collection at that time and I still tend to gravitate back to those genres in my regular listening today.
What was the first album you remember owning?
My brother and I definitely had a lot of bootleg cassette tapes. I recall us playing Queen’s Greatest Hits 1 & 2 until the tape gave in. I’m pretty sure I also had a bootleg copy of “Get a Grip” by Aerosmith. I think the first album I bought (or asked my parents to buy for me) was “What’s The Story, Morning Glory” by Oasis. I remember owning that on cassette tape. I think not long after that the first CD I owned was “These Days” by Bon Jovi.
What is the one song you wished you could have written yourself?
“Who Wants to Live Forever” by Queen. It’s a masterpiece. It’s just so dynamic and emotional. It’s honestly one of those songs that gives me goosebumps when I listen to it.
Do you have any habits or rituals you go through when trying to write new music?
Generally, my songs start off on acoustic guitar, either with a riff or some chords, and I tend to find a vocal melody that goes with that. Depending on what I’m feeling, I may add some rough lyrical ideas amongst all the “la la”’s and such, but usually the lyrics come a bit later. That said, I do have a note on my phone that I use as a bit of a lyric sandbox, which is full of rough ideas that I try to work into new songs wherever they seem to work.
Once the chords, melody, and lyrics are down, I start looking at arrangements and instrumentation. Those parts are generally written in the studio and often change throughout the recording process.
Who are your favourite artists you have found yourself listening to at the moment?
I quite recently got back into Jimmy Eat World. Growing up, I was only aware of their singles from their breakthrough album “Bleed American”, but I’d never really listened to anything else of theirs. That album is just so good, and so is the rest of their catalogue.
I tend to always go back to Frank Turner. He’s just got such an honest and raw feeling to his songwriting, which I really love.
Then outside of the spectrum of rock and punk, I’ve been listening a lot to Couch, who are just the most amazing funk and soul band. I’ve actually already got a ticket to see them when they’re in London next year.
If you could open a show for anyone in the world, who would it be?
I think if they were all still alive and together, Queen. In terms of current artists, Frank Turner would be great to open for.
I’m quite grateful that in the past, I’ve had opportunities to open for some amazing artists. When I lived in South Africa, my band in which I played drums, 12th Avenue, got to do four arena shows opening for Seether in 2008, and then in 2013, as drummer for my brother, Mark Haze (who co-produced my EP with me), we opened for Bon Jovi at Cape Town Stadium, which was an incredible experience.
What do you find is the most rewarding part about being a musician?
Seeing the joy that music can bring to people and hearing about the impact that your songs have on their lives. It’s truly amazing.
And what is the most frustrating part?
All the non-musical bits. Being your own manager, booking agent, tour manager, stage tech, sound engineer, lighting engineer, driver, roadie, chef, social media manager, etc etc. There are a lot of plates to constantly spin while trying to focus on being a decent songwriter and performer.
And what is the best piece of advice you have received as a musician?
Have fun on stage. It doesn’t matter nearly as much if you play all the right notes or sing all the right words. If you’re up there enjoying yourself, the audience will pick up on that and they’ll start enjoying it too.
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Gareth Haze's new EP 'Stranger In A Strange Land' is out now. Check out the lead single 'Stars' in the player below.