TN:152 Olly Alexander & Danny L Harle

Feb 21, 2025

Join Olly Alexander, the charismatic frontman of Years & Years and LGBTQ+ activist, alongside acclaimed producer Danny L Harle, known for his work with pop stars like Charli XCX. They dive into the creative journey behind Olly's album 'Polari,' exploring the spontaneous songwriting process and the emotional depth of tracks like 'Whisper in the Waves' and 'Cupid's Bow.' Olly reflects on the lyrical significance of 'Make Me A Man,' while Danny shares insights on optimizing creative flow, collaboration, and the fascinating cultural roots of Polari.

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INSIGHT

Puzzle Piece Songwriting

Olly Alexander and Danny L Harle often start songwriting by creating short melodic fragments.
These fragments act like puzzle pieces, guiding the rest of the song's development.

ANECDOTE

Goblin-ing

Danny L Harle uses a "goblin-ing" process, working on his laptop and airdropping files to the engineer.
This allows Olly Alexander to focus on singing and reacting to the evolving music.

ANECDOTE

Dream Collaboration

Danny L Harle wanted to work with Olly Alexander his entire career.
Cupid’s Bow, built upon a bassline and lyrics from their first session, became the blueprint for their collaboration.

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