Originally a living-room lockdown project, Cardiffian indie/dreampop quartet Half Happy emerged in late 2022 and found a receptive audience for their lush, expansive sound. The band were one of three upcoming acts awarded a Triskell Award at 2023’s Welsh Music Prize, and have just dropped their latest single Slow Down. Founding pair Rosalie and Zac spoke to Emma Way.
How did the members of Half Happy meet?
Zac Noneley, drums: Me and Jon [Wilson, bass] met in high school in 2009 and we were in a load of other bands. Then the rest of us met in university, but we didn’t start writing music together until after. Me and Pete [Smith, guitar] were on the same course during the first year, we were also in a band called Frown Upon, which was hardcore punk.
What was the swap like going from hardcore punk to Half Happy?
Rosalie Miller, vocals: The band kind of dissolved, the guys broke up, and then we just stumbled upon it during lockdown. I’d written songs before, but only privately; I’d never thought of releasing them. I just found out that I could sing when Zac was writing.
Was it the first time you had ever sang in front of anyone?
Rosalie: There was a school play in year five… I did sing in that, but I’m not going to class that. We had a headline show [booked] at Clwb Ifor Bach and we were like, “that can’t be the first time that I sing in front of people properly!” So I did an open mic about a month before it, which was a secret. We didn’t want anyone that we knew to be there.
You’ve released a steady stream of singles over the past few years. Did you record them all together?
Rosalie: We recorded the first three songs as just me and Zac. [Late 2023 singles] Boozy and Say This Twice was when it felt more like a real band.
Zac: And we’ve just been to the studio again in January, and done seven more tracks.
What’s the plan for those?
Zac: We’re releasing an EP in September; I think we’re doing three singles up to that. Slow Down has just come out, and then we’re going to do two more.
All your singles to date have been recorded with Tom Rees of Buzzard Buzzard Buzzard, right?
Rosalie: He challenges you in a good way. If he questions something we like, if we know we want it, we’ll fight back – “no, we want this bit!” It’s good to have someone that doesn’t just say yes to you. He’ll push you a little bit; you need someone that’s not as close to it.
![Half Happy, Cardiff dreampop band](https://assets.buzzmag.co.uk/uploads/2024/06/Half-Happy-Portrait-min-819x1024.jpg)
Can you talk a bit about your new single Slow Down?
Rosalie: It felt like everyone was stressed around me, and like everyone was going through a shit time, for one reason or another. It just felt relentless. I was listening to Mac Miller – I often listen to him when I feel overwhelmed. It was quite an easy song to write.
Zac: We thought it could’ve been a fully acoustic track.
Rosalie: Sometimes we write something acoustically, and then it doesn’t translate. It was one of the first times that I knew that I wanted to write, not just about myself or for myself, but for other people in mind as well. It was a little bit more relatable, whereas most of the time, I’m quite selfish or I’m specific, and it’s about something which has just happened to me. I think this is more for other people than myself this time.
What’s your favourite thing about playing shows as a group?
Rosalie: Because we’re best friends, I think it’s the easiest – even if it’s hard, if a show feels hard, or if you’re not feeling it or whatever, I know that I can just turn and there’s Pete, I can turn and there’s Jon. It feels very secure in that sense.
Half Happy’s new single Slow Down is out now, with an EP due for release in September and a headline tour planned for December.
Info: here
words EMMA WAY