EJ: With that storytelling quality comes a certain level of vulnerability which hasn’t always been a default mode for male rappers, have you noticed that change?
LC: I think so. Even though it’s always been there to a degree, it’s taken time. Depending on your environment it can be easier to do or more difficult. Some people are taught to be open about their feelings, whereas for others it takes processing your past or trauma. Some people are actively trying to work on themselves and you’ll see them start to open up more, with your Jay-Z’s, Kendrick’s and J-Cole’s you’re seeing them slowly process the things they’ve been through and open up. I think it’s great and I’m trying to do the same, I hope people can listen back to my projects and see that I’ve grown in a certain way.

EJ: Let’s talk about your latest EP that has just dropped, when did it start to take shape?
LC: It started at the end of 2022, off the back of my last project [When Life Presents] Obstacle. I had a song called Babe which might be coming out soon, but that was the first piece. There were initially a lot of dance songs, but the subject matter evolved into me processing a break-up with someone I was seeing. I built a project around that, but at the same time it was me finding ways to vent about the situation and counselling myself to a certain extent. I’m really proud of this project, I feel like it’s a great well-rounded representation of who I am at this time. I was trying to juice out as much of the situation from myself as I could. I had to drop a tour poster with Andy [Carnegie-Brown] and we were in a rush trying to figure things out, I had to name the tour and everyone was waiting on me but I was like, “The music isn’t finished, I don’t know what to do!” Then I remember hitting Andy and I was like, “You know what, it’s called I Can’t Wait To See U Again.” It’s called that because I’m saying to the audience I can’t wait to see you guys again, I’m saying to this girl who I haven’t seen because we split and she doesn’t live near me I can’t wait to see you again and I’m saying to myself I can’t wait to see you again in a better form. That’s how the project name came about and the music was just me making something built around that situation.

Ella: You mentioned there were a lot of dance tracks on the original cut – you never stick to one genre, which I really like…
Louis: That’s my biggest problem! [both laugh] Putting a set list together for the show was so hard because it’s like, “What do you mean you want a garage song and then folk music and then UK rap,” but thank you for saying you like it. [laughs] It was so mad but we did it in the end.

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