Eden J Howell’s latest EP people watching highlights already released singles ‘I am whatever you want me to be‘ and the absolutely stunning ‘aphrodite‘, but the whole EP is gorgeous too. Championed by BBC Introducing, and with performances at SXSW London, Sofar Sounds under their belt, as well as founding their own collective Queer Creatives London, Eden is one of the most exciting rising voices on the indie music scene.
Hello, Eden. Please tell us a little about yourself
Hi! I’m Eden J Howells, I’m a London-based alt-folk/rock artist. I’ve been releasing music since 2021, and I just put out my sophomore EP, people watching. I’m a storyteller and my music is based on brutal honesty, with a spot of gritty vocals and catchy melodies thrown in for good measure. I’m queer, trans, and late-diagnosed autistic/ADHD, and all of that feeds into the art I make. I like to write music that’s vulnerable but also hopeful in a sense, even if it’s really f*cking sad haha. I want to give people something to connect to, something so they know they’re not on their own.
When did you first start playing music, and when did you first become conscious of the direction your music was taking?
I think I wrote my first full song when I was 12, but I don’t think I realised that being an artist was something I could actually do until I was approaching 18. Not coming from a musical family, or a background that really has the resources to nurture talent from the minute you come out the womb, you know, so I kind of had to figure it out myself. I feel like the last few years for me have really been about me trying to figure out how to make music my career. I’ve always kind of known this is all I’ve ever wanted. It’s slow, and sometimes painful, but I’m getting there and I love it.
When was your first performance, and how did you feel afterwards?
The first time I ever performed in front of other people was at an open mic run by a lovely guy called Gavin Thomas in my hometown of Guildford. I was absolutely sh*ting bricks haha, and I remember Gavin trying to get me to sing closer to the mic, but I was petrified of people HEARING me. I think afterwards I knew that I’m meant to be up there, on stage, even though it terrified me. Crazy to think that, now I can’t get enough of it. I love being on stage. After all, I’m a Leo rising; I love the attention.
Who are the musicians who have inspired you along your musical journey?
My parents listened to a lot of Brit Pop when I was a kid, so bands like The Kooks and Oasis and early Arctic Monkeys were and still are a big source of inspiration for me. I’ve always been big into the indie music scene, I was actually a bit of a groupie when I was a teenager haha. I remember going to gigs after school all over the place – anywhere I could get to by train. Bands like Swim Deep, The Big Moon, Declan McKenna, Blaenavon, Marika Hackman, I wanted to be just like them. These days I’m feeling inspired by a lot of stuff from different genres – Fontaines D.C., Lola Young, Rachel Chinouriri, CMAT – they’ve shaped my sound with that rawer edge, which I love.
Your music centres the trans experience, and themes include love and loss, mental health, and neurodiversity. How does making music help you be your authentic self and celebrate queer joy?
For me, songwriting is a survival tool. It’s how I process the hard stuff – dysphoria, depression, loss – but it’s also how I remind myself of joy. Writing about queer love, chosen family, and connection feels like a rebellion against all the noise telling us we don’t deserve what everyone else has. Making music is a way of saying, “this is who I am, this is the hand I was dealt, and yeah, sometimes I feel pretty sh*t about it,” but I think that’s the most authentic thing I can do.
What was the inspiration behind your latest EP, people watching?
people watching is basically the story of my life thus far. It chronicles some really difficult periods in my life. From struggling for money, to coming out as trans and all the hell that can come with that, to anger and isolation and heartbreak, and all the way back to queer love and queer joy. There’s so much noise right now in this country about trans rights and gender critical theory and who can use what bathroom, and I’m so done with it. These songs are a reminder that trans people are human beings, that’s literally all we are. We experience love, loss, joy etc. just like the rest of you.
You created Queer Creatives London. Please tell us about that
I did indeed. I founded Queer Creatives London in April 2024 kind of by accident, after a video I made about a little group chat I had went viral. It’s been the happiest mistake I’ve ever made! I’d been feeling quite isolated in the industry, and I wanted to create a collective where people could meet collaborators, share opportunities and advice, and feel part of a community that wasn’t centred around competition and a need to “fit in”. It’s about amplifying queer voices and making sure we have spaces where we’re seen and celebrated. It’s grown into something really special! I actually just finalised the process of registering it as a Community Interest Company, so we’ve got some big things in the works.
Tell us about the other Queer spaces where you have found Queer joy and chosen family
Honestly, a lot of it has been through music. Playing shows at queer venues, with queer promoters, meeting other queer artists — that’s where I’ve found a lot of my chosen family. Some of my favourite spots right now are Love Affair Basement, The Common Press, Goldie Saloon and Doña. And of course, online too. TikTok has been a surprising place of connection for me; I’ve built this community of people who understand what I’m on about because they’ve lived it too.
What projects are you working on at the moment?
Right now, I’m still very much in people watching world. I’m letting it have its moment, always conscious that I have a habit of running into the next thing before I’ve let the dust settle. And man, I deserve a break. I’m exhausted haha. But I am writing, as always. I’m excited to spend some time alone, just me and my guitar. I know the next project I give you will be even better than the last, and I’m excited to see where I go with it. But for now, I’m just taking a moment to be proud of all the work I’ve done this past year for this EP. It’s the biggest and most beautiful thing I’ve ever put my name to. Fifteen year old Eden at that open mic would be gobsmacked, and that’s all I’ve ever wanted really, to make my younger self proud.
