Formula Indie Sessions _ Interview with Will Echo

Following the success of his two 2025 4 track EP’s SEA & INFINITY, British singer-songwriter Will Echo releases his new 10 track album ‘SILVER’ – the final definitive collection of poetic songs inspired by the lyrical elegance of American bard E.E. Cummings.  Silver examines themes of nature, love, and introspection, with each track bringing Cummings’ vivid language and timeless imagery to life in new and innovative ways. ‘SILVER’ continues the collaboration with James Livett, formerly of the Britpop band The Standard Lamps, whose contribution once again elevates the project and brings fresh perspectives. Together, Echo and Livett have created a collection of songs that blend poetic lyricism with the raw energy and charm of Britpop, drawing inspiration from the sounds of bands like The Who, Paul Weller, and The Bluetones — all of whom Livett has shared a stage with throughout his career. The release of SILVER builds on Will Echo’s growing reputation as a respected figure in the British music scene. Echo continues to evolve as an artist with an undeniable presence and a voice that demands attention and screams ‘authenticity’. SILVER is available from 28th November 2025 for streaming and download on all major music hosting platforms.

What is your earliest memory connected to music?

My father owned a reel to reel tape recorder that he recorded music on.  It was a stereo ‘consumer type’ tape recorder that could be used to record songs from the radio or vinyl records.  So he would create his own collection of songs that he loved, in what would now be known as a mixtape or playlist.  I would ask to play the tapes and love listening, but the thing that really caught my imagination was the weird sound that was made when the tape was played backwards!  I would have been about 6 or 7 years old then, and I think that must have ignited my passion for music, songwriting, and music technology in the studio.

How did your passion for creating music begin?

When I started secondary school at the age of 11, I suddenly had to walk about 30 minutes to the school, and 30 minutes back – this left a lot of time for the mind to wander and imagine!  It turned out that my imagination included creating songs.  I would walk to school kicking a stone along the pavements, trying to keep it off the road and out of the gutter, and songs would start coming to me.  But these wouldn’t be songs by other artists in the charts that everyone else sung, they would be my own songs with my own melodies and words.  I can’t explain how this happens.  I used to think it was something everyone did, but as I have grown up I realise it is a gift for the few.  I have since heard it said by many artists from all different crafts that they are channeling their creations without thinking – and so it is with me!

What’s the story behind your current music project?

My latest album SILVER is a collection of 10 songs recorded over the course of 2025.  The songs are inspired by the poems of one of America’s greatest wordsmith E.E.Cummings.  It is part of a larger project that I was introduced to by my friend Lij Shaw (Recording Studio Rockstars).  Lij and his band of musician friends love to turn poetry into songs, and they are also working on other E.E.Cummings poems to form a collection of albums, of which Silver is the first.  My good friend and collaborator James Livett joined me on all songs.  The instrumentation of the songs comes from his imagination too.  I basically gave James my demos and said “see what you can come up with”.  James is such a wonderful musician with a very natural gifted ear, so everything he sent me just sounded perfect.  I then mixed the songs and James mastered them.

How would you describe your sound to someone who has never heard your music before?

The Will Echo sound lies firmly in guitars – think Britpop, indie rock/pop, singer songwriter, even touching on folk, but more than that, it also weaves canvases of complex beats and electronic textures.  So it ranges from over-driven electric guitars to soft and mellow acoustic melodies; through sublime harmonies and contemporary textures and beats.  I like every song to have its own identity.  I am not one to have a formula and repeat it over and over so all songs sound the same.  As my willecho.com tagline suggests, I like to “dare to be different”!

What is one thing you’ve learned that completely changed the way you make music?

Don’t sweat the small stuff – everyone hears music differently and everyone is focusing on a certain aspect of a musical composition.  You cannot please all the people all the time; work fast and finish songs, then set them free and leave it up to listeners to find what they are looking for.  So, I’d say freedom to finish without self-judgement or doubt or worry about what the finished song will be like.

What tools, instruments, or software are essential in your creative process?

A cliched answer, but my ears are my most prized essential tools.  Once you have developed great ears, the type and brand of software etc becomes less important.  Wonderful ears linked to an imaginative brain can make music on anything.  Nothing is essential to me – if I didn’t have a guitar I’d write on a piano.  I use the DAW Reaper, but if I didn’t have it I’d use ProTools or Cubase.  I’d recommend to anyone reading this to focus on songwriting and production techniques that can be applied to any software. 

Which indie artist or song are you loving right now?

I was introduced to the music of a songwriter from Chicago called ‘Derek Clegg’ by a friend of mine.  I love his easy delivery and musical output, which mirrors mine, so I’m currently working my way through his back catalogue.

How have your personal experiences influenced your music and artistic vision?

Many of my songs deal with human experience – experiences and moments that have formed my own journey.  Being introduced to the guitar at an early age has meant that this is my main instrument, and so I am influenced by many pop guitar bands of the past.  But, I also love sounds and textures that shine of modern pop songs, so I try to incorporate those ideas too, I guess I don’t want to be stuck in the past, but neither do I want to forget the past as though it never happened, so I strive for a balance of both past and future.  I think all personal experiences influence an artist, that is what being an artist is all about, channeling your unique vision, your unique story, in a way that nobody else could ever do.  I am no different and you can work out my life story through my songs – the ups and the downs, the pleasure and the pain.

What emotions or messages do you hope listeners take from your work?

I like to convey a positive emotion in my music.  A message that the good in life overcomes the bad whenever I can.  But sometimes it is just to say, look, whatever you are going through, you are not alone, I’ve been there too.

 What’s the most important lesson music has taught you so far?

Music is everywhere.  Everyone has a favourite song or a best musical composition.  Music is the universal language – it unites people from all over the world to sing songs together, no matter what community, religion or faith.  Music has taught me that all people can be united when everything else is forgotten in the moment of the song, and we can all be inspired by the story that a song tells to become a better person.

What is a dream venue or festival you would love to perform at?

Coming from a few miles east of Glastonbury, I would love to be up there on the pyramid stage performing to the sea of fans, wouldn’t that be great.

If you could collaborate with any artist, past or present, who would it be and why?

For songwriting – Paul McCartney and John Lennon.  Just to be in the same room as the two of them as they craft a song, to hear how they put together melodies and words.  From modern times, Ed Sheeran, just to know what it feels like to be guaranteed a hit record no matter what!  And from a production side of things, I’d love to mix with Bob Clearmountain, again, just to soak up what he is hearing and doing, if anyone has God given ears it is Bob.

Where can our listeners follow and support your music? 

Looking toward the future, what’s your dream for the next chapter of your musical journey?

I am already lucky enough to be living my dream, and I am grateful for that each and every day.  The fact that I can create songs that are listened to all around the world has always been my dream.  And now, everyday someone around the world is listening to one of my songs – that is an amazing thing.  So, for my next chapter, I would just love to reach more people; carry on the dream and just do what I do in the hope that more and more people dig what I am doing every day.

What do you hope listeners will discover about you along the way?

That I am an authentic, honest, emotional songwriter that produces songs from the heart.  Every song I write comes from the place I am at that moment in time.  My catalogue of songs is a timeline of my life, where I was, what I was doing, how I was feeling.  Look into my songs and you will find my soul.

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