Q&A: Aidan Bissett on the Nostalgia of His Music, Dream Collaborators & Hitting the Big Stage of Lollapalooza
A RAINY SATURDAY COULDN’T TAKE DOWN — Aidan Bissett. Day three of Lollapalooza was soaking wet and cold, but the misty weather didn’t deter the crowds or artists. Slated with an army of festival newcomers, the day packed out stages early on to share the buzz and excitement of many artists’ first time in Chicago. No star shined truly as bright as Bissett, who commanded the BMI Stage with a tenured rockstar’s ease.
Bissett is bubbly and easygoing, both on stage and in conversation during preset, a harsh contrast to his rock-leaning indie music full of emotion. He rose quickly to fame with 2020’s “More Than Friends,” written when Bissett was in high school and just beginning to figure out life. Now 21 and learning the ropes of making music from some of the best in the game, Bissett’s steady stream of releases has grown his fanbase into a passionate community. Everyone local to Chicago made sure to chant him in for his Lollapalooza debut.
Luna chatted with Bissett about his growth as an artist, how he’s living out his dreams, and the religious experience of seeing The 1975. Read the interview below.
LUNA: What's your process been like getting ready for Lollapalooza?
BISSETT: Lots of rehearsing because I've never done a festival before. I’ve honestly been very in my head about taking the time to make it a good set. We’re all very meticulous when it comes to this stuff. It’s been so fun and exciting to do, though.
LUNA: That's so exciting. How does it feel getting to have your first festival be something as large as Lollapalooza?
BISSETT: It is the most insane experience. I have always wanted to play festivals — it was my dream as a kid to be on a festival stage. I'd watch festival highlights of artists like The 1975 just absolutely crushing it and [I] wanted that to be me, so now being able to be a part of it is such a dream come true.
LUNA: Did you get to catch The 1975’s set last night?
BISSETT: I had a spiritual experience. They’re the most insane performers, and their stage presence is just unreal.
LUNA: What's on your pre-show playlist?
BISSETT: [We’ve] always listened to The Hives before every show because they're super upbeat and grunge at the same time. It makes us all get amped up.
LUNA: How do you think that your songwriting has changed since “More Than Friends”?
BISSETT: I didn't really know what I was doing when I wrote that song. I was literally still in high school, just like, “Oh, this sounds cool.” The past two years have been just a lot of learning from mentors on song structure and how writing a truly good song works. It’s been really great learning.
LUNA: A common theme that I really love in your music is that it feels very nostalgic, both in your lyricism and also in the sounds that you're creating. Can you tell me a bit about what inspires your sound?
BISSETT: Yeah, I’m very into the whole nostalgia thing. I also just love bands that play things live and have the live instruments running. There's just something really cool about … being in a backyard playing a show like that and also being on stage in front of a big crowd and having the same feeling.
LUNA: Do you have any dream collaborators?
BISSETT: The 1975, obviously, but also Gracie Abrams. I would love to do something with her — I think she's just unreal. Coldplay probably would also make my top three.
LUNA: I also want to give you major congrats on the recent announcement of your headlining tour. What can fans expect from a headlining Aidan Bissett show?
BISSETT: It's a much more put-together set. We’ve been preparing a lot of fun things for the experience of the live show. We don’t want everything to sound just like the studio recordings — we've added parts and made moments feel bigger or smaller. The most important thing to me is making it an experience for the listener. I don't want to just play the recordings for them, I want them to come to a show and then think, “Wow. That live version felt different and cool.”
LUNA: Are there any specific cities that you're excited to catch on the tour?
BISSETT: I love New York. I'm also going home from my first hometown show in Tampa, which is cool. Those are definitely my top two.
LUNA: Is there anything else you want to share?
BISSETT: The tour’s coming up and we have a little project coming out in the fall, which is going to be really cool. Lots of new music on the way — I can’t wait.
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