Liam Fender Embraces Despair With Don’t Follow Me Down

by | Feb 24, 2023

Newcastle-hailing musician Liam Fender has unveiled the second taste from his forthcoming debut body of work, with compelling new single Don’t Follow Me Down. A decisive blend of uplifting arrangements, frosted synths and engaging melancholy, Fender’s sound is a full-bodied experience that shifts with his mood.

Liam Fender

Liam Fender

Following the release of his critically acclaimed debut single Love Will Conquer at the end of the last year, Don’t Follow Me Down is subtle, yet powerful and takes the listener on a journey as he dreams of escape. Of the new tune Fender says “If Love Will Conquer was a call to arms to come together in turbulent times and embrace optimism, then be assured that Don’t Follow Me Down is no such continuation. Don’t let it’s cheery “millennial whoop” con you otherwise. This is a song about total despair.” And he’s right, it’s hard not to “oooh oooh” along to its rising chorus, while feeling equally heartbroken.

Liam Fender

Liam Fender
Liam Fender

Lending a poignant air to the weight of Fender’s lyrical wordplay, the music video for Don’t Follow Me Down was shot in his hometown of North Shields on Tynemouth beach. The 37-year-old adds “The video portrays the struggle lot of us go through on a daily basis. The idea that we all at times put on a front. Wearing a mask to disguise the torment within. The despair of feeling stuck in a rut, playing out the same meaningless tasks day in day out. Acting brash to distract from vulnerability. Misreading people in a state of paranoia and a perceived sense of persecution whilst often failing to see that others are wearing the same mask. However, through friendship and the ability to open up, you discover that you’ve allowed your intuition to be sabotaged and the dark reality you’ve created is actually very far from the truth.”

Check out the Sam Gannie-directed video for Don’t Follow Me Down below:

A lifelong musician finally stepping out, Fender is a musical underdog and living proof that music truly can be a calling he says “I haven’t chosen to do this, it’s just in my DNA.” If you’ve joined the dots between Liam’s surname and his place of birth you may think he’s onto something with his point about DNA. Either way his earthy, honest and optimistic songs showcase an artist more than capable of standing on his own two feet, with his latest singles just a small taste of what’s to come.

Mining from a rich seam of artists like Richard Hawley, Nick Cave, Tom Waits, Leonard Cohen and John Martyn alongside the heritage of Newcastle history that’s scattered behind him; Liam Fender’s music is genuine, intuitive, articulate and interesting, much like the man behind the music and a clear demonstration of why he was such a profound influence to that younger brother that might be headlining Reading & Leeds Festivals later this summer. Fender describes his music as post-industrial romance. “My music’s deeply rooted in where I’m from: it comes from a real place,” he adds. “There’s a distinct sense of a bygone era, but in all that you find real people, real voices and real stories.”

Liam Fender

Liam Fender
Liam Fender

Liam Fender is set release more music throughout 2023 and will be stepping out on tour and performing at UK festivals this summer, so keep your eyes peeled for more news!

Reading & Leeds Go Large For 2023

Jeff Lynne Cancels Final ELO Show At BST Hyde Park 2025 Following Illness

In a heartbreaking development for fans, Jeff Lynne’s Electric Light Orchestra (ELO) have cancelled what was set to be their final ever UK performance at BST Hyde Park on Sunday 13 July 2025. The decision follows Lynne’s continued ill health and comes just days after the group’s second show at Manchester’s Co-op Live on 10th July was pulled moments before showtime, after the venue had already filled with fans. Lynne, 77, has been battling a systemic infection and is now under close medical supervision.

Olivia Dean @ BST Hyde Park 2025 (Kalpesh Patel)

Olivia Dean Warms A Damp Hyde Park With Soulful Resilience At BST Hyde Park 2025

Though clouds still loomed and the ground remained squelchy underfoot, Olivia Dean brought a welcome calm and undeniable warmth to BST Hyde Park’s Great Oak Stage on Sunday afternoon. Following a weather-disrupted opening set by Amber Mark — whose performance was cut short by a torrential downpour — Dean arrived as the skies cleared, bringing poise, polish, and powerful vocals to a crowd that refused to let a bit of British summer rain dampen their spirits.

Clairo @ BST Hyde Park 2025 (Kalpesh Patel)

Clairo Brings Soft Focus And Dreamy Intimacy To The Great Oak Stage At BST Hyde Park 2025

In the golden lull between a dramatic afternoon downpour and Sabrina Carpenter’s headline pop spectacle, Clairo turned London’s Great Oak Stage into a sanctuary of softness and reflection. Her early evening performance at BST Hyde Park on Sunday 6th July offered a tender contrast to the festival’s typically high-energy crescendo, inviting the crowd into a quieter, more introspective space.

Jessie Murph (Press)

Jessie Murph Announces Bold New Album ‘Sex Hysteria’, Shares Vulnerable New Single ‘Bad As The Rest’

Boundary-breaking rising star Jessie Murph has unveiled her latest single Bad As The Rest, offering a raw and emotionally charged glimpse into her upcoming sophomore album Sex Hysteria, due out on 18th July via Columbia Records.

The Jacques (Nick Sayers)

The Jacques Announce Riotous New Single ‘All The Other Sinners’ Ahead of Second Album ‘Make Repetition!’

London/Bristol alt-rock trio The Jacques are ramping up momentum ahead of their second album Make Repetition! with the release of their blistering new single All The Other Sinners — a searing, melody-drenched slice of chaos and catharsis out now.

Cam @ The Tabernacle (Henry Finnegan / @finneganfoto)

Cam Captivates London With A Night Of Raw Vocals And Real Stories At The Tabernacle

In a sweltering Tabernacle, a somehow both vast and intimate venue, a sweat-soaked audience filled every seat for...
J.Fla (Press)

J.Fla Redefines Herself With Empowering New Single ‘Stellar Paradox’

South Korean singer-songwriter and YouTube sensation J.Fla has taken a giant leap into the cosmos with her newest release, Stellar Paradox, marking the start of a bold new chapter in her musical journey. Known to millions for her viral YouTube covers, J.Fla now turns the spotlight firmly onto her own voice with a genre-blending, emotionally charged original that paves the way for her highly anticipated upcoming EP, due in late summer 2025.

Chloe Qisha @ BST Hyde Park 2025 (Kalpesh Patel)

Chloe Qisha Closes The Rainbow Stage In Style At BST Hyde Park 2025

After a tempestuous afternoon that saw Hyde Park lashed by torrential rain and set times thrown into flux, it was Chloe Qisha who restored the calm — and then brought the fire — as she closed the Rainbow Stage on Sunday evening with a confident, emotionally astute set that proved worth the wait.

Pin It on Pinterest

Share This

Share Thing