For Darcie Haven, vulnerability has always been at the heart of her songwriting. From learning guitar through Taylor Swift’s Fearless songbook to sharing deeply personal stories with an ever-growing audience, the Melbourne-based artist has built a community that connects with the honesty woven through her music. Following the release of ‘Wishbone’ — a candid reflection on knowing when to walk away while still being drawn back in — Darcie chats with Futuremag about embracing vulnerability, performing for audiences of all sizes, joining aleksiah on stage for Maisie Peters’ Before the Bloom shows, and why she never wants to make the same project twice.
Futuremag: You’ve been writing songs for years, but you’ve also spoken about how daunting it was to start sharing something so personal with strangers. Has your relationship with that vulnerability changed as you’ve grown as an artist?
Darcie: Vulnerability is scary no matter how many people are listening. For me, it’s no easier showing my Mum a song than it is a thousand strangers on the internet. I’m not quite sure why that is. I guess it’s just the act of sharing itself that’s the scary part. But it’s true that the more you practice it, the easier it gets. Or perhaps the more hardened you get to it. The fear is always still there. What helps me is knowing vulnerability always pays off. It’s kinda my entire job as an artist, to express the things no one else will. So now I lean into it.
Futuremag: Earlier this year, you joined aleksiah on stage during her support slots for Maisie Peters’ Before the Bloom shows, performing ‘cardigan’ one night and ‘pretty isn’t pretty’ the next. How did that come about, and what was that experience like for you?
Futuremag: Oh, Aleksiah is just an angel. She messaged me almost immediately after her opening slot was announced, and asked if I’d sing with her. That kind of generosity is really rare and special. We each picked a song we thought Maisie’s audience might like, and sent voice memos back and forth ideating parts and harmonies. Lex is an incredible vocalist and arranger so it was a dream to put the songs together with her. And it goes without saying that meeting Maisie and her team was the most incredible opportunity. I’m a longtime fan of her writing and have taken a lot of inspiration from her over the years.
Futuremag: You’ve spoken about learning guitar through Taylor Swift songbooks and being taught to sing by your mum. How much do you think those early influences still show up in the way you make music now?
Darcie: Learning how to sing and play guitar via a Taylor Swift Fearless songbook is an accidental master class in songwriting. I subconsciously learned how to write a honed pop song, from melody to lyric to structure. It bleeds into everything that I write. Even though I pull from a broader web of influences now, that early learning still leaks into everything I do.
Futuremag: Is there a song you’ve been listening to lately that you wish you’d written?
Darcie: ‘Hollywood’ by Madonna! The spooky, acoustic guitar line is something I feel so connected to, and the melody is so simple and effective. It toes the line between electronic and acoustic – something I want to replicate in my music.
Futuremag: ‘Wishbone’ tells the story of being caught between knowing you need to walk away from someone and still being drawn back to them. What was happening in your life when you started writing it, and did you know from the beginning that was the story you wanted to tell?
Darcie: ‘Wishbone’ was a real-time reaction to a situation I’d found myself in a few times last year. Did I go back to this person even after the song was written? Yes. Did I learn my lesson? No. But hey, that’s what the entire song is about! Can’t say I don’t live it! Sometimes I write the revelation earlier than I can physically make myself follow through on it.
Futuremag: Has the way you perform or think about a song changed as you’ve started playing to bigger audiences?
Darcie: Honestly, no. I think playing to a bar of 12 people is as strong a litmus test for a song as a theatre of 1000. I don’t let my performance change based on how many people are in the room. I want it to feel intimate, emotional and committed every time. I might structure my set slightly differently, lean on more acoustic moments for smaller shows and more pop moments for bigger shows, but I want people to leave with the same impression of me no matter how packed the venue is.
Futuremag: You’ve built this really tight-knit community around your music, which you’ve affectionately dubbed the Haveners. What do you think it is about your music or the way you connect with people that has allowed that community to grow so organically?
Darcie: I never take having an audience as a given, because I didn’t have one for a long time. I was releasing music without any listenership at all for about two or three years. I would go to bed each night dreaming of having an audience, a community that connected with my music, so when that started to happen for me I never took it for granted. I replied to every comment, every DM, created Zoom calls and pop ups and events just for us to meet and connect. I think my community can feel that gratitude and authenticity, and above all see themselves represented in the specificity and vulnerability of my music.
With ‘Wishbone’ opening up what feels like a new chapter for you, what are you hoping to explore next – both creatively and personally?
I never want to put out two projects that sound the same. I’m pushing myself to go in sonic directions I wouldn’t traditionally choose, and lyrics I wouldn’t traditionally feel comfortable sharing. I want to get better with every project I make and that’s a high bar to set!