Interview by Brooke Gibbs.

After releasing three singles throughout 2022, According to Plan has stripped two of them back to their acoustic roots, and together with two new acoustic tracks, they make up a raw, genuine, heartfelt EP that just aims to tell a story - nothing more.

According to Plan is the solo project of Gawler-based singer-songwriter Dave Rennie.

Futuremag Music caught up with Dave to discuss all things EP and more!

FMM: Huge congrats on your latest release! This EP is titled Storyteller. What stories are hidden within the songs in this release and what do you hope people take away from listening to these stories?

ATP: Thank you! Each track on my EP tells a story from a different point in my life. Mute dates back to high school, Wrecked tells the story of a long-term relationship that ended just over three years ago, Stuck wraps up the years that followed, while Storyteller is about finally realising my purpose in 2022. The aim was to be vulnerable with this EP and show people who I am. I hope my stories resonate with them as they remember their own similar experiences.

FMM: This EP features two stripped-back versions of singles you released last year. I love when artists release different versions of songs. Why did you decide to strip these two songs back to their roots?

ATP: Stuck was originally a purely acoustic song when I wrote it, so it only made sense for me to return to the roots of it. My producer, Israel Amoy, helped me flesh it out with new guitar parts so that it sounds quite different to the electric version.

Along with Mute, I felt these tracks sounded fresh in their new acoustic forms and that they really fit the vibe I was going for with the EP.

FMM: I love the acoustic version of Mute that you’ve included on the EP. I find it really brings a new meaning to the song! Do you find meaning can change with different versions and releases of songs?

ATP: I can't actually recall how it came about to attempt a slowed -own piano version of Mute, but I felt every word while recording vocals for it in the studio. I think the lyrics may have got a bit lost in the pop-punk sound of the original, so it was nice to really highlight the meaning of the song with this version.

FMM: Speaking of Mute, the original brings me back to the 2000s RnB hits that I’ve been missing! I've been hearing a lot of pop-punk sounds making a comeback recently. Why do you think this sound is making a comeback and where can you see it going in the next five years?

ATP: I think every genre makes a comeback sooner or later. I feel the industry only scratched the surface of pop-punk as a genre in the late 90's/2000's. It all sounded very similar back then - the common recipe being dumb or depressing lyrics and easy power chords. Now, we're seeing it blended with other genres to reinvent it and I'm all for it. Who knows how it will sound five years from now! That's what I love about the genre.

FMM: You worked with Israel Amoy to produce the stripped-back sounds we hear on this release. Why was Israel the perfect fit for this?

ATP: Izzy is an artist himself who likes to create music with warm, gentle tones so I knew he'd deliver when I told him my idea for a raw, acoustic EP. He can play guitar and piano quite well so it was a really easy process to workshop the songs and come up with new parts together.

FMM: I’ve read that you’ve had a passion for music from a young age, but never pursued it as a career option until now. What changed your mind and why is now the perfect time for this exciting career change?

ATP: A couple things: firstly, my sister had just finally pursued the same dream and it inspired me to do the same.

Secondly, I'm at a point in my life where I have everything I want except the music career. It felt like the right time to start taking steps towards that goal and seeing where it takes me.

FMM: You’re a self-taught guitarist and vocalist. What are some of the advantages and disadvantages of being self-taught?

ATP: I'd say one of my advantages is that I gained the ability to play songs by ear, while the obvious disadvantage is that it took me so long just to reach a mediocre level because my learning was self-motivation-driven. I still don't understand a lot of the theory either, but hey, there's still time to learn it right?

FMM: I love the stage name. Do you mind sharing how this came about, and do you feel your project is indeed going ‘According to Plan?’

ATP: It comes from the lyrics of Simple Plan's Perfect - "did I grow up according to plan?" It was probably the first song I fell in love with.

I think the meaning of the name has evolved a bit, though. Last year, in a moment of reflection, I had this feeling that almost every moment in my life had happened for a reason and I wasn't meant to make my artist debut until now, as if it was all according to plan.

FMM: It’s the new year, so now’s the perfect time to think about your goals and where you want to go in your music career. What’s next for you?

ATP: Live shows. It's definitely time to get back out there. I don't want to be known as a bedroom artist.

FMM: Any other comments you would like to add for Futuremag readers?

ATP: I'd just like to wish everyone all the best for the new year! And if you enjoy the EP, follow me on this journey @accordingtoplanmusic on Instagram.

LISTEN TO STORYTELLER BELOW