Interview: Lostchild - Rising UK Singer-Songwriter Dissects New Dark Pop Anthem 'Never Sleep'

We recently featured rising UK singer-songwriter Lostchild, who followed up his brooding electronic anthem LVST with his latest single Never Sleep. Never Sleep is a dark-pop number, bursting with thunderous bass, hypnotic delivery and synths perfect for a sad pop banger. We interviewed the star to chat about the single and his journey as an artist. Connect with Lostchild here.

What prompted you to write Never Sleep?

I actually wrote the first demo back in 2017, at a particularly dark time in my life where I was struggling with addiction, and it was about all the nights lying awake thinking about all the shame and fear I had. I found the demo again last year, now having been sober since 2018, and it suddenly resonated for a completely new reason. Now, without anything external to numb my senses, the night times are full of brutal reality, from my ADHD mind racing, to listening to my tinnitus getting worse, to having an existential crisis thinking about the state of the world. How anybody gets to sleep in 2026 is a sheer miracle.

Talk me through your creative process? Are you quite meticulously planned when it comes to working on tracks or do you like to tinker and experiment?

Generally, I go with my instincts and just keep bashing keys and chords until something sticks and then I move on quickly. When it comes to the early stages of songwriting and production I work quickly… but when it comes to the final stages, I’m never happy and will tweak for ages. Sometimes I just have to say “that’ll do”, which I hate doing.

What things keep you awake at night?

My partner Tin’s snoring mainly. Otherwise, it’s tinnitus, anxiety and too much coffee during the day. Oh and crushing despair for the human race.

What is the worst bout of insomnia you have ever faced?

Back in my addiction days I used to stay up for days at a time, I wouldn’t recommend it.

This dark electronic sound really suits you. What is it about this musical style that clicks with you?

I’ve always been drawn to dark things, all things horror and gothic, so I finally decided it was time to bring it into my music. I also love heavy beats and baselines to dance to a lot, so it was just a natural progression.

Have you ever experienced a creative block/writer’s block? How do you work through that?

In 2020 I started a career as a music producer full time, and it sort of derailed my solo music until 2024, because when I was working on all these different projects for other artists I sort of lost sight of who Lostchild was. Making my first single back “L V S T” finally felt like I’d made my way back, not as Lostchild the boy, but as Lostchild the man – just as confused and emotional as ever, but stronger and more confident.

What are your favourite and least favourite things about being an independent artist?

Favourite – total artistic control. Least favourite – tough to get your music out there.

Thinking back to your previous single LVST, a pretty sexy track, what made you want to explore that voyeuristic world in your music?

In the “Lostchild the boy” days as I’ll refer to them, i.e. pre-COVID, I never really acknowledged my sexuality in my music – I did a music video with a fair bit of nudity, with “Blacklist” in 2017, but that couldn’t have been less sexual to me, I spent the entire shoot getting blackout drunk. As for the music, I preferred to write songs where I played the victim and relentlessly hated myself, even if the music was somehow uplifting. With “L V S T”, which my partner Tin (@tinstunes) helped me write, I shared a part of me that I’d never shared before, the sexually active side, and it was so freeing and felt like I was finally being honest about the full picture of who I was. It’s opened the door to a handful more songs in this vein that I’m working on currently.

Your music often feels quite nocturnal. Do you find yourself more creative at night, and if so, why do you think that is?

Actually, I work on music more during the day, but I agree that I write music for the nighttime. I guess it’s my escape during the daytime when there’s way too much going on for my liking.

Never Sleep marks ten years since you started releasing with Dancing with Boys in 2016. How have you and your sound evolved over that time?

I’m less riddled with shame than I was then, having got clean, and faced a lot of my inner demons that I was using addiction to cover. Those inner demos will always be here, the “Lostchild” in my head I like to think of it, but 10 years on I’m more able to acknowledge and feel my emotions and then move on, rather than wallow in them and let them control my life and decisions like they used to. I would say I’m more able to channel my demons into my music, and keep them out of my everyday life now.

Is there a plan to encompass LVST and Never Sleep into an EP or album?

Maybe.

Can people expect any upcoming live shows from you?

Yes! I’m supporting Ryan Cassata on his both his UK dates, at the Night and Day café in Manchester on the 19th May and at the Camden Club in London on the 21st May. Please come along! Tickets are available at the link in my bio.

You’ve built up an impressive collection of tracks in your career. Are there any releases of yours that you feel are particularly slept on that people should check out?

“Never Sleep” my new single, is currently being more slept on than I would like, so you should all stay up all night and listen to it on repeat and let it soundtrack the insomnia that it creates. Not a bad chorus to have looping round your head at night!