DYLAN talks customizing Strats and rocking out to Guns N' Roses in latest Fender Player Plus Session
The UK songwriter drops in for a three-song performance and a chat about six-strings, songwriting and her rock roots
Following hot the heels of Wet Leg and The Linda Lindas, UK artist DYLAN (no, not him, her) is the focus of the latest Fender Player Plus session – performing three songs and talking all things guitar, in the process.
DYLAN hails from Suffolk, England and has a backstory in direct contrast to the usual tale. As she explains in the clip, she was raised on a diet of Guns N’ Roses, Rainbow and AC/DC and then to “to rebel against that” took on a serious Taylor Swift habit in her teens.
As such, DYLAN is making a good pitch for explosive rock-pop crossover success. She’s previously opened for Ed Sheeran and YungBlud and is just as at home covering GN’R as she is Katy Perry, though it’s her original writing that is capturing attention.
It’s appropriate, then, that her Player Plus session includes rambunctious performances of three of her own tunes: Someone Else, You’re Not Harry Styles and Girl Of Your Dreams.
In the video, Dylan also (coincidentally) also discusses her love of the Player Plus range, in particular her HSS Fender Stratocaster.
“The thing I like the Player Plus is actually the humbucker,” comments the artist. “Comparing it to my single-coil Strat, it's just a way thicker sound and brings that element of all of those influences I had growing up, which makes me feel a little bit more like a rock star.”
The burgeoning pop star also discusses her decision to customize her Strat, creating her own flame artwork.
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“I painted the scratch plate on the Strat that I’m playing,” explains DYLAN. “I didn't really want to touch the color of the body just because it's sparkly and shiny but also equally wanted to do something a little bit simpler than what I normally do.
“My mum was an artist and I’ve always been very much into my experimenting with paints, drawing, all of that stuff. But I love customizing my guitars. It means that I can take them apart, I can paint them, I can paint whatever I want on them… it means that all of my guitars are one of a kind.”
Check out the full session above and keep up with all thing’s DYLAN here.
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Matt is Features Editor for GuitarWorld.com. Before that he spent 10 years as a freelance music journalist, interviewing artists for the likes of Total Guitar, Guitarist, Guitar World, MusicRadar, NME.com, DJ Mag and Electronic Sound. In 2020, he launched CreativeMoney.co.uk, which aims to share the ideas that make creative lifestyles more sustainable. He plays guitar, but should not be allowed near your delay pedals.
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