Q&A with the ever-evolving Quiet Storm
We sat down with the multi-talented singer and songwriter Quiet Storm (musical moniker of A-list celebrity stylist Dean Aslett), who recently unleashed his latest single, ‘This Place’, on February 23, 2024. Based between London and Mykonos, Quiet Storm’s first four singles, ‘Lady Show Me’, ‘I Could Almost Cry’, ‘You Make Me Shudder’ and ‘Your World’ enjoyed consecutive Music Week UK Top 10 Chart positions, while ‘This Place’ has already received support from notable tastemaker EARMILK. Dean also boasts a riveting and lengthy career in the fashion industry, working for giants like Versace and styling or being a personal shopper for A-listers such as Princess Diana, Prince William, Elton John, Joan Collins, Liz Hurley and members of Duran Duran – to name but a few! He has now left the fashion business to pursue music full-time.
Listen to ‘This Place’ while you read our interview with him below.
Set the tone for us. Why the arts?
I was passionately into art as a child to teenager – drawing and painting. From eleven years of age, I was playing keyboards and piano.
Which comes first when you’re producing – the sound or the idea?
Well, I always carry a little book, just to catch words, phrases and jot them down. I like to write in the evening mainly as it’s more mysterious and has an atmosphere. I write on Garageband on my Mac now and just plug a keyboard, drum-machine and microphone and just groove into it. The simpler the process to write, the better for me. My guitarist, Matt, may then come round and we try out a few ideas with him jamming. Sometimes nothing happens but when it does, it usually happens really fast and we can have the outline of a song together (rough sketch) in 5 minutes. I then usually work on the lyrics and refine the melody afterwards. But I don’t labour over melodies for too long. If it’s not sounding natural then it is never going to work. Lyrics though can be a real pain and take forever. One song took me 15 years to complete the lyrics!!!
Does your material feature any collaborations?
My music, Quiet Storm, is like a repertoire company and I have worked with many different musicians from guitarists, backing singers, drummers, engineers and producers to evolve the sound.
What’s on your current playlist?
‘Overpass Grafitti’ by Ed Sheeran, ‘Sweet but Psycho’ by Ava Max, ‘Something Everything’ by Chris Coco, ‘Cypress’ by Tycho, ‘Echoes of Memories’ by Love, ‘Clorox Wipe’ by Cromeo, and ‘Somebody Else’ by Zonoma.
Tell us about the chemistry you have with your fans on stage.
Well my PA performances in Mykonos sometimes incorporate drag queens to help support me! But with regards to fans, with the music I perform which is dance orientated, the more I see them dancing, the more I know they’re digging it.
What techniques do you experiment with to get your original sound?
I utilise a lot of different reverb and delay effects, flanges – I love the esoteric territory of ambient music.
Take us through a day in the recording studio.
I work on a different song each day I am in the studio. I don’t begin one track and then finish it. I may have up to eight or so tracks in progression so I rotate and do a bit on one track one day and then move on to another track and do a bit the next day I am in the studio so the work progresses collectively. This also stops me from getting stale with a track if I consistently work on it all the time. Vocals I like to record in the evening as the voice is considerably better than earlier on in the day. When I am happy with the eight tracks. I will hand them to my producer who usually turns them inside out and rebuilds them.
Was there a specific moment in your life where you thought, “this is what I want to do”?
Probably around the age of fifteen when I had my first synthesiser.
What do you keep close by while you’re playing a set?
A backing track, LOL!
Any emerging artists on your radar?
Sixth Finger and Dual Sessions.
What gets your creative juices flowing?
It could be any form of inspiration from watching a movie, a sunset, listening to some music. Nothing specific.
Take us through your collection of gear, tech or software that accompanies your creative expression.
Logic pro X mainly now. We are always looking at new equipment. But I adore vintage keyboards, Roland Jupiter, Prophets, Wasps and of course The Emulator. My producer has to hide them from his Mrs (it’s like her hiding Christian Louibiton shoes and Givenchy handbags from him), LOL.
Any side projects you’re working on?
Not at the moment. Halfway through recording the new Quiet Storm album.
How have you refined your craft since you entered the industry?
I think it’s definitely become more stylised in the sense I have my own sound now. Chase Emery Davies, my new producer, has really pushed for this.
Breakdown the news for us: what can we expect from you this year?
A few more singles and then the album!
Famous last words?
“Don’t leave to tomorrow what you can do today.”
Follow Quiet Storm:
Website – Facebook – X – Soundcloud – Youtube – Instagram – Spotify
