A Chat with Soapman (29.04.25)
Soapman, the innovative alt-rock band from West Sussex, UK, is back with their third single ‘Y. L. T. Y’. This track is a dynamic addition to the lead-up to their highly anticipated album Baby Giants and further solidifies Soapman’s position as one of the most exciting and unpredictable acts in alternative pop-rock. We speak with the band about all things music below.
OSR: ‘Y. L. T. Y’ is packed with energy and unexpected twists. How did the idea for this track come together?
Soapman: ‘Y. L. T. Y’ pretty much fell out of my head all in one piece. I can’t remember the exact process very clearly; it’s a few years old now, that one. I find that the faster ones are always easier to finish quickly.
OSR: Can you walk us through your songwriting process? Is it chaotic like the music, or more structured?
Soapman: This one, I sat down with an acoustic, and it was slapped together in one sitting. Bish bash bosh.
OSR: The lyrics feel very stream-of-consciousness – do you write them that way from the start, or do they evolve over time?
Soapman: Whatever comes out and gets written down stays. I rarely go back and change anything. That can be cool …or not so good if the lyrics are pants.
OSR: What does Y. L. T. Y stand for, and how does that connect to the message of the song?
Soapman: Y. L. T. Y stands for “you lied to yourself”, which is pretty much a one-line chorus. How does it connect to the song? However you want it to, it will have different meanings for different listeners, I guess. I like to keep some sort of mystique.
OSR: You’ve cited influences like British Sea Power and Graham Coxon. Who else has helped shape the Soapman sound?
Soapman: I like those two artists, but I think they are more a reference to the sonics and sound of the production, more than anything else. I would say my influences are all over the show, from bands like Tindersticks, Spacemen 3, Guided by Voices, Big Star and also things like old hymns and nursery rhymes I remember from my childhood.
OSR: How would you describe your upcoming debut album, Baby Giants, in three words?
Soapman: Spacey, honest, audacious.
OSR: Is there a particular lyric or moment on the new single that you’re especially proud of?
Soapman: I do like the way the guitars crash in with the violin lift and the twists and turns the track goes through in its little three minutes of existence.
OSR: Your sound is hard to pin down. How intentional is your genre-blurring approach?
Soapman: Oh, it’s not intentional at all. I record and produce in my little shed studio at home (except for drum overdubs), so this album has taken a while to put together. For better or worse, I guess it just sounds like me. Playing live is going to be interesting now I have a drummer and bass player on board, it has grown some balls – watch this space.
OSR: What’s the biggest thing you’ve learned about yourselves as artists while making Baby Giants?
Soapman: I’m an impatient, bloody-minded perfectionist!
Many thanks to Soapman for speaking with us. Find out more about Soapman on their Instagram and Spotify.
