ZAND has spoken to NME about their Reading Festival debut, queer community of fans, touring with Peaches and recent collab with Jeremy Corbyn.
Watch our full video interview above.The rising alternative star caught up with NME backstage, shortly after performing at the festival for the first time – something they have dreamed of doing since they first came as a 16-year-old.“This has been on my bucket-list for a long, long, long, long, long time – so it is crazy to actually be playing the thing,” said the London-based artist, real name Zander Sweeney.With an audience they describe as “very slay”, ZAND said the turn-out was very representative of their fans who tend to be “probably non-binary, or just queer as fuck if not!”“They probably have dyed hair, or just some part of their head shaved,” ZAND explained. “They have fantastic style, every time.
I hate this term but probably some sort of misfit people who feel that they find some sort of community in my music. A lot of the queers and the sex workers love my shit, and I love them.”Thank you @ihatezand and @DelilahBon_ for your amazing performances at last night’s #MusicForTheMany show at Sheffield @Leadmill.We must fight for the future of grassroots music venues.
Find out more about the campaign to save this iconic venue: https://t.co/Pmb0tqC09g pic.twitter.com/kYPq1yoCgY— Jeremy Corbyn (@jeremycorbyn) August 20, 2023Before heading to Reading & Leeds, ZAND’s previous gig was in Sheffield with former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn – in a bid to “to save The Leadmill, and bring awareness to music venues and landlords fucking them over”.Describing their time with Corbyn, ZAND said: “He’s a G.