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After releasing a string of singles throughout the last year, Thomas Headon has officially dropped his highly anticipated EP Victoria. The five-track project, decorated in true pop-rock instrumentation with Thomas' typical indie flair, serves as the soundtrack to one's teenage years. Between falling in and out of love in the same week to having a night out with your best mates, Victoria is a book of stories that you are bound to find a piece of yourself within.

I had the utmost pleasure of interviewing Thomas on Victoria and all of the moments between its inception and its release, including that time he gave me a free sofa.

By the time this interview is up, Victoria will be available everywhere! How do you feel right now?

I'm nervous - not for Victoria, but for what is coming after it. I’ve written a lot of songs, I just haven't really planned anything, so I don't really know - I'm nervous. Let's say that.

Between planning cross country tours, doing press, and releasing new music in-between, you've been quite busy! Do you have anything in particular you like to do during your downtime?

Honestly I was thinking about this the other day. I am quite a standard 21-year-old guy. I like going to the pub, I like playing video games. When I have downtime I try to remember to do my washing, and you know, stuff like that. Just chill and do you, you know what I'm saying?

I feel that, I do the same things.

Exactly sit, on the sofa!

Well, the next question is about the sofa!  So, I feel like we have to address this. We previously met through TikTok, during the promo for your track "Nobody Has to Know," where I won a sofa from you. When you initially posted the TikTok regarding the contest, did you actually anticipate hand-delivering a sofa to someone?

Yes, I actually did. However, I think the planets aligned for us Tatum, you and me. Obviously a lot of people were like, "Yeah I want a sofa, I'll make a TikTok". But yours got sent around our label chats, because I was telling them I wanted to give away a fucking sofa. And then the label went into panic mode and they were like: what's happening. Where are we getting the sofa, who is delivering the sofa, all of that. And your TikTok got sent around a lot because it was like "Yo this person actually needs a sofa!" So, yeah, the planets aligned and I think it worked out well! Did you?

I think it worked out very well! We've been using it every day, way more than we used the previous sofa. And we have your poster above it to remind us of its roots.

At my show, the merch guy mentioned that he gave you the poster for free and I was like, "that's fine, I gave her a sofa for free".

You're just hooking us up with everything. You can give us a dining table next.

Yeah true, great, the more household item lyrics I write I'll send them your way!

Perfect. Couches aside, what has been your favourite moment or memory leading up to the release of Victoria?

I actually genuinely probably think the couch is one of my favourites. It was just so jokes, like who gives away a sofa? I’d say going on tour and the couch. Those are my faves.

You know, fair enough. Those are both exciting things.

Especially the couch.

Oh yeah. That was super exhilarating. In comparison to The Goodbye EP, Victoria feels like a new chapter for you and your sound. Musically or non-musically, who or what were your inspirations for this project?

Yes, Tatum, banging questions my friend! I grew up listening to the kind of music that I made on this EP. Like, I grew up listening to bands like McFly and Blur and Busted and all these bands that are like bands with guitars and real drums and shit. So we got to this EP and I had a bit of a crisis where I was like, "I don't really know who I am." And then I did this EP and I was like, "Oh, cool, there I am." I think I'm taking myself a little more seriously, which is good, and I'm glad I did it on the EP. So going forward, now that I'm really happy and secure with this EP, I'm going to name a song Tatum.

Perfect. You'll have Grace, you'll have Tatum…

…and Victoria!

Speaking of, listening to Victoria I feel like I am going through the beginning stages of a relationship, with each song building up that excitement of getting to really know someone. Is there anything you're hoping people take away from listening to the project?

I've been in a lot of relationships during the past few years and writing this EP was the first time that I was like, being 20 or 21, having a really cool fucking job that I love, being able to be a bit of a kid in a way. It's weird because it's not like I've been through some crazy emotional breakup, or I've lost a family member or something. It's just like, "Yeah I went out I kissed a bunch of girls." That's kind of it. But the thing is, if I was listening to this at the age where I first did those kind of things, then fuck yeah this would probably be one of my favourite things I've ever made. So I kind of hope it's a little bit of a soundtrack to exciting moments of teenagers just being teenagers. Even if you're not a teenager. Even if you're fucking 25, fall in love, fall out of love the next week, fuck yeah.

So even though it hasn't been released until now, the song "Victoria" has been a fan favourite for a minute now. How are you feeling about finally giving the fans what they want?

Good, really good. I think a lot of people forget that there's a studio version of this song because I played it on tour for like a month. The push has been around the EP itself like, 'The EP is coming out, the EP is coming out' but you get the song "Victoria" and I'm really excited. I want it to be out so they [the fans] can sing along. I’m also excited because when that's out I can play new songs at gigs and be like "here's another new one."

You can restart the process with a different song!

Yes absolutely, I'm very excited.

What's your favourite track off the album, and what does it mean to you?

The song at the end, which I haven't really spoken about or played live either. It's called "The Most Beautiful Thing" and it's way slower. I wrote it being like, "When I meet my wife, this is what I'm going to think" and it's really nice because it's a lovely song.

Important question: will the Harry Styles cardboard cutout be accompanying you on tour?

I don't even know where he is. He might be in my living room. We get them for free which is amazing.

Oh, really? For free?

Yeah! That Harry Styles cardboard cutout is probably the most seen cutout in the world. The amount of TikToks he's been in, he's just always chilling in the background. But I'm suddenly trying to retire the cutout because, I mean, I'm still a huge Harry fan, but just like logistically cardboard cutouts are fucking annoying. They just get in the way and they get broken very easily, and secondly, there's gonna be a point where I am 25 that's gonna be a little bit strange for me to have Harry Styles in the background.

Completely makes sense. And last question: who are your Ones to Watch?

This artist called Slush Puppy who is a friend of mine. He makes such cool shit. I live with a guy called Nabes, he's dope. Ella Jane is sick, I love her so much. She keeps putting out banger after banger. And I don't know whether it's a band or a person, but I've discovered Samia. She's all that I've got on repeat at the moment.