AFTER growing up in Tenby, 21-year-old rapper Will Mills moved to the big city of London to study advertising, where he met his DJ, Hijac. The Herald spoke with the two musicians while they were visiting Pembrokeshire this week.

They’ve just been booked to play Secret Solstice in Iceland this Summer, where they will be joining names such as Action Bronson, Die Antwood, Radiohead and Lady Leshur.

Will has always loved telling stories, creating and performing and music has always been the easiest outlet for that.

However, he feels that rapping as a profession is so far away from who he is: “Sequential, seaside, town bound, country – I guess I like to break those kind of boundaries. I like to shock.”

Initially, when Will started creating music, he did not rap. He told us: “I made noises with my mouth that Niall, my twin brother, could spit to.

“The first ever line I heard of his was ‘Born, born 1995, it was a hard time kiddin’, beach side house by Tenby we were livin’. We didn’t produce anything for another few years. It was all videos at the start; mobile phone, three megapixel type stuff.”

Jac (Hijac) realised that he wanted to pursue music when he started to hate the idea of committing himself to a job he didn’t like.

“The dream was to pursue a career in a hobby,” he told us, “I became so obsessed with it – it became ridiculous. I’d be on the toilet, listening to new music on Soundcloud just to get my fix.”

Not long after, Jac created his first song ‘Feather-riots’.

“I’d paid a guy off Gumtree £20 an hour to teach me over Skype. I’d like to thank him for this, but I can’t remember his name. We never stayed in touch.”

When Will first started rapping he found that he sounds was very London based, after he’d been to see Wiley in Cardiff.

“Bringing a genre like that to Pembrokeshire is really difficult,” Will said, before stating that he hadn’t achieved the sound he’d been looking for until now.

“Only now can I listen to a track of ours and think, ‘I’d listen to this myself’. Since moving to London I’ve really had the chance to escape those beach-esque, laidback tones and create something I’m proud of – something that pops.”

Jac’s tastes are constantly changing, and his music follows that pattern as a result. Originally, the DJ only made Moombahton, a kind of slowed down version of Reggaeton, but he has since experimented with House, Trap, and testing BPMs.

“I enjoy merging different aspects of genres together,” he commented.

We asked the boys how they would describe their music, to which they replied: “You can definitely dance to it; it’s high energy stuff. I don’t think South Wales has been witness to it before. It’s very different and it’s been harder than it should have been to find a club that accepts it.”

During their live show, Will and Jac always try to project a mix of emotions.

“The goal is to make the audience laugh, dance and cry all in one night. There’s a beginning, middle and end to every show.”

“How does playing in west Wales differ from playing in London?” we asked.

“People tend stare a lot more in Wales, maybe they’re more awake. You can be in London and the audience will lose themselves. Sometimes playing in Wales can feel like you’re holding an assembly, but I like it. It’s attentive. I know they’re listening.”

Will then went on to discuss west Wales’ music scene, stating: “It’s definitely unique right now, but I wish it was easier to infiltrate.”

“It’s so much harder than it should be to get a voice. Maybe if some of the more popular clubs took locals in to play I’d like it. Don’t get me wrong, If you have a guitar, and you can attract a crowd by doing a few covers then you’ll be fine.

“The venues are all so afraid. That’s why I like West Coast Arts in Penally. They’re a celebration of music. Their success as a club takes a back seat. We need this.”

Both of the musicians would like to advise those thinking of creating their own music not to refine themselves.

“I’m as capable as the next guy. I just have to mould myself that way. Try everything. Just have a go,” they said.

We went on to ask: “What has been the most memorable response to your music?”

Will replied: “Probably Annie’s, my girlfriend. We played a local pub over Christmas. She knew every single word. Those gaps where I’d forget, she’d fill. That was amazing.”

“The face of disgust when I showed my friend the first song I created,” Jac said, “I didn’t tell him it was mine. That’s true judgement.”

Will told us that we should definitely be listening to local musician Rye Milligan.

“He’s been there since the start. He uses a loop to fuse so much together. His guts and his presence on stage is undeniable. I caught up with him in London a few months back. We’re the same age, so I guess we’ve had the same experience. We’ve seen improvements in each other and always been honest.”