Q&A: Haiden Henderson Breaks Down the Stories Behind His New EP ‘Tension’
INTERVIEW
INTERVIEW
HAIDEN HENDERSON IS A MAN OF MANY WORDS - Known for blending pop, alternative, and rock themes with vivid visuals, Haiden Henderson has cultivated a safe and welcoming space for fans both on social media and at live shows. Like many artists during the pandemic era, he began his music industry journey on social media. Although Henderson had a clear vision for his creative work, he did not fully recognize the impact of his music on people until he began performing live shows.
His sound has been described as a one-man band with an indie alt-rock style similar to the Arctic Monkeys and the Jonas Brothers. What makes his songs special is that each one is based on his personal experiences. He aims for listeners to feel deeply connected, whether they are listening, dancing, or even crying, similar to how he feels during the writing and recording process.
In this new era, he explores a relationship he had that ended without closure. All eight tracks on the EP represent a part of his journey leading to the relationship’s conclusion. Beyond the music, he also demonstrates a strong passion for music video aesthetics - often drawing inspiration from visual elements he encounters in films or nature.
We sat down with Haiden to talk about his excitement for the tour, behind-the-scenes stories from the “Tension” music video, and the inspiration behind the songs.
LUNA: Congratulations on the new EP and tour. How are you feeling?
HENDERSON: It has been a chaotic week. It is particularly a chaotic week because we are starting rehearsal in a few days for the tour. Each of those rehearsal days will be 10 hours straight of rehearsal every day leading up to the tour. Which means that this is not only release week but also the last week for me to be a human before the chaos ensues.
LUNA: Many of your songs center around the idea of going on a journey. In the Loverboy era, it felt like you completed the journey, whereas in this Tension era, the journey seems unresolved, without closure. What inspired this shift?
HENDERSON: Interesting. In a way, the story of Tension does finish. It might not finish in a way that I would have wanted. Starting the project with “One Track Mind” as the opening song felt fitting because it is me introducing myself to someone. “Probably got no shot, you're so hot / That I gotta shoot it.” It’s the idea of me talking to somebody who is so wildly out of my league. Then ending the project with “Tension.” This thing is over, and you hurt me in the process, and I hurt you in the process. Now we are living in this tension. We are living in this state of limbo. It feels like a full circle to me, but it is different from the Loverboy era.
LUNA: Did you intentionally incorporate the five senses—sight, sound, touch, smell, and taste- into your songwriting, especially in your track “Lips”?
HENDERSON: I only base my lyrics on things that have very specifically happened to me. I have a limited imagination, and so I can only talk about things that I have personally experienced. They are always based on the five senses, especially in heightened emotions when you are thinking about somebody you are infatuated with. You hear more. Words mean more. You start realizing how your neighborhood smells. Everything is just a little bit more vibrant when you are in a relationship. Those things make it into songs naturally.
LUNA: All your songs are under three minutes. Can you discuss the conciseness of the EP and how that influences the final product?
HENDERSON: I am a pop girlie at heart. My songs tend to follow the structure that makes sense in my head. I kind of just end songs when I feel like I have said everything that I need to say. Sometimes I include more in the case of “Lovesucker.” We finished writing the second chorus, and I was like, “There is still more that I want to say.” I felt like I was not getting across this intensity about my obsession the way I wanted to.
Not only was there a bridge, but many of my pop songs don’t have one at all. In this case, the bridge repeats over and over, with the pitch of my voice and the intensity rising, creating more tension. I feel like I was meant to do that because there was more I wanted to express. So, the conciseness of the songs depends on how much I have to say and whether I have said everything I need to say.
LUNA: Is there a reason why the song titles on this EP are short, simple words?
HENDERSON: That is interesting. A lot of my fans think that I am really wordy. This EP, we practiced a bit of simplicity. I don’t think I thought about it that much, to be honest. I am a wordy and heavy person in real life.
What I can say is that I challenged myself to come into this project and to feel more than I had in the past. On my second project, I felt a lot. I was writing that from an emotional place. But on my first project and on Loverboy as well, I was trying to be petty again. I was thinking about songs as I was writing them.
I wrote songs on this project while actively crying. This experience embodies the emotion I previously described. For instance, “AA” is a devastatingly sad song, even though it eventually feels somewhat upbeat. Similarly, “Good TV” is also a devastatingly sad song, but for some reason, the simpler the words were, the deeper they cut.
LUNA: Can you discuss the fashion choices and stylistic elements presented in the “Tension” music video?
HENDERSON: Our amazing performer and dancer connected deeply with the song because it resonated with something she was experiencing in her personal life. Originally, we planned to style her and do her makeup, but she surprised us by saying, “I know exactly what this song is asking for.” She hand-made her entire wardrobe for the video, which was incredible. She was sewing some pieces while on set. During the shoot, her shoe even fell apart from dancing so hard, and she quickly zip-tied it back together.
For my wardrobe, I wore a leather suit that I had worn while I was out with the person that this project is about. My ex-best friend turned complicated. I intentionally wore that suit as a nod to her. As well as the shirt I was wearing, which was an archival Dior shirt with an eye on the center of it that matched the eeriness of the song. It felt like I had a third eye, and it was watching.
LUNA: Is there a reason behind the music video’s color theory?
HENDERSON: I have always experienced a connection between music and color. Certain shades naturally come to mind when I listen to or create music. It is not something I consciously focus on all the time, but for this project, I knew I wanted to establish a strong visual identity through color. I landed on a deep navy, almost a midnight blue, paired with an unconventional green similar to the tone used in the “Lips” artwork. The navy ties back to the “Lovesucker” artwork, while the “Tension” artwork, featuring me lying on top of a building, also falls within that color spectrum.
These choices were inspired by some of my favorite films. Taxi Driver has such an unforgettable color palette, and The Truman Show is filled with rich blues and deep navies. I tend to draw from these cinematic influences and blend them with the tone of whatever project I’m working on.
LUNA: Going back to discussing your life, is there a specific in-person fan encounter that has had the greatest impact on you?
HENDERSON: It was not until I started playing live that I realized what making music was for. Before that, everything was on the internet for me. I did not start writing songs until we were deep in the pandemic, when live music did not exist. It was not until I started performing at shows that I realized music was tangible. It is not something you can hold or see. It is a feeling, and it is hard to describe. The same is true for the connection you make through music.
I create music, and then people get it tattooed on them or play it at their wedding. But, at first, it did not register with me emotionally because I was only learning about these things through a screen. That changed when I met a fan who told me they were going to take their life, but then “Killed the Kid” came on, and they now have the lyrics tattooed on them as a reminder. Or when I see a line of fans in the front row at my shows crying snot and completely forgetting about the rest of their life, those are the moments that stick with me.
When I am writing songs, those are the things I think about. I am trying to create music that allows people to connect with themselves.
LUNA: You are known for using big, quirky words. Is there anything fun or offbeat you’d like to share with your fans as the tour approaches?
HENDERSON: The only thing on my mind is this tour. I would say see you on tour and get ready to shake some a**. It is going to be fun.
