Extroverted Introspection: The Rise of Marti Perramon

Emily Henman
Aug 29
4 min read

Marti Perramon’s documenting of youth displays something rare. Not only does his storytelling demonstrate a level of introspection unique to somebody his age, but his upbeat anthems will undoubtedly leave you dancing. Marti moved to London from Spain without knowing a word of English, teaching himself the language and the culture side by side. This shift is reflected in much of his work - he has a gift for observing things that most people don’t, and uses this skill to create tracks that are both deeply personal and relatable. Now, having converted conventional bedroom pop to energetic live shows, including a tour with Alessia Cara, Marti’s ready for even more. We caught up with him on the second night of his ‘world tour’ (all the way from Manchester to London), ahead of his show at The Victoria in Dalston.

Having released two EPs, it's clear that you've already made a name for yourself. Has music always been something that you wanted to do?

My main dream has always been to just be on stage. This started off with being in the school play at five years old in a town in Spain with a population of only 400 people. I also attended dance classes, and eventually I started singing when I moved to London. Although being on stage was always my dream, this was especially the case when I came here - it was my way of proving that even though I couldn’t speak the language, I could rehearse the lines, and still be cool. Music ended up being the performance I loved the most even though it may have taken longer to find.

You moved from Spain to South London at a young age - how has your music been influenced by that?

I think the main influence was on my personality, and because my music is very personal to me, the lyrics intertwine closely with how I feel. Moving to London meant that I had to adapt, and I’ve always felt like I had to prove myself to those around me… that’s why I’m a bit of a showman, and eccentric. I like attention. Moving also allowed me to discover bands like the Red Hot Chilli Peppers and Oasis, the sort of music my mum hated! We only ever had ‘proper’ music in the house.

How does the relatively toned down production side of things compare to your notoriously high energy live shows?

It was initially quite hard, as I came into music wanting to perform. I’ve always been extroverted. What I had to learn was interiority in my writing. I worked very hard to make my lyrics capture exactly how I felt. On the flip side, I did have to learn that it's alright to be eccentric in my music– so is being light, fun and high energy. I think I'm at a place now where I'm embracing the fact that I'm not just a boy that writes songs in his room–I can be more.

Your new single Sugar (Honey, Ice, Tea) is a vibrant dance track that encourages the listeners to leave inhibitions behind and make the wrong decisions. It shows a far more reckless side than much of your previous work. What inspired that shift?  

It mostly comes from embracing myself and the fact that whilst I can be introspective, I can also be a bit of a character sometimes. I like being a bit on the nose. The track represents me feeling comfortable in the same way that I am with my friends and the people I love. That's why I love this track. My producer and housemate Eddie and I were jumping up and down, going absolutely crazy when we made it. That was one of the first times that had happened, so it was really fun.

In May, you celebrated the one year anniversary of your band, which was set up to enable live performances. How was the experience of bringing these like-minded people together?

They are my best friends in the world. They’re all complete jazz nerds, so the hardest thing about putting us being in a band together was teaching them to love pop music! Show by show, they started embracing it more, and now they all really enjoy it. Dan and I went to school together and I met Nato at a gig where he played the cajón. Nato also knew Corin, my other bandmate. I think the most important thing for me was for the band’s friendship to extend beyond the rehearsals. Music should really be about connection, friendship and togetherness, at least that's the message that I want to explore with my music. I’m really lucky to have such amazing bandmates, and that they finally like pop music!

Your second EP A Brief Note That Ended Up Being About You was released in February this year and is thematically in line with a lot of your tracks, documenting the highs and lows of growing up with sharp insight and brutal honesty. Do you ever get self-conscious putting so much of yourself out there?

I don't think so at all, actually. I'm always respectful in my work, especially if I put peoples’ names in a song. Honestly, I'm a bit of an oversharer with my friends, and so I'm okay with people knowing my deep truths, especially if that makes them feel more comfortable within themselves. Music is a way for me to express myself and so I feel comfortable and content in exposing those vulnerabilities.

What can fans expect from your upcoming tour opening for Arthur Hill?

I'm really excited. I love Arthur - I first saw him on TikTok, then when I heard his music I realised “Whoa, this guy can sing, and he's got really good songs”. Unfortunately, I’m playing solo this time, but it’ll be a super fun show nonetheless. I'm going back to Europe for the second time in a year andhere will be some new songs. I’ll be playing the acoustic guitar completely naked… metaphorically, of course.

Following the tour, what's next for you?

A lot of music and a lot more touring. Ultimately, I want to be finding out a little more about who I am. 

You can listen to Marti on Spotify and Apple Music, visit his website and follow him on Instagram.