The Dare talks Charli XCX, LCD Soundsystem and defining ‘indie sleaze’

The Dare linked up with NME backstage at Reading 2025, where the self-proclaimed ‘indie sleaze’ figure opened up about collaborating with Billie Eilish, what lies ahead for Charli XCX, his admiration for LCD Soundsystem, and his upcoming plans for new music. You can check out the full video interview above.

The singer and producer, whose real name is Harrison Smith, had just come off playing the Leeds side of the dual R&L festival the night before, describing it as a “really fun, really intense” set. He then made his way to Reading for the final headline performance on the Festival Republic stage, fully aware of the weight that comes with closing out such a spot.

“This one definitely has a bit of lore and mythology behind it,” he explained when talking about R&L. “That’s pretty exciting. I definitely heard about it growing up in the US, but not all festivals make it here.”

The Dare at Reading 2025. Credit: Derek Bremner for NME

Dressed in a crisp blazer before later switching into his signature black suit and tie, Smith might well have been one of the sharpest-looking artists at Reading. “It’s possible,” he admitted with a laugh. But how does that hold up in the heat, dust, and chaos of a festival site?

“It’s hard, honestly. Carrying a suit around takes a lot of careful folding,” he said. “Usually there’s a garment bag involved.”

Does he ever cave and put on shorts, or is that going too far?

“Never wear shorts, ever. There’s a famous quote: A don does not wear shorts.”

The Dare at Reading 2025. Credit: Derek Bremner for NME

Watch the full interview, where we discussed his new material, past collaborations, indie sleaze, and the connection between New York, London, and the world that has shaped his sound.

NME: Hello, The Dare. You’re fresh from releasing ‘Freakquencies: Vol 1’ EP a few days ago. How does it feel to have it out there in the world?

The Dare: “It feels really good. I’ve had those songs for a second. I’ve just been perfecting them and touching them up. I wanted to release a club-forward, dance music-forward, acid and big beat related thing. It feels really fun and fresh for me.

“The idea is that I’ll be able to release a lot of dance music under that series. A lot of my favourite techno or house labels will do a lot of compilation series and I just want to do something similar. Maybe in the future there will be features or other people can contribute to it. That’s strictly for dance music, and The Dare is for the more pop-leaning stuff.”

Who would you invite into your dance music world?

“I don’t know! There are a lot of people I really like. A lot of legends like Boys Noize or Gesaffelstein, I would love to have. Then a lot of new people like FCUKERS, HorsegiirL, and the people doing fun and interesting things in dance music right now.”

Do you have all these people in your contacts?

“Some of them! I know FCUKERS and HorsegiirL. I did actually just DM Boys Noize the other day. I’m trying finesse some tickets to the Nine Inch Nails tour off of him.”

Are you trying to creep into Trent Reznor’s world?

“That would be great! I think he may not be aware of The Dare as a thing, but he’s a hero of mine.”

Speaking of dancefloor fillers, your remix of Charli XCX’s ‘Guess’ continues to have a life of its own. Not every remix gets to be bigger than the original. What’s your secret?

“I don’t know. Perhaps putting Billie Eilish on there? That’s the secret sauce! I just think it’s a fun song. It’s almost a dirty nursery rhyme and an instantly parodied hook. That’s what it’s takes to make a great hit.”

How would you describe that chemistry and alchemy of the three of you together?

“A lot of it was done remotely, so it’s sort of non-existent in a way. Charli and I share a lot of similar tastes and interests. We went back and forth a bit a billion times about the song, how it was going to turn out and how it was going to be, then Billie was really into it.”

Charli was talking about the direction of her next record, post-’Brat’. She said she was thinking of going for weird Lou Reed vibes. You straddle those two worlds. What do you make of that? Would you get involved?

“I would love to. I would love to see what happens. I’m a huge Lou Reed fan, obviously. I’m trying to carry the torch of New York music and it would be an honour.”

You’ve been called the new king of ‘indie sleaze’. Does that mean anything to you?

“I don’t know. I don’t even know what indie sleaze means…”

Staying up late and liking guitar music?

“Staying up late, having fun, it’s kind of just a return to extroversion in music – making music that’s for other people to be heard in real life; not that’s meant to just end up on a playlist or in a coffee shop. It’s music that has something more of an intense, hedonistic thing. That’s just stuff I’m all about.”

Are there any great misconceptions about The Dare, or do you just not pay mind to that?

“Hmmm, I don’t know if there are any great misconceptions. If there’s anyone saying that I’m not the most talented, sexy, man on the planet – they might be confused.”

There are often mentions of LCD Soundsystem in relation to you. Are you a fan?

“I love LCD. I’ve listened to LCD since I was like 12, or something. I feel like LCD then after that the whole Parquet Courts Brooklyn post-punk scene, those two eras were super formative in establishing my idea of of what New York music was. Even Parquet Courts went a little more dance punk as well. I did a real deep-dive and discovered how many people were involved in creating that whole world beyond those artists.

“Obviously Parquet Courts is a whole different scene that happened a decade later, but they’re huge influences on me, big time.”

Do you feel like a new era is beginning?

“I think that what naturally happens is that an idea takes hold, a bunch of people are working within that style or attitude, they gain some level of success, they leave their local scene or their hometown, they start touring and playing festivals like this, then the people who are in the cities but still working on their music form something almost reactionary or in response to what has just happened. That’s just inevitably happening right now in New York.

“I’m personally very excited about London. It’s just a whole scene of music that couldn’t have happened three years ago when ‘Girls’ first came out and people started doing this thing. It’s already happening, to some degree.”

Where do you see the next album from The Dare going?

“I’m just trying to have more fun, incorporate more diverse influences, have more friends and collaborators involved. I guess to take it even less seriously than the first one.”

So does that mean a new album in 2026, or will you be hibernating?

“I guess it’ll be a surprise, but possibly yeah.”

What’s the first thing you’re going to do after this interview?

“I think I’ll have a drink.”

And after your set?

“I’ll have another, but just two.”

‘Freakquencies: Vol 1’ is out now. The Dare will now embark on a North American tour. See dates below and visit here for ticket details.

AUGUST
29 – Vancouver, BC – Boiler Room

SEPTEMBER
6 – Toronto, ON – 131 McCormack Street (Freakquencies)
7 – Montreal, QC – Piknic Electronik (DJ Set)
20th San Francisco, CA – The Midway (Freakquencies)

OCTOBER
2 – Atlanta, GA – Terminal West
3 – Nashville, TN – Exit/In
4 – Austin, TX – Empire Control Room (Freakquencies)
5 – Austin, TX – Austin City Limits Music Festival
7 – Dallas, TX – House of Blues, Cambridge Room
8 – Dallas, TX – House of Blues, Cambridge Room
9 – Houston, TX – House of Blues, Bronze Peacock
10 – Houston, TX – House of Blues, Bronze Peacock
12 – Austin, TX – Austin City Limits Music Festival
24 – Los Angeles, CA – Fonda Theatre
25 – Los Angeles, CA – Fonda Theatre

Check back at NME here for all the latest news, reviews, photos, interviews and more from Reading & Leeds 2025.