deary Interview | Bella Union Debut and the World of ‘Birding’

Last Updated on 2026-04-02 by a-indie

deary is a dream pop trio based in London. Blending shoegaze, dream pop, and trip-hop sensibilities into something disciplined, harmonious, and dignified, they release their debut album 『Birding』 on London’s prestigious independent label Bella Union.

An interview that confronts deary and their debut album head-on: the roots of a band forged through childhood solitude and pandemic isolation, and the poetry and mythology woven into 『Birding』.

Members Dottie Cockram (Vo., Gt.) and Ben Easton (Gt.) answered our questions.

Artist: Dottie Cockram (Vo., Gt.), Ben Easton (Gt.)　Interviewer: Yuuki Takita　Translation, Editing and Proofreading: BELONG Media / A-indie

Roots and Childhood

-Yuuki Takita: We are a media outlet that values artists’ roots, the background of their music, and the musical, cultural, and artistic influences that shaped them. Since this is our first interview with you, I would like to start by learning more about yourselves so that our readers can get to know you better. I understand you are currently based in London — are you originally from London as well? Also, I came across materials describing this album as “an exploration of humanity’s impact on the world, connected to the inner child.” In relation to that, could you tell us about your childhood and how you became interested in music?

Ben: I grew up outside of London and started making music when I was 12, my brother started learning the guitar and I wanted to copy him. We discovered bands like The Beatles and The Smiths together. When you live in the middle of nowhere you create these fantasies of what it’s like in the city; the music scene, the art scene and it kind of consumes you. In relation to our new album, 『Birding』, it’s interesting that these dreams are often exaggerated — a city can be a very overwhelming and lonely place at times.

Dottie: I was born in Somerset and lived there until I was 19. I always enjoyed writing poems and stories at school. When I started to learn guitar, I began turning these writings into songs. The music scene in Somerset is quite small and male dominated so I found it hard to find my place at first but I just loved writing music and playing through covers to help me feel better after a bad day.

The Band’s Formation and the Meaning Behind the Name

-Yuuki Takita: Could you tell us about how you met? I understand that deary was formed when Ben started writing songs during lockdown as a way to cope with the pandemic. Could you explain in more detail how deary came together? Also, the name “deary” literally means “a loved one,” but could you tell us more about the meaning behind the band name?

Ben: I had been playing in bands for a number of years but when the pandemic hit, it felt like a good time to try something new to help me through that period. I invested in some new equipment and eventually made some instrumental demos. This is all before Dottie and I met. I had the idea of the name ‘deary’ pretty early on during this time. It’s a strange word that’s not commonly used, but it’s quite emasculating which I thought was interesting backed by really heavy instrumentation.

Dottie: Ben reached out to me through a friend and asked if I’d like to join. I was in a strange place myself and was feeling quite lost. I really loved his demos. They felt new and old all at the same time! I’ve always loved ethereal music like grouper and grimes and folk music so this fell into place for me.

Role Models and Creative Influences

-Yuuki Takita: I read that Ben was creating music during the pandemic and posting it on social media, thinking it would be great if a female vocalist could be added to these songs. Did deary have any specific bands or music as role models when you started? Or if there was any kind of creative persona you had in mind, I would love to know.

Ben: When Dottie and I first met, we bonded over our love of Elizabeth Fraser (from the Cocteau Twins), not only because of her voice and the music, but also who she is as a performer. She was very shy, and very unassuming in interviews but then her voice was just this explosion of feeling. That really resonated with us.