In Conversation with MirrorMouth

Music, Biology & the Science of Attraction

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Press Photo Credit: Justin Hession

1. ‘My Genes Are Shouting’ takes a subject usually reserved for science books and turns it into a pop song. When did this idea first begin to form?

The idea probably began much earlier than I realised.

As a teenager at my local tennis club, I started noticing certain patterns. Many successful men were in relationships with attractive women who were often a bit younger than they were. It also wasn't unusual to see those men willing to finance a very comfortable lifestyle for their partners.

As the years went by, I kept noticing similar patterns among friends, colleagues and people around me. Time and again, I saw men willing to finance a very comfortable lifestyle for their partners.

Later, during my career in private banking, I encountered remarkably similar patterns again among entrepreneurs and self-made multimillionaires from many different countries, cultures and backgrounds. The same pattern kept appearing: successful men willing to finance a very comfortable lifestyle for their partners.

What really caught my attention was that I kept seeing the same pattern—but so rarely the opposite. I rarely came across successful women who were willing to finance the same kind of lifestyle for younger men.

The more I observed, the more questions I had.

Why did the same pattern keep appearing across different countries, cultures and backgrounds?

Why were so many successful men willing to finance such a comfortable lifestyle for their partners?

Why did I so rarely see successful women willing to finance such a comfortable lifestyle for their partners?

Have these patterns existed throughout history?

For centuries?

For thousands of years?

If so, why?

Is it only culture, or could biology also play a role?

Those questions stayed with me for many years until they eventually became My Genes Are Shouting.

For me, “My Genes Are Shouting” isn't the end of the conversation—it's only the beginning. I'll continue exploring these questions in future songs.

2. The song explores whether attraction might be influenced by millions of years of evolution. Why do you think that idea fascinates people so much?

I think it fascinates people because it touches one of the most important parts of being human.

Many people hope to find love. Many hope for a happy, lasting relationship and, for many, the opportunity to build a family.

That naturally leads to questions many of us have asked ourselves at some point.

Why are we attracted to certain people?

Why do we fall in love with one person but not another?Why doesn’t the person we love always love us back?

Why do some relationships last while others fall apart?

For me, those aren't just romantic questions—they're questions about human nature.

I don't believe biology explains everything. Culture, personality, life experiences and individual choices all matter too.

But I do believe that millions of years of evolution have helped shape who we are. If that's true, then understanding our biology may help us better understand not only attraction and relationships—but ultimately ourselves.

That's what fascinates me. And that's what “My Genes Are Shouting” is really about.

3. Your tagline, “Behind every swipe, there is also biology,” feels especially relevant in the age of dating apps. Do you think technology has changed attraction, or simply changed the way we experience instincts we’ve always had?

I think technology has changed the way we meet—but not human nature itself.

Our brains were shaped over hundreds of thousands of years of evolution, during which our ancestors lived in relatively small groups and had far fewer potential partners to choose from.

Today, with a simple swipe, we're exposed to hundreds—or even thousands—of potential profiles. Of course, "potential" doesn't mean they're all realistic options. But the sheer number of possibilities is something our ancestors never experienced.

Our brains evolved for a world with far fewer choices. It's possible that having so many options today can sometimes make decisions more difficult.

That's a remarkable technological change. Yet our biology hasn't evolved nearly as fast.

We still experience attraction, rejection, jealousy, excitement and heartbreak much as our ancestors did.

The technology is new.

Human nature is much older.

That's exactly what I mean when I say, "Behind every swipe, there is also biology."

4. One of the most talked-about lyrics is, “Peak fertility, around 23.” Why was it important to include that line, and what do you hope people understand about its context?

I actually thought long and hard about whether to include that line.

I knew some people might find it controversial.

But I also believe that we should be able to talk openly about biological facts, even when they're uncomfortable or don't always fit comfortably into today's public conversation.

The line was inspired by a well-established fact about female fertility. That doesn't determine a person's worth or define who they are. Human beings are far more complex than that.

But biology is part of the picture. It can have important real-world implications, and I don't think we should avoid discussing it simply because it's sensitive.

That's why I decided to include the line. Not to provoke people—but because I believe we should be able to have honest conversations about biological facts, especially when they're uncomfortable.

5. You’ve been careful to distinguish between describing biology and prescribing behaviour. Why is that distinction so important?

I think that's one of the most important distinctions to make.

Describing how biology influences us is not the same as telling people how they should live.

There is no one-size-fits-all answer when it comes to relationships.

Different people value different things.

Our priorities change throughout life.

Culture matters.

Personality matters.

Timing matters.

And individual preferences matter.

Someone might find one person more physically attractive, yet fall in love with someone else.

My own relationship has shown me that lasting love is about much more than physical attraction. Shared values, trust, friendship, humour and building a life together matter enormously.

Biology is part of the picture—but it's not the whole picture.

My goal isn't to tell people who they should love.

My goal is simply to explore one of the many factors that help shape human attraction and behaviour.

6. Is the song asking whether we have less control over attraction than we’d like to believe?

I think the song asks whether we sometimes overestimate how much control we have.

Many of us like to think we're mostly rational and that we make independent choices.

But attraction often doesn't feel like a conscious decision.

Very few people choose who they find attractive.

Very few people choose who they fall in love with.

I believe attraction is shaped by many factors—biology, personality, culture, life experiences and individual circumstances.

The interesting question isn't whether biology explains everything—because it doesn't.

The interesting question is how those factors interact—and how much influence each of them has.

Perhaps there's another question worth asking.

How often do people fall in love with someone they aren't physically attracted to?

That's exactly the conversation I hope the song encourages.

7. We often think of ourselves as rational decision-makers. Do you think love is one of the last places where instinct quietly wins?

I think love is one of the most fascinating examples of how reason and instinct interact.

Many of us like to think of ourselves as rational decision-makers.

And in many areas of life, we are.

We compare prices. We plan our careers.

We weigh risks and rewards.

But love often works differently.

You can meet someone who seems perfect on paper—and feel nothing.

Or you can meet someone who makes no logical sense at all—and fall deeply in love.

I think that tells us something important.

Reason matters. But instinct matters too.

The real question isn't whether one is more important than the other.

It's how they work together—and which one we choose to listen to.

And perhaps the first step is recognising that, sometimes, our genes are shouting.

8. Before becoming a songwriter, you spent years working with ultra-high-net-worth individuals around the world. Has observing human behaviour in that environment influenced how you approach writing songs?

Absolutely.

People often assume private banking is mainly about money. In reality, it's also about people.

Over the years, I met entrepreneurs, business owners and wealthy families from many different countries, cultures and backgrounds. Of course they were all unique, but I also noticed that certain patterns kept appearing.

Some of those patterns involved investing.

Others involved relationships, family, decision-making and human behaviour more broadly.

That made me increasingly curious about one simple question: Why?

Why do people make the choices they make?

Why do similar patterns appear across different cultures?

Why do some behaviours seem almost universal?

That curiosity eventually led me beyond behavioural finance into evolutionary biology, psychology and, ultimately, songwriting.

I was also fortunate enough to reach a point in my life where I could pursue a passion that isn't particularly lucrative—especially when that passion includes writing songs about ideas that don't always fit comfortably into mainstream thinking.

In many ways, MirrorMouth is the continuation of that journey.

Instead of analysing financial markets, I'm exploring the patterns of human nature through songs.

9. Many of your songs seem to begin with a question rather than a conclusion. Is songwriting your way of exploring ideas you don’t necessarily have definitive answers to?

I don't think it's because I don't have an opinion.

In fact, most of my songs reflect conclusions I've reached after years of observation, reading and reflection.

I'm prepared to express those opinions—even when I know they won't be popular.

But my goal isn't for people to simply agree with me. It's for them to think for themselves. To come to their own conclusions.

Sometimes the best way to encourage that is by asking a question.

Sometimes it's by making a statement that challenges people to reflect.

Whether I begin with a question like "Independent or a Parasite?" or a statement like "Talk is cheap. 50/50 is the proof," the goal is the same.

Different ideas require different approaches.

10. Do you ever worry that people are too quick to mistake asking questions for taking a position?

Not really.

I'm perfectly comfortable with people knowing where I stand. I'm not trying to hide my opinions.

In fact, many of my songs express them quite clearly.

What matters to me is that people think about the ideas—and about why they hold the opinions they do.

Do they believe something because they've genuinely thought it through? Or because they've simply adopted the views of the people around them—their family, friends, the media, or social media?

Or because it's easier to fit in than to ask difficult questions?

I'd much rather have an honest discussion than pretend not to have a position.

People are free to agree with me, disagree with me, or challenge me.

That's where the search for understanding begins.

11. There’s a playful humour running through this song despite the serious ideas beneath it. How important was it to keep the tone light?

Humour is a big part of who I am.

I don't take myself too seriously, and I think life is much easier when we can laugh—even while discussing serious ideas.

Many of the humorous moments in my songs aren't planned at all. They often appear quite naturally during the writing process.

I also think humour opens people's hearts and minds to new ideas. People smile first—and perhaps become a little more open to a different perspective.

But it's never something I try to force into a song.

If a line comes to me and it makes me smile, I sing it.

12. Do you think pop music has become too cautious about discussing science, psychology or evolutionary ideas?

At the end of the day, popular music is also a business.

Record labels invest a lot of money, and naturally they hope to reach as many people as possible.

That often encourages many artists to write about subjects that are familiar, emotionally accessible and unlikely to divide audiences.

There's nothing wrong with that.

I also think many artists write about what they know and what they're experiencing at that stage of their lives.

Many successful pop artists are quite young, so it's perfectly natural that they write about love, relationships, heartbreak or growing up.

Those are universal experiences.

I've simply become interested in different questions over the years.

I've become fascinated by economics, by the incentives that shape human behaviour, by psychology, and ultimately by evolutionary biology.

As an independent artist, I have the freedom to explore those subjects without having to worry too much about whether they fit current trends or commercial expectations.

For me, that's one of the greatest advantages of being an independent artist.

13. What role do you think curiosity plays in songwriting today?For me, curiosity is everything.

It's one of the main reasons I started writing songs in the first place.

When I left banking about six years ago, I made a kind of bucket list.

I wanted to write a song.

I wanted to publish at least one reel on social media.

I wanted to understand how social media works.

I wanted to improve my fitness.

I wanted to improve my kitesurfing.

The list went on.

And I wanted to spend two hours every day studying subjects that interested me—without having to worry about the return on that investment.

I simply wanted to explore things I'd never had the time to explore before.

That curiosity gradually turned into a passion. The more I learned, the more curious I became.

Songwriting has been an incredible learning experience—and a lot of fun. It's something I've wanted to do since I was a child, and I'm grateful I finally had the opportunity to do it.

And curiosity shapes both how I write — and what I write about.

14. If Charles Darwin, Richard Dawkins and a modern dating-app user all listened to ‘My Genes Are Shouting’, what conversation would you hope it started?

I hope it would be a conversation about how biology, culture and personal choice interact.

Charles Darwin might remind us that evolution has shaped us over millions of years.

Richard Dawkins might ask how genes influence our behaviour.

And the dating-app user could explain what it's actually like to look for love in the 21st century.

I don't think any one of them would have the complete answer. But I think each of them would have an important part of it.

That's really what "My Genes Are Shouting" is about. Not replacing one explanation with another—but making sure biology has a place in the conversation.

The more perspectives we consider, the better we can understand ourselves—and each other.

15. More broadly, do you see MirrorMouth as a music project, or as a platform for exploring ideas about human nature?

I see MirrorMouth as both a music project and a platform for exploring ideas about human nature.

First and foremost, it's about writing Songs with a Message.

But it's also my way of sharing observations and expressing my views—sometimes by asking questions, and sometimes by making statements.

During my years in private banking, I had the privilege of meeting remarkable people from many different countries, cultures and backgrounds. Many of my songs are inspired by the observations I've gathered over the course of my life from meeting people from different cultures, professions and backgrounds.

In a way, MirrorMouth allows me to share some of those observations with a much wider audience.

I don't expect everyone to agree with me. In fact, I'd be surprised if they did.

My hope is simply that the songs encourage people to think, to question, and to come to their own conclusions.

And finally, as long as I'm enjoying the journey, continuing to grow as a person, and finding new ways to express my creativity, I already consider this project a success.

Closing statement:

Your songs rarely tell people what to think—they ask them what they think. In a world increasingly divided by certainty, do you believe there is still value in simply asking better questions?

Absolutely.

I think one of the greatest advantages of being an independent artist is freedom. The freedom to ask uncomfortable questions. The freedom to challenge assumptions.

The freedom to say things that may not fit comfortably into mainstream thinking.

Not for the sake of controversy.

But because I believe curiosity is where learning begins.

Progress rarely begins with everyone agreeing.

It usually begins when someone is willing to ask a difficult question—or offer a perspective that others may have overlooked.

Sometimes I do that by asking a question.

Sometimes I do it by making a statement.

Either way, my goal is the same: Not to tell people what to think, but to encourage them to think for themselves.

If my songs can do that, even just a little, then they've served their purpose.