Mark William Lewis is a kind of 21st-century troubadour. The South London–based artist writes songs that evoke dusk in the city, all smudged guitar lines, sighing harmonicas, a soft voice full of yearning and lyrics that weave together the mundane and the beautiful—a sonic magical realism. With his arresting self-titled album recently released, Lewis discusses his process, avoiding prescriptiveness and becoming the first artist signed to A24’s record label.

Tara Joshi: What first drew you to music?

Mark William Lewis: I grew up around poetry and novels more than music; my dad was a writer, and we had a lot of books in the house. I started writing short stories and poems from a really young age. But we also had instruments—my brother played guitar and I played drums. I guess our parents wanted us to play music because they didn't. So it’s been this lifelong project of letting those two interests become one.

TJ: Are you prescriptive about what you want your music to mean?