Henry Moodie on Mood Swings, growing pains, and the queer relationship that inspired ‘Cigarettes’ (EXCLUSIVE)
“My life has been very chaotic, and so much has happened,” Moodie told Attitude in the lead up to his debut album's release
By Callum Wells
In the whirlwind of a Berlin hotel room, Henry Moodie is buzzing. Fresh from a performance in Hamburg and gearing up for tomorrow night’s show in the German capital, the 21-year-old singer-songwriter is riding the highs of supporting Lauren Spencer Smith on her European tour The Art of Being a Mess. It’s mid-September, and with just weeks to go until the release of his debut album, Mood Swings, on 24 October, Moodie is equal parts exhilarated and on edge.
Just back from a run where he blasted his new album through his headphones, Moodie enthuses, “I am so excited,” a wide grin spreading across his face as he greets me over video call. “I’m really proud of the songs. I mean, I have no idea how it’s gonna do, but I’m proud of what I’ve done. That’s the most important thing.”
For Moodie, the creation of Mood Swings was a conceptual process, a deliberate departure from his first two EPs, both of which were released last year, after his music first went viral on TikTok in 2022. “It was kind of more just in phases of writing a lot of songs and combining them together,” he says of his past recording process. “Whereas with this album, I feel like I was working towards the end goal of an album instead of just, like, single, single, single.”
“My early 20s and my late teens — and I feel like it’s the same for a lot of people — it’s such a turbulent time in your life” – Henry Moodie on writing Mood Swings
The title is both a play on his surname, and a nod to the emotional rollercoaster he’s been on. “My life has been very chaotic, and so much has happened,” says Moodie. “My early 20s and my late teens — and I feel like it’s the same for a lot of people — it’s such a turbulent time in your life. So, I wanted to capture that in an album.”
This approach meant an even deeper dive into his personal life, a process he likens to therapy. He writes with unflinching sincerity about anxiety, heartbreak and people-pleasing — topics that resonate deeply with his fanbase. He admits it’s scary to put such personal feelings out there, but also embraces the process. “When I’m writing a song, I always try to be as honest as I possibly can be,” he says. “And then I think in the back of my mind, if it goes too far, I can always rewrite, like, a line or two… but I never do,” he hastens to add.
For Moodie, songwriting is a means of self-discovery, allowing him to “dig deeper” into himself. There are moments, however, when even he feels the weight of his candour. “It is scary putting out a song,” he admits. “There are a couple songs in the album like that. But I think it’s so important because all my favourite songs and artists are so vulnerable and that’s what helps me.”
“That was my first-ever experience with a guy. And sadly, it wasn’t a good one” – Moodie on writing ‘Cigarettes’
He finds strength in the music of his idols, which include Conan Gray, Taylor Swift and Olivia Rodrigo, all of whom he says create “diaristic, confessional pop”. It’s this connection that reinforces the purpose behind his music. “I always remind myself: if I can help someone else through being vulnerable, then that’s very important and very fulfilling. That’s success to me.” Recalling moments when fans have told him how specific songs, like ‘Bad Day’, have served as a beacon of light during their darkest hours, Moodie says he considers this the “biggest compliment someone could give me”.
His upbringing seems to have set the stage for his emotional intelligence. His mother is a therapist and his father, a doctor. “I’m very lucky,” he acknowledges. “I grew up in a very emotionally available house. I feel like that’s really helped with songwriting because I’ve always been very in touch with my emotional side of things.” He credits his mother with encouraging him to be more self-aware. “I’ve kind of watched her therapise other people,” he muses. “And it’s kind of inspired me to be more in touch with my own mental health.”
One of Mood Swings’ most poignant tracks is ‘Cigarettes’, about his first queer relationship. “That was my first-ever experience with a guy,” he says. “And sadly, it wasn’t a good one.” Revealing the boy in question had a secret girlfriend, Moodie says he didn’t learn about her existence until months into their time together. He saved the bare bones of the song on his Notes app, but he was too scared to flesh things out until a pivotal session with Julia Michaels, one of his songwriting idols, changed everything. And, while he wishes his first experience had been a healthy one, Moodie sees the silver lining. “It’s helped me. I’ve learned from it, I’ve grown from it, and that’s the most important thing. So, it’s been a part of my story.”
This is an excerpt from a feature appearing in the 2025 Attitude Awards issue. To see the full feature, order your copy of the Attitude Awards 2025 issue now or read it alongside 15 years of back issues on the free Attitude app.