Close up w/ Sonny Hall
- Cardigan
- Pants Style Blomberg Wide Sold Out
Fashion, art, poetry – if you’re into it all, Sonny Hall should be on your radar. The young Brit is currently weaving these artistic realms together like no other. He struts the catwalk as a model, has taken his first steps into acting, and occasionally picks up a paintbrush. But what sets him apart is his ability to create poetry that makes you think, touches you, and even hits you right in the heart. We’ve become curious and accompanied him to England, and talked with him about his lyricism, the role of poems in our society, and the most inspiring corners of London.
“Poetry is like a foundation for much of what I do.”
The
interview
In the world of social media and short content, the role of poetry in society has changed. How do you perceive this evolution, and what do you believe poetry can accomplish in this modern age?
Poetry is the foundation of thought. By giving time to it, it can be understood about other things, such as film, imagery, theater, human connection, and psychology. It’s very valuable, especially now with the modern stuff going on.
What does your creative process look like when you write poetry? Are there any rituals or habits that guide you?
Reading, honesty, understanding doubles, half-truth, half-lie, half-wish, all that.
What advice would you give to aspiring poets who wish to develop their skills and make their art more visible to others?
Read, challenge your defaults, challenge your conventions inwardly, outwardly. Talk, share, and hope and dare.
Alongside your passion for poetry and writing, you are also active in modeling and acting. How do these different creative interests influence your artistic work, and how do they coexist in your life?
All my friends are creative types with different disciplines. I learned a lot from them, and we learned a lot from each other. That allows me to be bold in new things constantly. Poetry is like a foundation for much of what I do.
By understanding the capacity of that expression, I can understand the capacity of another expression. It’s never-ending, which is liberating.
Your poems are marked by unfiltered honesty, often delving into dark and taboo subjects that society still stigmatizes. Your history of addiction and the death of loved ones frequently surfaces in your work. What motivates you to explore such personal and challenging themes in your poetry?
I feel an obligation to share my experiences through poetry. It is a form of sublimation for me – a way of transforming these darker aspects into something more acceptable. It's about giving these challenging themes another life, honoring the past, and ultimately freeing myself from the weight of these experiences.
How do you see the role of your poetry in societal changes and its potential to address or reflect upon social issues and problems?
My poetry is not political at all. It’s more embedded in the individual, it’s more philosophical. I like to mix the dream, the surreal with the real. It allows people to be free, but it’s very individualistic. I think that’s the basis of societal issues, and things that need to change must start with the individual. I focus on that because I can’t focus on the bigger problems.
What is the most impressive or moving feedback you’ve received from a reader or viewer regarding the debut perch collection "The Blues Comes With Good News", or your acting role in the short film "To Erase a Cloud", and how has it influenced you?
I usually forget positive feedback, but if anything, it has made me realise, that I have an awareness of others and their pain and their desires as anxious people, as human beings. It has enabled me to understand that everything is widespread. There’s no seclusion in how one feels; nothing is unique. Everything is interconnected and therefore something to celebrate.
Your poetry seems so deep and thoughtful, and the fashion and film hustle can be quite tiring at times, too. What do you do when you want to take a break, unwind for a while, and just feel silly?
I try and be silly all the time with my friends, and be playful in my everyday life, but if I’m tired and I want to unwind, I just have a nap – sometimes too many!
Which places in London would you recommend to us for drawing creativity and finding inspiration?
The Reference Point is good! It’s a library, bookshop, and bar where many creatives meet. I also love the Regency Café, where you can enjoy a traditional English breakfast while soaking up the art deco interior. But mostly I like places that are other people’s creations and placements that I can trust and expand in – crowded places are not my thing at all!
In the world of social media and short content, the role of poetry in society has changed. How do you perceive this evolution, and what do you believe poetry can accomplish in this modern age?
Poetry is the foundation of thought. By giving time to it, it can be understood about other things, such as film, imagery, theater, human connection, and psychology. It’s very valuable, especially now with the modern stuff going on.
What does your creative process look like when you write poetry? Are there any rituals or habits that guide you?
Reading, honesty, understanding doubles, half-truth, half-lie, half-wish, all that.
What advice would you give to aspiring poets who wish to develop their skills and make their art more visible to others?
Read, challenge your defaults, challenge your conventions inwardly, outwardly. Talk, share, and hope and dare.
Alongside your passion for poetry and writing, you are also active in modeling and acting. How do these different creative interests influence your artistic work, and how do they coexist in your life?
All my friends are creative types with different disciplines. I learned a lot from them, and we learned a lot from each other. That allows me to be bold in new things constantly. Poetry is like a foundation for much of what I do.
By understanding the capacity of that expression, I can understand the capacity of another expression. It’s never-ending, which is liberating.
Your poems are marked by unfiltered honesty, often delving into dark and taboo subjects that society still stigmatizes. Your history of addiction and the death of loved ones frequently surfaces in your work. What motivates you to explore such personal and challenging themes in your poetry?
I feel an obligation to share my experiences through poetry. It is a form of sublimation for me – a way of transforming these darker aspects into something more acceptable. It's about giving these challenging themes another life, honoring the past, and ultimately freeing myself from the weight of these experiences.
How do you see the role of your poetry in societal changes and its potential to address or reflect upon social issues and problems?
My poetry is not political at all. It’s more embedded in the individual, it’s more philosophical. I like to mix the dream, the surreal with the real. It allows people to be free, but it’s very individualistic. I think that’s the basis of societal issues, and things that need to change must start with the individual. I focus on that because I can’t focus on the bigger problems.
What is the most impressive or moving feedback you’ve received from a reader or viewer regarding the debut perch collection "The Blues Comes With Good News", or your acting role in the short film "To Erase a Cloud", and how has it influenced you?
I usually forget positive feedback, but if anything, it has made me realise, that I have an awareness of others and their pain and their desires as anxious people, as human beings. It has enabled me to understand that everything is widespread. There’s no seclusion in how one feels; nothing is unique. Everything is interconnected and therefore something to celebrate.
Your poetry seems so deep and thoughtful, and the fashion and film hustle can be quite tiring at times, too. What do you do when you want to take a break, unwind for a while, and just feel silly?
I try and be silly all the time with my friends, and be playful in my everyday life, but if I’m tired and I want to unwind, I just have a nap – sometimes too many!
Which places in London would you recommend to us for drawing creativity and finding inspiration?
The Reference Point is good! It’s a library, bookshop, and bar where many creatives meet. I also love the Regency Café, where you can enjoy a traditional English breakfast while soaking up the art deco interior. But mostly I like places that are other people’s creations and placements that I can trust and expand in – crowded places are not my thing at all!
Drag and swipe to read
“I feel an obligation to share my experiences through poetry.”
