HAYDEN PEDIGO

Pedigo has lived many lives: he was schooled in Amarillo, Texas, by his preacher father at a truck stop; he ran for Amarillo City Council in 2019 at the age of 25 – as seen in Jasmine Stodel’s Kid Candidate, which premiered at SXSW and was acquired by PBS – and has forged friendships and partnerships with the likes of Terry Allen, Charles Hayward (This Heat), Werner ‘Zappi’ Diermaier (Faust), and Tim Heidecker.

Amarillo’s move to Lubbock in 2020 has set his creativity on fire. ‘It’s even flatter, desolate, windy and dirty – just like Mars,’ observes Pedigo. ‘That pushed me to create more, because there’s not much to distract me. This change has given rise not only to The Happiest Times and its predecessor Letting Go, but also to an internet presence that showcases an increasingly outlandish array of outfits and effortless deadpan humour.

Both have contributed to his entry into the fashion world, having walked the catwalk for Gucci and been photographed by Hedi Slimane. Following a US tour with friends and collaborators Jenny Lewis and Devendra Banhart, and a special appearance at The Tiny Desk in November, Hayden Pedigo is now set to perform The Happiest Times He’s Ever Ignored on his first trip to Europe.