David Duchovny reveals why he's 'never nervous' performing on stage

Virgin Radio

27 Jul 2024, 11:49

The X-Files star talks music, Latitude Festival, and the future of Mulder and Scully

David Duchovny, the man who made Mulder a household name, is swapping alien conspiracies for guitar riffs this summer!

Ahead of his first-ever UK festival performance at Latitude 2024 on Sunday (28th July), the actor-turned-musician revealed why stepping on stage with his band doesn't rattle his nerves.

Speaking exclusively to virginradio.co.uk before his back-to-back shows, including a special one-night-only gig at O2 Shepherd's Bush Empire, Duchovny shared insights into his musical journey.

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Despite his fame as Agent Mulder from The X-Files, David's love affair with music started at the tender age of 10.

And it seems that decades in the limelight have given him a unique perspective on performance anxiety.

"Well, I mean, it's not real to be up on stage with a microphone in your hand. Is it?" Duchovny muses.

"That's some kind of a performance. So it's just a different aspect. I guess I don't really think of it as a performance. I think of the songs as they come from the heart, in a way. You know, they definitely come from the heart.

"So I mean them in many ways, they mean something to me. Hopefully the idea is they're going to mean something to people that hear them. And then again, it's music, so hopefully you're just kind of enjoying the groove as well. So I don't know, I don't know that that's the real me, but it's definitely, it's definitely real."

Duchovny's transition from solving paranormal mysteries to performing live music might seem nerve-wracking to many, but the star insists he's cool as a cucumber on stage.

He added:"No, I'm not nervous to be up on stage with the songs, and I'm not exactly sure why, because it would seem to be a nerve wracking experience, especially in the beginning. I mean, I've been doing it, been performing live for, you know, a while now. So I, you know, I get, I get excited. I don't, you know, they, they can feel like nerves.

"Sometimes it can feel like nerves, but it's more an excitement of you know, 'here we're going to go and we're going to have an experience with a bunch of people. It's going to be loud, it's going to be emotional, it's going to be fun!'

"You know, it's, it's more like that. It's not, I try to take the focus off myself. I mean, that's the best way to create is to not get your ego involved and not get, you know, scared of s***. So it's really like, okay, these people came out to have a good time. I'm not going to get in their way."

Fans at Latitude Festival might be in for a treat as Duchovny hinted at the possibility of playing new material.

“I think it’s really fun to try out stuff,” he said.

He continued: “Especially when you're not entirely sure of it. We're recording the fourth album right now. It's almost all recorded, and we haven't performed these songs live, we haven't rehearsed them, so it might be fun.

"I always like the energy, it’s like rehearsing on film, you really don't know how it's going to go. That gives it a certain kind of danger that I like.”

And danger is something Duchovny knows well, having portrayed the ultimate truth-seeker on The X-Files.

But this time, he’s not chasing little green men; he’s chasing musical highs, sharing the stage with fellow actors-turned-musicians like Damian Lewis.

Latitude 2024 is set to be a stellar affair, with headliners like Kasabian, London Grammar, Keane, and Duran Duran ready to rock.

Not to mention crowd favourites Rick Astley, Seasick Steve, Nile Rodgers and Chic, Rag 'N' Bone Man, and The Darkness also on the lineup. Duchovny will certainly be in good company as he makes his festival debut.

Of course, no chat with David Duchovny is complete without touching on The X-Files. The actor famously teamed up with Gillian Anderson’s Dana Scully in the cult classic paranormal drama that ran from 1993 to 2001, with a couple of revival seasons in 2016 and 2018.

Fans have been buzzing since series creator Chris Carter hinted at a reboot with Black Panther director Ryan Coogler at the helm.

However, Carter himself isn't directly involved this time around, leaving fans wondering about the fate of Mulder and Scully.

When asked about the future of The X-Files, Duchovny played it cool.

He said: “I don't know. It's all hypothetical stuff. All I’ll say is I'm not keeping anything hidden. If I have any information on The X-Files in the future, I will share it. I'm not keeping anything in the dark.”

So, while we wait to see if Mulder and Scully will grace our screens again, we can catch Duchovny in a different spotlight, rocking the stage and sharing his heartfelt tunes.

Whether it's hunting down the truth or hitting the high notes, David Duchovny proves he's always ready for an encore!

David Duchovny in Concert takes place on Saturday 27th July at London’s O2 Shepherds Bush Empire. Tickets are on sale now.

Latitude Festival will take place at Henham Park, Suffolk, from 25th to 28th July 2024. Tickets for Barclaycard presents Latitude are on sale now.