With his a hood wrapped tightly around his face and feather earrings dangling, Joe Mulherin is calm during soundcheck. Better known as nothing,nowhere., the 26-year-old artist stands alone in the center of an empty venue in London, a soft neon glow illuminating his face as he shows off the design on a new sweatshirt he got in Camden: a skeleton riding a motorcycle, a perfect homage to his logo, which has been tattooed on countless fans. “Isn’t this dude sick? It’s like he’s riding his hog into hell or something,” Mulherin laughs. As we chat about the ins and outs of the tumultuous SoundCloud scene and talk his home state of Vermont, he eats a bowl of strawberries and drinks kombucha in preparation for his performance.

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Once he takes the stage, Mulherin's reserved demeanor is gone, commanding the crowd as he throws his body around and screaming with every fiber in his body. Mosh pits ensue, and a few brave fans trying their luck at crowd surfing; the packed venue knows every word as he performs cuts from the critically acclaimed project reaper and his latest, ruiner, which he made in just two weeks with close friend, producer, and frequent collaborator JayVee. The new record is a stimulating blend of singing, hip-hop, and live instrumentation, all fused together with emo and alternative stylings.

After the show, Mulherin jokes with his childhood friends who also double as his touring musicians. Whether or not he agrees, this performance was monumental; last March, Mulherin damaged his vocal chords and had to call off half of his tour. “I couldn’t talk, let alone sing,” he explains. Luckily, with ruiner came another summer headlining tour — and then, a shocking tweet: “our tour is cancelled. i've been battling severe anxiety and depression and decided the best option is to leave for a while and seek professional help.”

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Speaking about the journey he endured this past few months, it seems as if Mulherin's back and more powerful than ever. He sounds relieved while reflecting on his whirlwind summer — and more than anything else, he’s happy to be in the present.