The person who makes Obtain headliners' masks

Peter Gillibrand

BBC Newsbeat

BBC A young man with glasses and dark, curly hair sits in the corner of an artist's studio. Behind him are shelves lined with materials and pots of paint and adhesives. Next to him is a workbench, where an in-progress mask resembling a deer's skull rests on top of a mannequin's head. — Sleep Token slid into Lani Hernandez-David’s DMs

Like 1000’s of different music followers, Lani Hernandez-David can be watching Sleep Token at Obtain Pageant this weekend.

However not like the remainder, the 22-year-old can lay a declare to enjoying a task within the headline act’s meteoric rise.

The rockers have lately had their first primary album and have developed an enormous following with breakout viral hits – all whereas remaining nameless behind custom-designed masks.

And Lani is the one who’s created a few of them.

He works out of a small studio in south London and has been into making masks and costumes since he was about 11.

His first latex creation nonetheless sits on his workbench.

Fuelled by his curiosity in cosplay, he says he refined his abilities by watching YouTube tutorials and ultimately started posting his personal creations on-line.

Sleep Token’s drummer noticed them, and dropped Lani a DM asking if he’d wish to work for the band.

“I assumed it was a rip-off at first,” he says.

However rock fan Lani mentioned he observed the profile’s blue verification tick, and recalled that he’d really been to see Sleep Token at a competition months earlier.

Then the penny dropped.

“Oh, that is that band I noticed,” he says.

Sleep Token’s lead singer goes by the title Vessel

Getty Images The lead singer of Sleep Token sings a note on-stage as pink steam - illuminated by coloured stage lights - swirls around behind him. He's wearing a black, hooded cape with an ornate white and gold shoulder decoration on his left side. Under his hood, a white mask, painted with a red, geometric design, is visible. His mouth is uncovered by the mask, highlighted by jagged red edges. — Sleep Token’s lead singer goes by the title Vessel

Lani met the band, who offered him with concepts for designs, and he began the nerve-wracking activity of making them.

“I might by no means made masks for a touring band earlier than, ” he says.

Sleep Token debuted his creations at their sold-out Wembley present in 2023, a second Lani says he will not neglect.

“Once they got here out sporting my masks I simply pinched myself,” he tells BBC Newsbeat.

“I bear in mind considering: ‘That was made on my kitchen desk – that is insane’.”

Lani, who nonetheless has a second job in a dressing up store, has since been requested by different bands to make masks for them.

Each time he is approached, Lani says he’ll “binge all their music, watch all their interviews”.

“You by no means know what’s going to encourage from the music, the lyrics, again into the mask-making,” he says.

“So I attempt to actually contain myself with the artist simply so I can get again within the zone.”

However Lani says he owes rather a lot to Sleep Token.

“That was my first one and I’ve learnt a lot from assembly them.

“I’ve tried to include that information again into mask-making and simply enhancing each time.”

The rise of Sleep Token

Music journalist Emma Wilkes says a part of Sleep Token’s attraction is of their “genre-bending” sound.

They’re typically described as a metallic band however Emma says in addition they make use of components of “pop, R&B, just a little little bit of lure as effectively”.

Emma says the band has been on a “meteoric trajectory” since 2023 album Take Me Again to Eden, and viral hits which have propelled them “to a degree of success at a velocity no person may have anticipated”.

Their newest album Even in Arcadia topped album charts however, extra considerably, additionally generated a prime 10 single.

However Sleep Token’s success has additionally generated negativity – particularly amongst some long-time rock music followers.

One scathing evaluate of their most up-to-date album mentioned it was “metallic music for Disney adults”.

Emma says she’s stunned by the extent of anger they generally appeal to.

“I can perceive if individuals hearken to it they usually do not fairly perceive it,” she says.

“It is a bit completely different, it pulls influences from far and wide.

“If you aren’t getting it truthful sufficient, however the sheer ranges of vitriol, particularly after this new album has come out, it is fairly astounding to me.”

Lani says his dream shopper can be Slipknot – whose 9 members have been performing in masks since their inception

Probably the most widespread criticisms of Sleep Token is that their masks are a gimmick to generate consideration.

Lani’s not so positive.

“They might make all the music with out the get-up and I believe they’d nonetheless do effectively,” he says.

“However the lore, the ‘gimmick’, actually helps.”

Sleep Token appear to have impressed different masked bands. President – in all probability probably the most high-profile current instance – are additionally set to play at Obtain this yr.

“That is good for individuals like me,” says Lani, who has additionally labored with President.

“Perhaps too many individuals will do it someday however for now it is nice.”

Lani says his dream shopper can be Slipknot, the nu-metal band with 9 masked members that offered a prototype for bands like Sleep Token.

However for now he is content material.

“I am doing what I’ve all the time needed to do,” he says.

“In case you had informed 14-year-old me I might be making masks for bands I might have informed you ‘no means’.”

Now, he says, he is often known as “the man that does the band masks”.

“5 years down the road hopefully I can work for myself and make extra loopy foolish stuff.”