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| Sleep Token: The man who makes Download headliners' masks | Sleep Token: The man who makes Download headliners' masks |
| (2 days later) | |
| Sleep Token slid into Lani Hernandez-David's DMs | Sleep Token slid into Lani Hernandez-David's DMs |
| Like thousands of other music fans, Lani Hernandez-David will be watching Sleep Token at Download Festival this weekend. | Like thousands of other music fans, Lani Hernandez-David will be watching Sleep Token at Download Festival this weekend. |
| But unlike the rest, the 22-year-old can lay a claim to playing a role in the headline act's meteoric rise. | But unlike the rest, the 22-year-old can lay a claim to playing a role in the headline act's meteoric rise. |
| The rockers have recently had their first number one album and have developed a huge following with breakout viral hits - all while remaining anonymous behind custom-designed masks. | The rockers have recently had their first number one album and have developed a huge following with breakout viral hits - all while remaining anonymous behind custom-designed masks. |
| And Lani is the one who's created some of them. | And Lani is the one who's created some 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. | 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 still sits on his workbench. | His first latex creation still sits on his workbench. |
| Fuelled by his interest in cosplay, he says he refined his skills by watching YouTube tutorials and eventually began posting his own creations online. | Fuelled by his interest in cosplay, he says he refined his skills by watching YouTube tutorials and eventually began posting his own creations online. |
| Sleep Token's drummer spotted them, and dropped Lani a DM asking if he'd like to work for the band. | Sleep Token's drummer spotted them, and dropped Lani a DM asking if he'd like to work for the band. |
| "I thought it was a scam at first," he says. | "I thought it was a scam at first," he says. |
| But rock fan Lani said he noticed the profile's blue verification tick, and recalled that he'd actually been to see Sleep Token at a festival months earlier. | But rock fan Lani said he noticed the profile's blue verification tick, and recalled that he'd actually been to see Sleep Token at a festival months earlier. |
| Then the penny dropped. | Then the penny dropped. |
| "Oh, this is that band I saw," he says. | "Oh, this is that band I saw," he says. |
| Sleep Token's lead singer - seen sporting a mask by UK studio Hysteria Machine - goes by the name Vessel | |
| Lani met the band, who provided him with ideas for designs, and he started the nerve-wracking task of creating them. | Lani met the band, who provided him with ideas for designs, and he started the nerve-wracking task of creating them. |
| "I'd never made masks for a touring band before, " he says. | "I'd never made masks for a touring band before, " he says. |
| Sleep Token's drummer, bassist and guitarist debuted his creations at their sold-out Wembley show in 2023, a moment Lani says he won't forget. | |
| "When they came out wearing my masks I just pinched myself," he tells BBC Newsbeat. | "When they came out wearing my masks I just pinched myself," he tells BBC Newsbeat. |
| "I remember thinking: 'That was made on my kitchen table - that's insane'." | "I remember thinking: 'That was made on my kitchen table - that's insane'." |
| Sleep Token's Download masks were made by UK-based studio Hysteria Machine, but Lani has since been asked to do work for other bands. | |
| Whenever he's approached, Lani says he will "binge all their music, watch all their interviews". | Whenever he's approached, Lani says he will "binge all their music, watch all their interviews". |
| "You never know what will inspire from the music, the lyrics, back into the mask-making," he says. | "You never know what will inspire from the music, the lyrics, back into the mask-making," he says. |
| "So I try to really involve myself with the artist just so I can get back in the zone." | "So I try to really involve myself with the artist just so I can get back in the zone." |
| But Lani says he owes a lot to Sleep Token. | But Lani says he owes a lot to Sleep Token. |
| "That was my first one and I've learnt so much from meeting them. | "That was my first one and I've learnt so much from meeting them. |
| "I've tried to incorporate that knowledge back into mask-making and just improving every time." | "I've tried to incorporate that knowledge back into mask-making and just improving every time." |
| The rise of Sleep Token | The rise of Sleep Token |
| Music journalist Emma Wilkes says part of Sleep Token's appeal is in their "genre-bending" sound. | Music journalist Emma Wilkes says part of Sleep Token's appeal is in their "genre-bending" sound. |
| They are often described as a metal band but Emma says they also employ elements of "pop, R&B, a little bit of trap as well". | They are often described as a metal band but Emma says they also employ elements of "pop, R&B, a little bit of trap as well". |
| Emma says the band has been on a "meteoric trajectory" since 2023 album Take Me Back to Eden, and viral hits that have propelled them "to a level of success at a speed nobody could have anticipated". | Emma says the band has been on a "meteoric trajectory" since 2023 album Take Me Back to Eden, and viral hits that have propelled them "to a level of success at a speed nobody could have anticipated". |
| Their latest album Even in Arcadia topped album charts but, more significantly, also generated a top 10 single. | Their latest album Even in Arcadia topped album charts but, more significantly, also generated a top 10 single. |
| But Sleep Token's success has also generated negativity - especially among some long-time rock music fans. | But Sleep Token's success has also generated negativity - especially among some long-time rock music fans. |
| One scathing review of their most recent album said it was "metal music for Disney adults". | One scathing review of their most recent album said it was "metal music for Disney adults". |
| Emma says she's surprised by the level of anger they sometimes attract. | Emma says she's surprised by the level of anger they sometimes attract. |
| "I can understand if people listen to it and they don't quite understand it," she says. | "I can understand if people listen to it and they don't quite understand it," she says. |
| "It's a bit different, it pulls influences from all over the place. | "It's a bit different, it pulls influences from all over the place. |
| "If you don't get it fair enough, but the sheer levels of vitriol, especially after this new album has come out, it's quite astounding to me." | "If you don't get it fair enough, but the sheer levels of vitriol, especially after this new album has come out, it's quite astounding to me." |
| Lani says his dream client would be Slipknot - whose nine members have been performing in masks since their inception | Lani says his dream client would be Slipknot - whose nine members have been performing in masks since their inception |
| One of the most common criticisms of Sleep Token is that their masks are a gimmick to generate attention. | One of the most common criticisms of Sleep Token is that their masks are a gimmick to generate attention. |
| Lani's not so sure. | Lani's not so sure. |
| "They could make all of the music without the get-up and I think they'd still do well," he says. | "They could make all of the music without the get-up and I think they'd still do well," he says. |
| "But the lore, the 'gimmick', really helps." | "But the lore, the 'gimmick', really helps." |
| Sleep Token seem to have inspired other masked bands. President - probably the most high-profile recent example - are also set to play at Download this year. | Sleep Token seem to have inspired other masked bands. President - probably the most high-profile recent example - are also set to play at Download this year. |
| "That's good for people like me," says Lani, who has also worked with President. | "That's good for people like me," says Lani, who has also worked with President. |
| "Maybe too many people will do it one day but for now it's great." | "Maybe too many people will do it one day but for now it's great." |
| Lani, who still has a second job in a costume shop, says his dream client would be Slipknot, the nu-metal band with nine masked members that provided a prototype for bands like Sleep Token. | |
| But for now he's content. | But for now he's content. |
| "I'm doing what I've always wanted to do," he says. | "I'm doing what I've always wanted to do," he says. |
| "If you had told 14-year-old me I'd be making masks for bands I'd have told you 'no way'." | "If you had told 14-year-old me I'd be making masks for bands I'd have told you 'no way'." |
| Now, he says, he's known as "the guy that does the band masks". | Now, he says, he's known as "the guy that does the band masks". |
| "Five years down the line hopefully I can work for myself and make more crazy silly stuff." | "Five years down the line hopefully I can work for myself and make more crazy silly stuff." |
| Listen to Newsbeat live at 12:45 and 17:45 weekdays - or listen back here. | Listen to Newsbeat live at 12:45 and 17:45 weekdays - or listen back here. |