Today we’d like to introduce you to Dupont (Mikkel Harding).
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
One day, when I was very bored, I snuck into my sister’s room and picked up my dad’s old Spanish
guitar from the corner. He came in and saw me struggling, and right off the bat he taught me three
chords: D, A7, and G. “Now you can play ‘Coming in from the Cold’ by Bob Marley.” Shortly after
that, I started writing my own songs—probably around the age of 13–14.
Dupont started as a corona project in 2020. My former grunge band agreed to take a break, and I began
writing ballads and love songs. In the early days, I used way too much vocoder and autotune on my
vocals—just to hide in the music—which I don’t feel represents me today.
But it slowly became something I started obsessing over: “Let’s write a new song that’s even better
than the last one.”
So I disappeared into this calm, quiet creative space—a small garden house with big dreams, no people nearby—
writing a lot of songs, smoking a bit too much weed, and waiting for friends to drop by and hear
newly written material.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
I wouldn’t say my path has been smooth. I dropped out after my first year of high school and worked a couple of different jobs. Whenever I wasn’t working, I was focused on music and becoming a better songwriter. I moved to a bigger city to pursue my passion, and moved back and forth between there and my mom’s place and the garden house for shorter periods when things were uncertain.
Eventually, I had written enough songs that I believed in to start performing them live. I planned a three-month busking trip to Berlin, with everything mapped out and even a few shows lined up.
But on the very first day I arrived, I was robbed at knifepoint and had all my money stolen. I stayed at the hostel I’d already paid for, but after everything that had happened, I was completely exhausted—both physically and mentally. I ended up going home. happy to still have my guitar.
That experience made me question whether I was on the right path. I was on sick leave for six months afterward. During that time, I stopped smoking weed and drinking and focused on getting better.
Then, completely out of the blue, I was recognized for my music and got the opportunity to take part in KarriereKanonen on Danish national radio and won the competition. and that was maybe the last step for me to get back up again. It reminded me that even when it feels like your path has disappeared, opportunities can appear when you least expect them.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
Dupont feels both timeless and urgent. With lyrics that cut deep, the sound moves effortlessly
between intimate acoustic moments and electrifying rock.
It draws you into a dreamy folk-rock atmosphere—raw and undefined—with a voice that lingers
long after the song ends.
It’s like if Bon Iver had a baby with Chris Cornell, with Steve Perry as an uncle—who happens to
be married to Ben Howard.
My song Night Terrors has a special place in my heart. It was actually a song I was ready to throw away, until someone told me it was one of my strongest pieces. That changed how I saw it, and I’m very proud of it today.
Do you have recommendations for books, apps, blogs, etc?
I’m really into B-movies at the moment—those really bad films where you can already guess the script/plot twist, before the story even unfolds. I like having them on in the background while I sit and crack out new songs, using them as background noise and letting the scenes turn into something beautiful in their own way.
When I’m not watching movies, I sometimes read Leonard Cohen’s Selected Poems 1956–1968. It can feel quite dark and bleak at times, but his way with words is just amazing.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dupont0k/
- Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/0hFtMoaSeAgCISzAlrWYxh
