Inside Vaughn Prangley’s Return With ‘Monsters Den’ – Set against the shimmering skyline of Dubai and the quiet that followed a life-changing accident, we speak with SA born singer-songwriter Vaughn Prangley. He opens about loss, tenacity and the music that pulled him back. Through a candid conversation rich in detail, we explore the making of his new single and video ‘Monsters Den.’ An atmospheric, emotionally charged return to sound, creative resilience and a hard-won reclamation of voice.
Q: Can you describe, in your own words, what ‘Monsters Den’ is about and why you chose that title?
Vaughn Prangley: ‘Monsters Den’ is about facing an internal storm that tries to consume you and almost does. The title is a metaphor for the mind and the thoughts that live within it. The monsters are those dark, intrusive thoughts, and the den is the mind itself. While the song carries a dark tone, it is ultimately a message of encouragement to anyone who feels trapped or defeated by their own battles. It is a reminder that pushing through the struggle is always better than giving up inside it.
Q: You describe ‘Monsters Den’ as the song that marks your return after an unplanned hiatus following an accident in 2023 that led to hearing loss in one ear. Can you take us to the moment you first felt the spark to create again, when the silence began to lift? What shifted for you emotionally or creatively that made you realise it was time to return to music?
Vaughn Prangley: I don’t think there was a single defining moment where the spark suddenly appeared again. It was more like a slow return, with me constantly coming back to music even when my hearing loss made it difficult to create. Over time, I learned to make peace with what had happened, and somewhere in that acceptance I began to enjoy creating again. It felt like crawling back to the thing you love until you no longer had to crawl. Now I think I love making music more than ever before.
“Hold your breath, It ain’t worth the stress Longing for repair From the Monster’s Den”
Q: You wrote and self-produced ‘Monsters Den’ over eight months. What did that process look like day to day in the studio? Were there any rituals or routines that helped you through it?
Vaughn Prangley: It normally doesn’t take me eight months to produce a song, but ‘Monsters Den’ was different. The process became part of my journey of crawling back to music even when it felt impossible to enjoy creating again. I would spend a week on a single acoustic or vocal take because I would get frustrated with myself.
My hearing loss became a mental battle: refusing to be defined by what happened and proving to myself that I could still make music as I did before. The production process mirrors the meaning of the song, which is pushing through the struggle rather than giving up inside it. It was a journey of repeatedly returning to the track because giving up was not an option. Every layer of sound carries that persistence, the frustration, the fight and the refusal to quit. It was not just about finishing a song; it was about reclaiming a part of myself.
Q: Musically, the track blends haunting vocals, reverberant guitars, shimmering synths and church-bell textures. Which production choice surprised you most when the song came together?
Vaughn Prangley: The addition of real acoustic drums surprised me the most. I originally imagined ‘Monsters Den’ as something atmospheric and almost weightless, built around haunting textures and ambience. But once the drums came in, everything grounded itself. The rhythm added a heartbeat to the darkness, giving the song a sense of movement and life that I did not expect. It suddenly felt complete.
“Your first steps. Yours to take and not the rest Slipping through the devil’s hands Into the cracks of broken men”
Q: Lyrically, you use the metaphor that the monsters are your thoughts, and the den is your mind. How literal or symbolic did you want that line to be for listeners?
Vaughn Prangley: It is symbolic, but in a way that can feel very literal. Our thoughts can genuinely feel like monsters because they creep in, distort reality and take away our peace. And because we are confined to our own mind, our den, there is no escaping them. You must face them head on, sit with them and work through them until those draining thoughts are slowly replaced with ones that heal and bring peace.
Q: You have described the production process as part of the song’s story. Walking away and coming back, countless takes. Was there a single moment when you knew the song was finished? Can you describe that moment?
Vaughn Prangley: Art is not like a maths equation. There is no clear finish line or objective moment where you know it is complete. The end of a creative process is deeply personal. With ‘Monsters Den’ I eventually had to find peace in letting it go. There came a point when the people I trust, the ones who truly support me, said, “It sounds great, it is done.” I had to believe them and trust the energy and honesty I had already poured into it. In the end, I don’t think art ever really ends. You simply reach a moment when you make peace with the story you have told and decide it is time to share it with others.
Q: The video uses stark, cinematic imagery and symbolic narratives. How closely did you work with the director, and what visual motifs were essential to convey the song’s themes?
Vaughn Prangley: Graeme Wyllie, our incredible director and videographer, and I worked side by side from start to finish. From the beginning we wanted the visuals to feel claustrophobic and isolating, becoming the den itself. We filmed in an old factory and transformed a spray booth into the Monster’s Den, turning that space into a physical representation of the mind. The dim lighting, smoke and metallic textures all symbolised the feeling of being trapped inside your own thoughts, trying to escape while also confronting what is within.
“Take this chance See it through ‘til the end Slipping through the Devil’s hands Escape the cracks of broken men”
Q: How did losing some hearing change the way you monitor, mix and arrange music? Did you adopt new tools, workflows or collaborators to compensate or explore new textures?
Vaughn Prangley: I am very fortunate to still have enough hearing to make music as I always have. I have become far more aware of my environment. Monitoring how loud things are and protecting what I have left. Technically my workflow has not changed much. Mentally everything did. Losing part of my hearing became a psychological battle rather than a physical one. Once I made peace with that and stopped seeing it as a limitation, I rediscovered the same peace and joy in creating that I had before.
Q: Did the experience of hearing loss influence the sonic palette of ‘Monsters Den’, such as choices around reverb, frequency ranges or panning? Is there a specific passage shaped directly by the way you now hear?
Vaughn Prangley: Perhaps subconsciously there are elements shaped by how I now hear the world. I was not consciously thinking about that while creating ‘Monsters Den’. When I produce, I try not to create from a place of limitation. I want to work from instinct rather than restriction. Even though my hearing has changed, my mindset has not. In my mind, I do not believe I have any limitations. That belief keeps my creativity free.
“In the dark You feel those shadows crawl They call you out for repents But now you leave the Monster’s Den”
Q: Emotionally, what did it take to return to the microphone and trust your voice again after the hiatus? Did any doubts linger and how did you face them?
Vaughn Prangley: It has been a two-and-a-half-year journey filled with doubts, reflection and learning to trust myself again. It took perseverance and consistency to find that peace and to believe that I could still create and perform. I spent a long time standing behind the microphone while doubting myself so that I can now stand there without any doubts. That process taught me to create from a peaceful heart again.
Q: How do you balance vulnerability and craft when writing about such personal and potentially painful experiences? Where do you draw the line between therapeutic songwriting and shaping a song for an audience?
Vaughn Prangley: I have always aimed to write authentic and real music because that is what music is about: saying the things we are often too afraid to feel. I do not write with an audience in mind. I write to give people music that says something real and raw, and if it connects, that is where the magic happens. ‘Monsters Den’ came from a version of me who was truly trapped in his own mind, trying to make it peaceful again. I believe in sharing that vulnerability because I made it out without being consumed, and I want others to make it out too.
Q: You mention that this single marks the start of a new chapter and that an EP is planned for next year. How does the EP expand on the themes and textures heard in ‘Monsters Den’? What other moods should listeners expect?
Vaughn Prangley: The EP is still taking shape, but ‘Monsters Den’ sets the tone for what is to come. It explores similar emotional depth and atmosphere, but each song will bring its own perspective and energy. I want the project to feel honest, a balance between vulnerability and strength, and to show how far I have come since ‘Monsters Den’.
Q: Who were the key collaborators on this record, and how did they help translate your vision into sound and image?
Vaughn Prangley: I performed and produced every element of ‘Monsters Den’ myself, but my family were my greatest collaborators in spirit. Their support and belief in me carried me through the process of finding my way back to music. They reminded me why I do this in the first place, and that kind of support can shape a record just as much as any technical collaboration.
“It ain’t fair How they pulled me down And they broke my knees. Took away my crown, To work, My worth – It’s where the people burn”
Q: Looking back at your previous releases, how do you see your songwriting and production evolving today? What is different now in the stories you want to tell?
Vaughn Prangley: I have not released music in two years, and I think this return comes with many life lessons and new wisdom that I want to share. I want the music I release now to come naturally and to tell stories that come from the rawest parts of my soul. I have enjoyed producing everything myself and having the freedom to create whatever I want, whenever I want. That independence has been empowering, but I am also excited to collaborate more in the future. Above all, I want my music to be written and produced with honesty and intention, never forced.
Q: There is a resilience arc in this project. How has returning to music affected other areas of your life, such as mental health, relationships or daily routine?
Vaughn Prangley: Returning to music has made me infinitely more grateful for the beautiful life I get to live. We often take the simplest things for granted. Just as most people never think about their hearing, we rarely stop to realise that every new day is a gift. I try to find joy in everything I do. To be thankful that I get to experience all the emotions. Those that come with being human. There is a quiet beauty in every part of being alive. We are lucky to laugh, but I believe we are just as lucky to cry because one day we will not be able to do either. I have found a renewed love for life and now try to make every day a small adventure of its own.
Q: For fans experiencing doubt, injury or a creative block, what practical advice or practices helped you through the toughest days?
Vaughn Prangley: I always come back to this idea. To push through the struggle is always better than to give up inside it. The doubt and hardship we face always carry hidden lessons. You only find them if you keep going. You might not understand why you are going through something right now, but if you choose to endure it, your future self will thank you. The lessons you uncover by pushing through are worth more than anything that giving up could ever offer.
Q: Does performing live feel different now? Do you plan to tour or play shows where the live sound will be adapted to your current hearing?
Vaughn Prangley: I have reached a point where my current sonic world has become my new normal. I don’t think about it much when I perform. The moment I step on stage, I fall into the same zone I always have. I get lost in the music. That feeling has not changed at all.
Q: The imagery of monsters and a den is vivid. Did any books, films or artists inspire that language, or did it come purely from your own experience?
Vaughn Prangley: It came entirely from my own experience. The words monsters and den felt like the perfect way to describe what my mind felt like. At the time, dark, crowded and hard to escape. They surfaced instinctively and my subconscious handed them to me when I started writing. The whole song began to take shape around them.
Q: What single musical moment in ‘Monsters Den’ are you most proud of and why?
Vaughn Prangley: I loved putting the bridge together. “It is where the people burn,” was my way of acknowledging I did not want to be someone who gives in to hardship. I wanted to be someone who learns from it. The bridge transforms into a powerful, rebellious war cry. It is one of my favourite moments in the song.
Q: How has being based in Dubai influenced the music you are making now compared with your earlier South African days?
Vaughn Prangley: Being in Dubai has expanded my world. It is a lively, diverse place, full of energy and new perspectives. I see it as a new canvas to paint stories on, ones that have not yet been told. My new music feels like a continuation of my story. The next chapter after my South African one, with its own colours and atmosphere.
Q: Finally, outside the new EP, what are your artistic goals for the next two years? Are there any new collaborations, film or TV sync ambitions, or causes you want to support publicly?
Vaughn Prangley: My goals are simple: to keep writing, producing, performing and releasing music consistently. I want to play live as much as possible and share new music with the world. Over the next couple of years, I want to keep growing as an artist, connecting with people through my songs and building something lasting.
Vaughn’s story of silence, struggle and slow reclamation gives ‘Monsters Den’ a resonance that lingers long after the final chord. If this conversation moved you, hear the full story in the song. See it come alive in the official video. ‘Monsters Den’ was released on 28 November across all major streaming platforms. Stream the single, watch the video and follow Vaughn Prangley for updates and the forthcoming EP.
If you enjoyed reading Inside Vaughn Prangley’s Return With ‘Monsters Den,’ see more on the ‘Monsters Den’ release here
