Hello. In your own words, how would you describe your sound and style?
Hey! Stylistically I feel like I gravitate towards a very particular sound… My love for moody and obscure chords has lead me to associate with Dream Pop that has elements of melancholic rock. I’ve always been really drawn to songs that are filled with reverb and haunting melodies, ‘Break Me Gently’ by Doves being one of the first. I find comfort in music that transcends me into my own little world or takes me back to that memory in which I can’t seem to leave. Harmonies are the backbone to my song-writing style; each layered vocal has its own personality which is something I’ve been really focusing on recently – especially with my latest single ‘Nineteen’!
You’ve just released your latest single “Nineteen”. What is the story behind the song and its title? What themes and ideas influence your music and writing?
I went through a very dark period of my life at 19 where I completely lost myself and hid my problems behind the face of someone who thought going out partying every night would cause them to gradually fade away. In reality, it did the complete opposite and in the end I broke. For years after, I’d constantly take my mind back to those memories in my head and torture myself for it; I couldn’t seem to forgive the person I was.
To me, music is therapy, it’s what grounds me, therefore writing a song about it seemed like the best way to completely close the door to what kept haunting me. As I was in the process of writing, I found a bigger purpose, and that was to write something so vulnerable that the listeners themselves could find comfort and reflect on their own journeys.
When taking this song to the studio, after the first rough bounce of the track me and the producer (Adam Forster) felt it needed that extra bit of emotion, so we decided that strings would achieve this – we got local musician Jonny Winter to come along and work his magic, and it really hit different! ‘Nineteen’ really pulls on heartstrings like no other song I’ve written, the progressive energy perfectly pulls together every emotion I felt in that period, so it means the world to me when I see how much it has impacted its listeners.
We really enjoy your music and had the pleasure of seeing you play at a Sofar Sounds event at Yoga Therapies, Newcastle. What have been career highlights for you so far?
Sofar Sounds was certainly up there with one of the best! To have a room completely dedicate those hours to sitting and appreciating live music was every musician’s dream. The crowd were lovely, and the team at Sofar Sounds were so welcoming and really encouraged us to explore intimate settings.
Selling out my first headline gig with the band was such an incredible feeling too. Knowing people have bought a ticket to watch and support us fills me with pride, especially those who have watched my journey from the start. I released my debut track ‘Fool For Him’ just out of curiosity, I was absolutely terrified of it going wrong which is why I hid myself behind other musicians for years. If I was to go back to that release day and tell myself, I’d be given these opportunities I’d probably not believe it! Bobiks is a fantastic venue, after playing there a few times as support, I’m so excited to take the stage in October and show everyone what we’re made of.
Working on the music video for ‘Nineteen’ will certainly live with me for the rest of my career! It was so exciting to see how the full process works including searching for the model, hiring extras, finding locations and the filming itself. Ross at Aytball film did an incredible job at bringing the story to life, he’s very particular with his filming style and the second he sent me the video I was completely in love with it. In the past, I’ve done videos myself as well as working with one of my best friends Megan Wilson to pull together the video for ‘Confusion’ – I just love how creative you can be when it comes to storytelling and feel it’s so important for the listener to be entertained and to interact with your music!
Do you have any plans for the year ahead that you would like to share with us? Also, what would you like to achieve in the upcoming year?
We have plenty of great gigs lined up! We’re playing the first ever Great Market Caper event on Saturday 3rd September which I strongly recommend everyone to get themselves along to – live music, food, comedy, beers… loads to get involved with! We’re also headlining Tynemouth Social on September 9th with the support from The Peevie Wonders through ‘Snow Moon’ who are huge original music advocates. As well as this we’re supporting Vice Killer at Cluny 2 on 24th September which we’re buzzing for.
My next single ‘Hypnotised’ will be released in October which I’m extremely excited about. I’ve had this track in the mix for quite a while and I have every hope it’s going to be one of those songs that gets stuck in your head, it’s very lively and addictive. We play it in our set so if you want to get a sneak peak, come see us live!
These past few months have really been about pushing the name out, about becoming part of the music scene – which is getting bigger and better by the day – and about just really enjoying myself and getting to know everyone! The main thing I’d love to achieve this year is bringing out that one song that stands out from my current discography. I feel like ‘Nineteen’ was the entrance to a new path but there’s always room to push myself even further and bring something to the table that no one would expect me to produce…
What advice do you have specifically for other north east artists? And what advice do you have for artists in general?
Socialise!! Go to gigs, make new friends, listen to new music and if something stands out to you, give it a share. One thing I’ve learned especially when releasing new music this year is everyone is so supportive of each other. At the end of the day, we’re all in the same boat wanting to make a mark on the industry, so the more we help each other, the Northeast music scene will grow. Also don’t be afraid of sending that email or applying for that festival. When I first started out, I was too scared of emailing about to see what gig opportunities there were, all because I hated the thought of rejection. But now my mindset has completely changed, you never know what could come out of it, and even if it’s nothing at least you know you gave it a go!
For artists in general I would say my biggest statement would be to not compare yourself. It’s so easy to fall into that hole of watching what others are doing and wishing that could be you or that you’re not doing enough. Everyone is on their own journeys and if you believe in yourself enough and truly put your all into it, great things will come. Don’t get me wrong, there are days where I get down that I’m falling behind, but that’s human nature and it’s so important to keep yourself grounded. If anything these days inspire me to think outside the box and I’ll always put my mind to the test, ‘if I pick up my guitar right now, what song could I write that would be a game changer?’ or ‘If I go on my laptop, what kind of content could I design that could really stand out?’ – these are the type of things I question myself when I feel low, and most of the time I find some of my best work comes from it!
Lastly, what artists are on your radar that you would recommend others listen to & see live?
There is so much good music out there right now, it’s almost too hard to decide! One band that I’ve watched grow is Vice Killer. These lads really know how to write a good tune. They give me early Arctic Monkeys vibes, but I’ve noticed a bit of Fontaine’s DC come through some of their new stuff. I rushed across Tynemouth to see their set at A Stone’s Throw and was not disappointed… so when we were asked to support them, I was buzzing!
Another notable mention is The Peevie Wonders. These guys are crazy but in the best way possible! A few months back we were asked to support them at Downcast, when I first saw the line-up, I genuinely thought ‘why am I being asked to support a Stevie Wonder’s tribute band?’ however when I showed up to the gig and realised who they were and how good their music is, I instantly knew they were going to take off. Would highly recommend seeing them live if you love Irn-Bru and indie boys (don’t ask… just find out for yourself!).
Some more artists who I’ve loved listening to are Honeyflux, Cosial, Keiran Bowe, Cortney Dixon, Noyou, Bosola, Motel Carnation, Kate Bond, Sarah Johnsone, Earth Farm and Amateur Ornithologist. There’s so many I could mention here but the list would be endless! For everyone who does want to get more involved with the scene, get yourself down to gigs and explore!
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Northern Music Collective 