Congratulations on the release of “3 Day Weekend” how does it feel?
I was really excited to release this one, though also nervous. Having said that, I’m always nervous before a release because it means I’m officially letting go and I’m not allowed to change it.
You’re a singer songwriter producer how did it all begin for you?
I started playing violin when I was really young (though I didn’t really ‘get it’ until I started playing piano at the age of 11). I always loved music and for a long time I wanted to make it, but I just felt like I wasn’t really good enough to do it. I got really into video editing and my parents bought me a laptop that could handle it better than the family PC. Garageband was on this laptop and I started to play around in that. I didn’t do anything serious with it really, usually silly little songs that were meant to be funny. I struggled to do anything serious because I thought I was a bit rubbish. One day, I started chopping up some vocal samples I had recorded of myself and made an entire song out of them, including singing over the top. This was the first time I’d done this. I showed my Dad and he told me to upload it to the BBC uploader, and within 24 hours I had received an email saying that Introducing in the West had played it. I was really shocked and also panicked a little bit. Although it freaked me out, it also encouraged me to continue trying to make music. That was in 2012 and I feel like I’ve learned a lot since then, but there’s always more to learn.
What did you listen to growing up?
I listened to quite a lot of music. My family is a very musical family. When I was a child I would get quite anxious, so my mum bought me a lot of CDs with music she thought might relax me on them. The one that really stuck out of all of those was Enya, and I still go back to Enya now. I also listened to a lot of Coldplay, Supergrass and other bands like that. What I listened to was usually what my Dad put on, unless I was listening to my relaxing CDs in my bedroom.
You hold audio brainstorming sessions on twitch every Thursday what’s the funniest idea you have had on a live stream?
I guess it depends on what you find funny. I did a whole stream that was making drum and bass out of sounds from my breadmaker. There was another stream that I got the chat to contribute lyrics, and I ended up singing about my least favourite food (cheese)(I don’t eat cheese either!). In another, I used a voice message my friend had sent me telling me about how much fun it is to go mattress shopping.
Your lyrics are realistic, how easy do they come to you?
Your lyrics are realistic, how easy do they come to you?
Lyrics come to me all the time. I’m always writing them down. The ones I write down when I’m out and about often don’t end up being songs, but I pull bits I like from them when I sit down to make music.
I overthink things a lot and I think that’s quite helpful when it come to lyrics.
What’s the easiest and hardest part of the process for you?
The easiest part for me is writing and making the song. I love putting all the sounds together and making it sound how I want it to. The hardest part for me is mixing. I know I can do it, but it’s more that it is the least fun part of the process for me so I’m very easily distracted by making other things.
You have an EP coming out, what’s your favourite track from it?
My favourite track from the EP keeps changing depending on my mood. I guess right now, it’s one I made out of my sister’s humming, called ‘Refresh Impress’. I turned my sister’s humming into a bassline and synth. It’s kind of weird but bouncy.
Tell us a funny story from recording it?
Tell us a funny story from recording it?
I recently got a cat. He is very vocal, and when he wants attention he will meow a lot. He loves to be near me so gets upset and scratches the door if I shut him out of the room while I record. So there are quite a lot of outtakes from the more recent recordings I have done! I have started to sample his different meows in new songs though, so I’m putting him to good use!
COVID impacted the creative industry in a big way what kept you motivated?
COVID impacted the creative industry in a big way what kept you motivated?
As I make all my music at home, staying at home didn’t affect my creative process. It only made it better, because I had no reasons to leave. I got better at finishing things. The music itself kept me motivated, because it was one of the most interesting things to do while I couldn’t go and see friends or family.
2020 was a time to reflect what did you learn about yourself?
2020 was a time to reflect what did you learn about yourself?
I learned that I’m a people-pleaser and I need to do that a little less. Having time to myself is very healthy and necessary, and it allowed me to clear my head a lot.
What are you listening to at the moment?
I’m listening to a lot of Rival Consoles (particularly the albums Persona and Articulation), Lydmor (Capacity and I Told You I’d Tell Them Our Story), DjRUM (Portrait With Firewood), Kero Kero Bonito, and Posij. There are others, but those are the ones I can think of from the top of my head.
What are you looking forward to doing next?
I’m looking forward to playing at the Bread and Roses pub on the 12th in Clapham. I’m going to test out some new ideas I’ve had and I think it will be fun. I’m going to be shooting a music video towards the end of October, which I’m feeling quite buzzed about. This will be for one of the songs on the EP. I’m also looking forward to finishing the music video I have started for ‘3 Day Weekend’. Music videos are something that I really really enjoy.
