We sat down with this talented music artist to learn more about what makes her tick, her approaches to the creative process and much more in this exclusive interview with TAGG!
I felt a real need to challenge myself as an artist and write a tune that would scream fun, cheeky but moody too! My usual style of music has been known to have a cinematic alt-pop ballad feel which would suit well on the opening sequence to a tv/film. I do love this style so much, however I really felt drawn to show a cheekier upbeat side to my music which listeners haven’t seen before and a tune that they could bop to and have fun listening to.You’ve been compared to iconic artists like Adele and Paloma Faith for your theatrical ballads and powerful vocals. How do you feel these comparisons influence your artistic direction?
Firstly, it’s incredible to be compared to such amazing artists within the music industry! I really hope I’ll be up there one day alongside the big names! I can definitely dream ha! Although I am known for my own vocal sound, Adele’s songwriting has certainly impacted my artistic direction as a songwriter, especially as I feel we both share raw emotion within the delivery of our vocal performances. Mainly, the way in which Adele creates her own music has influenced my own writing process; both of our approaches to songwriting have been drawn from our own personal real-life experiences in terms of love and loss. Paloma Faith on the other hand, has such a distinguished image and a theatrical feel to her music, especially as she also adds her acting background within her own performances and music. She is also an actress like myself and this has certainly influenced my ideas.
‘Runaway’ explores themes of empowerment and self-worth after breaking free from an unhealthy relationship. How did your personal experiences shape the songwriting for this track?
My own personal experiences with unhealthy relationships/situations in the past have without doubt fuelled the creation of my music and my song ‘Runaway’. This song particularly represented a significant moment in my life when I had a realisation of the negative situations I had been in, it made me recognise the signs when someone you’re involved in doesn’t have your best intentions at heart. The song highlights the strength and confidence that can arise when you begin to realise your value and I began to acknowledge that I too deserved real love just like everyone else. I wrote this song for those who have faced similar challenges to me and I really wanted to speak my truth. My aim for this song is to make others feel liberated and confident to move away from these situations and be strong enough to speak out and make sure they are heard.
Can you tell us more about your collaboration with Aron Bicskey and the experimental songwriting sessions that led to ‘Runaway’?
Yes absolutely! It’s so great working with Aron, as a producer he is super talented and I feel like from day one he really got my sound musically and this was one of the reasons I really wanted to co-write with him. During the creative process of writing ‘Runaway’ together, the idea of going into a different musical direction was brought up in discussion and we both agreed it would be a good move to create a pop song which was more upbeat compared to my previous alt-pop ballads. We started experimenting with different chords, and synth sounds which gave an 80’s electronic pop feel and began improvising melodies and the lyrics began to form from there. When we began recording the song, I tried to channel a lot of attitude vocally as I really wanted ‘Runaway’ to feel empowering to those listening however cheeky at the same time.
Your debut single ‘Golden Dreams’ had a cinematic, alt-pop feel. How would you say your sound has evolved since then?
‘Golden Dreams’ has always been my signature tune, it was written at the UK Songwriting Festival in Dundee, where I met other songwriters from different parts of the world and this was a significant time which helped me begin developing my craft as a singer-songwriter. At that time I really wanted to write a James Bond Theme tune, this has been one of my ambitions since I was really young ha. From that point, a lot of my music felt like it had a cinematic feel to it and I could visualise it being played in the background of a crime TV drama or rom-com. Over the years, I have since then become more confident in my vocal ability, sound and the key message within my own music. In the recent three or four years my songwriting has evolved further, one of the main reasons was that I began teaching as a secondary drama/music teacher in Lincolnshire and this also inspired me to write music which would help the younger generation. Teaching has opened my eyes to the struggles that young people face and also has been a reminder of the constant pressures face in a school environment.
You’ve cited Kate Bush and Taylor Swift as key influences. How do these icons inspire your songwriting and performance style?
Kate has been a major influence of mine from a young age, I remember hearing her music for the first time and being so inspired by how distinctive and unique her sound was. She’s so different from any other artist I have heard of , she has a mystique feel to her and that mystery is what hooks you in. This is one of the reasons why I don’t usually tend to tell the full details of my songs, I really love for my listeners to use their own imaginations and create their own narrative.
Taylor Swift is absolutely massive right now, I feel she’s become a leading figure in popular music. Her styles have evolved over the years from being in the country scene to moving into a variety of musical directions such as indie-rock, folk, electronic and synth-pop. I feel this particularly has inspired me to challenge my music creativity and explore different musical directions.
With upcoming collaborations with Harry David and more work with Bicskey, can we expect further sonic experimentation in your future releases?
Yes absolutely, I really want to experiment with showing more theatrical vocal range within these collaborations as I also sing classically and would love to incorporate a bit of classical or opera into my music. One of my ambitions has always been to have one of my songs become the soundtrack of a film or drama series and the next song I have collaborated with Harry David on has a real ‘Stranger Things’ vibe because it feels dark but experimental.
You’ve performed across the UK and Spain, leaving a lasting impression on audiences. How do live performances influence your creative process?
When performing in front of a live audience I really get a feel for what the listeners most enjoy especially after gigs, usually, supporters will tell you which songs are their favourites and why. I love hearing their own meaning behind the songs you’ve written too! I really love to interact with my audience and this is also one of the reasons why I was inspired to go into a different musical direction with the new song ‘Runaway’ as I really wanted to add more music variety to my live shows and show more of my fun side when performing.
As you prepare for a string of performances in Europe next year, what can fans expect from your upcoming shows?
A whole lot of brand-new original music that hasn’t been performed yet! I’m so excited to be meeting new listeners and long-reigning supporters who have been there from day one. I’m embarking on this new fresh electronic pop feel signalled by the release of ‘Runaway’ and it will be great to show a more upbeat fun vibe to my upcoming shows which my supporters haven’t seen yet. I’m also classically trained as a mezzo-soprano so I’d love to put in one or two numbers to take my audience by surprise.
Your music has a strong emotional core, whether introspective or empowering. What do you hope listeners take away from your songs, especially with ‘Runaway’?
More than anything I really hope listeners will find my songs both relatable and healing! My main intention is to inspire others to feel empowered, liberated and hopeful no matter the challenges that life may bring them.
