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Firstly, tell us about yourself how did you get into song writing and performing and who are your biggest influences? I got into song writing purely by chance, and onlyvery recently! I started a Jazz singing solo class at Morley collage about 8 years ago. I was terrified of singing in front of people at first, but after about a year plucked up the courage to sing a song all the way through. What followed was an amazing three or four years tracking down Jazz Jams inand around London. This amazing scene is where I met most of the musicians I’ve worked with over the past few years, including the producer of my EP, Jazz guitarist Francesco Lo Castro.
I got into writing in 2019 after I re discovered the album Dummy by Portishead and listened to it continually. It was only then that I decided that I wanted to make my own music.
You have a single coming out “Star” and an EP following “Another Dawn”. What can people expect from these? Star was really inspired by a few very brief moments but also the beauty and the sheer endurance of humanity. Its definitely a lot brighter than the other tracks on the EP, but I still think it nods towards my general reflective sensibility. The song still draws on struggle, albeit rising above it. The other four tracks on the EP are darker in mood. They explore themes of memory, loss and home. I’ve used lots of nature references, I often think about cycles in life, sometimes things are amazing and sometimes they’re not, but never stagnant. That is one thing you can rely on! Things are always changing.
The past year we have all been in many lockdowns which have effected the music industry. How have you kept yourself busy creatively in this time? I finished writing my EP and recorded the vocals for all 5 tracks at home! Originally it was going to recorded in my producer’s studio, possibly in November 2020, but then everything changed and I recorded it in my house!
I also revisited painting and drawing during the lockdowns, I think looking back I found getting lost in that was actually really therapeutic.
Do you have many plans going forward after lockdowns have been lifted? I’m a bit of last minute type person, chaotic, call it what you will! Organisation has never been a one of my strong points, I will definitely be scouting around for live music, that’s for sure. In terms of my own music, there’s a few things in the pipe line, watch this space!
How would you describe your live shows? That’s quite a difficult question to answer! Its so difficult to assess how you come across on stage. I haven’t performed my new tracks yet in front of an audience yet, or any of my material for that matter. I’ve always covered jazz standards. I tell really bad jokes sometimes, that’s fun! I think its nice to get the audience involved somehow!
