Interview with Jemma Freeman and the Cosmic Something

First I'll start by asking about the name The Cosmic Something where did this name come from? The name was formed by accident, my friend Anika was putting on a Bella Union night all about space and the cosmos and had asked me to put together something Solo, we were struggling to think of a name so she suggested Jemma Freeman and The Cosmic...something? Intending to think of a more solid end to the name cosmic sweatshop, cosmic carrot...I don't know anyway, the ambiguity of the idea of an indeterminate something that had cosmic qualities felt evocative and magical to me. It was the first time most of the songs were played live aswell. Who would you say your biggest influences are? I learnt guitar by listening and copying my Mums T-Rex tapes on repeat for about 3 years, so Marc Bolan was instrumental in the foundations of my guitar playing, I was obsessed with anything and anyone that challenged the gender norm, although I wouldn't have been able to express it in those terms then. Subsequently I found fascination with anyone that was investigating and performing alternatives to the binary, David Bowie, Grace Jones, Brian Molko, Annie Lennox all gave me a window into a way of being and creating that seemed to speak so much more to me than the ostensibly cis indie artists of the time. I am always looking for new ideas and new sounds, I hear that before the words usually, anything can and is an influence; who you last spoke to, the political climate, your personal relationships, these things are bigger influences now than artists to me. I've been a fan of your music since I checked it out online after listening to some of the acts confirmed for last years Loud Women festival. So I was glad to see that you have a show In my home town of Middlesbrough coming up. How would you describe your live shows to someone who hasn't seen you live yet? Frenetic, glam psychedelia, often performed in drag, matching boiler suits, glitter and enough effects pedals for a band with twice as many members. I seek to disrupt the gender binary and male gaze. I want to empower women and non binary people, looking pretty on stage isn't my way, sweating, bleeding, breathing hard can akll be beautiful if you deprogram your expectations of what's prescribed.

You released your first album "Oh Really, What's That Then?" last year and it was featured in Popoptia's  and Louder Than Wars top 50 of the year. How do you feel whole response to the album has been? It's been overwhelmingly well received which I am so grateful for. It's really meant something that it's been read and appreciated in the way it was intended. I am touched that people have spent the time to understand it's concepts and connected to it. It's all you can really ask for as an artist, so thank you folks!

The song "Find a Place" was one of my personal favorite songs of 2019. The song seems to have message about finding you own place in the world and has a genuine and honest feel to it. What can you tell me about the background to this song? The song is about feeling empowered and finding your stage, or place where you fit in physically and psychologically. The concept of the song itself is about the duality of our internal and external representations of ourselves. The idea of feeling empowered and the external image finally matching with my internal narrative. I've always felt genderless or imbued with maleness when I play live but it wasn't until I performed in drag that i felt I could access those parts of me. For those elements to align was a powerful experience. The kind of cathartic nature of finally presenting your most inner power very publicly and using what could be paranoia or undermining thoughts to your advantage.

It was actually recorded as two different performances of the track and mixed both versions in mono. As a result, in the full stereo version both mono mixes are playing at the same time, one panned hard left and the other hard right. This adds to the ethereal feel of the track as the brain processes both inputs. Producer Mark Estall was inspired by the ideas of Jason Pierce of Spiritualized who had intended to record their album ‘Ladies & Gentlemen... /Let It Come Down’ this way, but didn’t due to lack of funds.

With 2019 now behind us all what would you say some of your favorite moment were from the year? Touring Italy was an incredible privilege, visiting remote social clubs, seeing beautiful mountains and being asked to come and perform to people was a validating and challenging experience. Three years ago when I started the band I could never have believed that we would have got to achieve such a thing. Every little milestone is appreciated and important to me, I used to report daily to my girlfriend at the time when we got a new follower on Facebook or a like on Youtube, it didn't go unnoticed and so something like this feels monumental.

What are your plans for 2020? Crack on with album two, release some more tracks and hopefully play some festivals (Book us!) oh and maybe do a woodworking course and learn to drive Rhonda (Tour Honda)

And finally if you could recommend five acts for people to check out who would they be?

• Hurtling - Jen Macros voice is a revelation, and their guitar playing is magical, you must try and see them live as well, one of my favorite gigs of the year.

• Best Praxis - They have the best song about an orgasm you will hear perhaps ever, again, catch them live

• Fran Lobo - Expect big things from Fran this year, two new EPs and some video and live shows, she is an eclectic electronic artist and producer, gliding her magical voice across tempos and genres 

• Brian Eno - Not new and I don't think he is due to release anything, but if you havent heard of him i think he might blow your mind, Here Come The Warmjets  and Another Green World would be my suggested starting place and then Music For Airports

• Erkin Koray - Turkish psychedelia with some wild guitars... 

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Photos - Suzi Corker