INTERVIEW: Lauren Ruth Ward

INTERVIEW:

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PHOTO CREDIT: Mara Stusser  

Lauren Ruth Ward

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THERE is a train of thought that suggests…

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PHOTO CREDIT: Victoria Craven

solo artists, for the most part, try to fit into crowds and handy boxes. Whilst that might be true for many out there; songwriters like Lauren Ruth Ward defy convention and predictability – offering something truly special and spirited. I have been speaking to her about the video for Blue Collar Sex Kitten – a song that has garnered a lot of praise and focus. She talks about her debut album, Well, Hell – and, with tour dates forming, she plans on coming to the U.K.

Ward talks about the scene in L.A. – where she is based – and how it feels being compared to artists like Janis Joplin; what she has planned for the rest of this year; new artists worth a shout – ending the interview with a great song choice.

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For those new to your music; can you introduce yourself, please?

I am Lauren Ruth Ward; a musician from Baltimore, MD; currently residing in Los Angeles.

Blue Collar Sex Kitten is your new track. I like the video a lot! It mixes black-and-white vintage with a modern urgency. What is the background of the song?

We actually released (the track) Blue Collar Sex Kitten on May 1, 2017 - we recently released the music video. This song was very stream-of-consciousness for me. Its meaning is about who I am and how I see the world, mixed with some lighter lines. Everything came thru while allowing myself to just write and not think (too hard).

Well, Hell is your recent album. Were there particular events that influenced your songwriting? Is there a song from the album that stands out above the rest?

Well, Hell is our debut album. No particular events triggered the songs: my life, in general, fed the stories. All the songs play a part in the finished product. If I had to single out one song: Staff Only; because it's, currently, my favorite to perform/opening with - I love my band's harmonies in the intro.

Really gets me into it.

Which musician did you grow up on? Can you each remember the first album you ever bought?

I grew up predominantly listening to music from the ’60s and ’70s; Classic-Rock, Motown; Disco etc. The first C.D. I bought was Hanson - Middle of Nowhere.

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PHOTO CREDIT: Hattie Watson

I hear tones of Janis Joplin and Florence Welch! It seems you are compelled by strong female voices. What is it about artists like Joplin that speak to you?

Being compared to Janis is an honor. I don't necessarily pull inspiration from her or one person (or woman). I've always loved to perform. As a child, I danced, cheer-leaded; sang/played guitar in talent shows. My live show is still me loving performance. When I have people’s attention, I feel I need to give them all of me. (I often hear it’s my live performance that makes them think of Janis).

You are based in America. What is the scene like where you are? Are you mostly based in L.A. at the moment?

I live in L.A. The music scene is alive and thriving. I go to two-seven shows a week. The energy is palpable. It’s very special.

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PHOTO CREDIT: Lexi Bonin

Will you come to the U.K. and perform this year? Are you a fan of British music?

I WOULD LOVE TO! I am a huge fan of British music (The Beatles - hello!) (Smiles).

Have you got a favourite memory from your time in music – the one that sticks in the mind?

Many. Opening for my partner (LP) in Italy and France, April of 2017. The crowds were massive and loving. Though it was only four shows, I imagined how great life would be to tour together - doing what I love and being able to be with her.

What advice would you give to new artists coming through?

Believe in yourself. Create something that is true to you. You will never have to ‘reinvent’ or (decide) ‘what to do next’. Just do you.

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IN THIS PHOTO: Jen Cloher/PHOTO CREDIT: Tajette O'Halloran

Are there any new acts you advise we check out?

Jen Cloher, The Blank Tapes and Vista Kicks.

Do you get much time to chill away from music? How do you unwind?

No.

Finally, and for being a good sport; you can choose a song and I’ll play it here (not any of your music - I will do that).

Jen Cloher - Forgot Myself

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INTERVIEW: Of Good Nature

INTERVIEW:

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Of Good Nature

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BASED out of North Carolina…

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Of Good Nature are an incredible band that deserve more acclaim. The U.S. group discuss their single, Take Me Anywhere, and its story of frustrated love. The guys give me a glimpse into their upcoming plans and what music they were raised on – and how Reggae has moved on over the years.

The Reggae-Rock-Funk band reveal whether they’ll play the U.K. soon; what it was like working with producer Danny Kalb on their latest track; what the scene is like in North Carolina – they share their best memories from music so far.

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Hi, guys. How are you? How has your week been?

Great! Just got off the Sail Across the Sun cruise - which was completely insane.

For those new to your music; can you introduce yourselves, please?

Sure! Hi. We are Of Good Nature. It’s hard to pin us down, musically, but we have great influence from Rock to Jazz/Funk to Reggae. In the studio, we try to wrap that into a good radio edit – but, live, you might catch us extending the song into a high-energy jam. We like it all!

Take Me Anywhere is your new single. What is the tale behind the song?

The lyrics speak about a female who is looking for more in life - but, the story can be relatable to anyone striving for more in life and feeling stuck in their passion (ourselves included).

It was recorded at White Star Sound with legendary producer Danny Kalb. How important was the studio space and Kalb to the overall sound?

Danny was a great leader in the whole process. He recommended White Star because of the comfort and space out there. Everyone in the band was relaxed and pushing out their best performance. 

Is there going to be more music coming? Will there be an album out before the end of this year?

Yes! We have three more singles finished and dropping in the upcoming months. This leads us into another recording session with Danny in the summer.

Expect a lot of content coming from us in 2018...

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How do you feel you have changed since your debut album, Just Add Water?

We’ve matured as writers and players, for sure. We’ve put in a lot of time on the road, on stage and (with) writing and recording. Also, we are a different larger lineup than the debut album. It’s awesome to feel we are hitting a real stride in the recording and touring processes. 

You guys are based out of North Carolina. Is there quite a big and varied scene there? How did Of Good Nature come together?

North Carolina, and our hometown of Charlotte, has built quite the scene the past years. Bands like Simplified and Sun-Dried Vibes are based in the area - and we have a cool community that is great to be in when off the road. Of Good Nature began (just) playing around in different parts of the town and then just grew from there.

We’ve learned a lot along the way - from working alongside, and looking up to, our friends and bands from the area.

Your music fits with the new wave of East Coast style of Reggae – drawing in other genres and styles. Do you have a close connection with like-minded bands in the area? Is there quite a tight-knight community regarding the type of music you play?

The community of our scene is the best. We have met so many friends - and continue to do so.  Surrounded by the Sound Music Festival is a total capture of the East Coast Reggae scene. (It’s Labor Day weekend in Long Creek, S.C.).

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How do you think Reggae has changed and evolved over the past few decades?

Just like all music; Reggae has shaped, shifted and taken many different forms. It has popularized the genre, which is great. I think it’s also very important to recognize the real Roots-Reggae bands and groups who keep true to the Jamaican sound. We are not one of those, nor claim to be, but it’s been great to play alongside bands like The Expanders, Steel Pulse and many others.

Which musician did you all grow up on? Can you remember the first album you ever bought?

Most of us grew up in this transition from radio to the digital age. I think that really shows in our music. I remember buying Offspring (Americana) and Eminem (The Slim Shady LP) at CD Warehouse as my first personal purchases.

What gigs do you have coming up? Where can we catch you play later this year?

Were currently touring all over the U.S. We'll visit the East Coast through spring - and play across the country in the fall.

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Will the U.K. be part of your plans? What do you think of the music out this way?

The U.K. is definitely on our wish-list. We would love to get a festival or something out that way. Music out in the U.K. has deep influences - which we relate to.

What do you each hope to achieve in 2018?

We want to get our music to more and more people, all over the world. Our new and upcoming releases are songs that, we believe, are attainable for all types of humans. The Internet is a beautiful way to connect. Through spins and streams, we can reach listeners and get them out to a live show - which is what we love the most.

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Have you all got a favourite memory from your time in music – the one that sticks in the mind?

The two Sail Across the Sun cruises we’ve done are, probably, the most memorable for us. It’s a five-day music festival packed onto a cruise ship. Train, Robert Randolph; Michael Franti and Gym Class Heroes were there, to name a few. The fans and energy on the boat are unforgettable. We hope to get on many more - and highly recommend any kind of cruise festival Sixthman puts on. 

What advice would you give to new artists coming through?

Learn to manage time for all parts of the business. Put out good content and figure out how to be unique. Talk with your friends, A.K.A. other artists, and do cool stuff!

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IN THIS PHOTO: The Ries Brothers

Who are the new artists we should keep our eyes on? Give us some recommendations...

The Ries Brothers are some young talent. They're a two-piece band that consists of a lead guitarist and a drummer/key bass/lead singer.

Do you all get much time to chill away from music? How do you unwind?

Cooking and spending time with family and friends is a good way to unwind. Music is always around, though.

Finally, and for being good sports; you can each choose a song and I’ll play it here (not any of your music - I will do that).

Passafire - Growing Up

Trombone Shorty - Here Come the Girls

Bootsy Collins - I’d Rather Be With You

VULFPECK – Dean Town

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Follow Of Good Nature

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INTERVIEW: Phebe Edwards

INTERVIEW:

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Phebe Edwards

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I have been spending time with Phebe Edwards…

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who reveals the story behind her latest cut, Space. Edwards talks about working with Cameron Bloomfield and Kadeem Clarke on the song; whether it all came together quite quickly; the incredible artists she has worked with in the past – whether forthcoming gigs with Gabrielle are getting her excited!

I ask what producer Luke ‘G-kid’ Grant brought to her current single; how her tour schedule is shaping up; if music allows her any spare time to reflect – she recommends a new artist we need to get involved with.

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Hi, Phebe. How are you? How has your week been?

It’s been good, thank you. Apart from tackling the flu; I’ve enjoyed seeing the response to my new track, Space - so that has, somehow, helped me keep my mind off the achy joints and blocked nose!

For those new to your music; can you introduce yourself, please?

Hey there listeners and readers. My name is Phebe Edwards and I am an independent singer-songwriter from London. I’ve worked in this industry for a long time as a backing vocalist and featured for various artists - and now, finally; I have the chance to release my own music...

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Can you name some of the other artists you’ve worked with?

I’ve worked with Liam Gallagher, James Brown; Rita Ora, Jessie J and Stormzy, to name a few. Most recently; I featured on the song, Focus - it is on Craig David’s latest album.

What can you tell me about the single, Space? What is the tale behind it?

Space was written about three years ago and features Cameron Bloomfield. It expresses the sentiment of being trapped in a stifling relationship - from both a female and male perspective.

From past performances, I’ve I have been known to sing high and with power. Space shows a very different side of my voice: it’s an emotional ballad that was written from life experience.

It sounds quite natural and personal. Was it easy putting the song together?

It started from talking about different phases people go through in relationships. The process was very organic: the lyrics developed alongside the music.

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Cameron Bloomfield and Kadeem Clarke are on the track. What was it like working with them?

These guys are a joy to work with. Such a laugh! Every time we’ve been in a session together, it’s been hard to finish and actually go home as our vibes are so cool. They are so lovely and funny, too! 

Luke ‘G-kid’ Grant produced the song. What, do you feel, he brings to the song?

I’ve worked with Luke on a few songs now and there’s something about his production that excites me. Every time I go to Luke with an idea and he says “leave it with me”; it’s guaranteed that, the moment you hear what he’s put together, you're going to be happy with it. Listening to the growth of the song, from the initial writing session to the production of the track…I couldn’t wait to sing on it!

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Is there going to be more material coming before the end of the year?

There sure is! I’m working on the next release as we speak - and keep your eyes peeled for the E.P. 

Which artists did you grow up around? I hear shades of Mary J. Blige in your tones. Is she a big idol?

I have a few idols: Mary J. Blige is one of them! Along with Fantasia Barrino, Coko from SWV (Sisters with Voices) and the great Aretha Franklin. I was brought up listening to a lot of Gospel. I’m a massive Whitney Houston fan, also... 

Her songs, vocals and lyrics are a great inspiration to me.

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I believe you are opening for Gabrielle soon! Are you a big fan of her work?!

I’ve worked with Gabrielle for a long time on numerous occasions - and I sure am a big fan of hers! She is a phenomenal artist and a lot of her songs hit home for me, lyrically and emotionally. I’m so excited to have been invited back to the iconic Jazz Café in Camden to open for her album launch on 8th May!

What do you hope to achieve in 2018?

Personally; 2017 was a massive learning curve for me, which taught me so much about myself and, also, my music. 2017 redirected my purpose for 2018: take my music to the next level (of what I promised myself and my listeners).

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Have you got a favourite memory from your time in music – the one that sticks in the mind?

Seeing my first single hit number-fourteen in the R&B charts in 2014 was a memorable moment for me.

What advice would you give to new artists coming through?

From personal experience; consistency, persistence and patience are key. Try not to miss opportunities to showcase your talent, no matter how big or small. Keep pushing and networking and, with all the highs and lows, keep believing in yourself.

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IN THIS PHOTO: H.E.R.

Are there any new artists you recommend we check out?

To be honest; I love H.E.R. at the moment. I was gutted that I missed her recent show in London. Love H.E.R. - check her out.

Do you get much time to chill away from music? How do you unwind?

Everyone knows I love a cup of tea. I’m actually a tea-a-holic, in fact!

I also enjoy a good boxing session at the gym. Fitness has become a new focus of mine and, recently, I have gone through a big transition with my health - and I aim to maintain it.

Finally, and for being a good sport; you can choose a song and I’ll play it here (not any of your music - I will do that).

I’ve currently got H.E.R.’s Focus on-repeat – enjoy (smiles).

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INTERVIEW: Liz Asaro

INTERVIEW:

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Liz Asaro

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WITH a new single out…

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on 16th April; I was eager to talk to Liz Asaro about Take Me Home – a song that announces her as a serious talent to watch. She discusses her path into music and the artists who influenced her; whether there is going to be more material following; how important New York, and its people, is to her creativity and sound – and, whether she is coming to the U.K.

Asaro talks about her Irish roots and her songwriting process; whether she has a favourite memory from her time in music; how she unwinds when she isn’t recording – ending the interview with an Arctic Monkeys-scented closing song.

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Hi, Liz. How are you? How has your week been?

Insane, really…and great! My E.P. is being mixed this week and I am really excited about it! I went to see Bruce Springsteen on Broadway and that was a treat. Nothing more inspiring than going to see one of the world’s best songwriters perform in such an intimate venue! Also; I went to a Broadway show with my kids - so a lotta good stuff!

For those new to your music; can you introduce yourself, please?

I am an Alternative-Rock artist. I live in New York City and I am a mom of three! As an artist, I am influenced by anything from Classic-Rock, to Grunge; to Metal, to Pop. I love writing lyrics and I try to make them meaningful without being too contrived. I, obviously, have a message I want to convey, but I like to leave room for the listener’s own interpretation. I love cool percussive sounds and a little edge to my music - with the vocal floating on top; often contrasting the instrumentation.

Take Me Home is your new track. What is the story behind it?

This song is about my good friend Mark Martinez, who passed away a few years ago. He embraced life like no other and touched so, so many lives. He always followed his dreams and challenged himself; while he constantly inspired everyone else in his life to do the same. It is about him and his passion for all that this life has to offer.

The track, clearly, has emotional relevance. Was it challenging putting it down on paper and hearing it back?!

Writing it was not hard: it was amazing once I finally had an arrangement, and even some remixes, that I liked! I wrote it in the shower one day and it took a bunch of instrumental arrangements to finally, stylistically, get to one I liked. Now, it makes me smile every time I hear it - and I do hope Mark likes it; wherever he is.

What comes next in terms of material?

I have a five-song E.P. coming out very soon! It’s being mixed as we speak! I’m shooting a video in London in April and booking gigs in the U.S. and U.K.!

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Did music come into your life early? What got you hooked on it?

Not really! I mean, I have always been a huge music lover and it’s always been a part of my life that way. Music satisfies whatever emotion I need to be addressed - and I have always been good at utilizing and enjoying it in that capacity. But, I didn’t grow up in a family of musicians or anything like that. I was pretty timid about entering the realm of making music until later in life...

Once I found the first few people that helped me start writing, I just kept networking and pushing forward; working with as many people as I could. I realized, quickly, how attainable this was for me because I was so driven to do it…so I just kept going. I love it.

How inspiring is Manhattan when it comes to writing? Do you take a lot from the people around you?

I love people and I love understanding what makes them tick. So; Manhattan is very inspiring, for better or for worse! It’s a crazy place; it’s infectious and there is nothing like it. I love being surrounded by so many cultures, opinions; tastes, activities etc. I write a lot about human nature - so it works for me!

I know you have Irish roots. Does that heritage play a part in your music would you say?

I think so. Funnily, when my current manager David Rowell heard my music for the first time, he immediately said: “Oh, she’s Irish!”. So, I guess there must be something in my vocal tonality and, also (perhaps), in some of the instrumentation that might make you think that. I love cool percussive beats - and some of them may lean toward Celtic. My music has been likened to The Cranberries on many occasions, which I take as a big compliment!

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Which musicians did you grow up on? Can you each remember the first album you ever bought?

The first album that I remember buying was In My Tribe by 10,000 Maniacs! I loved Natalie Merchant’s voice and I am honoured that people often tell me I sound like her.

Overall, I am a Rock girl. My favorite music, growing up, was 1990s Rock: Soundgarden, Stone Temple Pilots; Alice in Chains etc. I am also a huge Led Zeppelin fan and I love most Classic-Rock. I have so many favorite female vocalists: Debby Harry, Doloros O’Riordan, Alanis Morissette and Shirley Manson. I love music. It’s impossible to name all the bands I loved growing up!

Can we see you tour soon? What gigs do you have coming up?

I will be booking gigs soon! Just got finished recording an E.P. and it's being mixed. I will be putting together shows very soon!

Do you reckon you’ll come to the U.K. and play? Do you listen to a lot of British music?

Absolutely! We are looking into that soon! I listen to all music! I have been spending a lot of time over there writing and recording - and I love my team in the U.K.! I am happy to be exposed to even more British artists than I would have otherwise been.

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What do you hope to achieve in 2018?

I am so excited about getting this E.P. out. I can’t wait to play live again with a full band because it’s been a few months focused on writing. I love networking and meeting people, so I hope that the promotion and performances of this new music will help build a bigger audience. I love the give-and-take of music. I love this industry, as nuts as it can be! I’m also not slowing down with writing. I am very inspired right now and I am writing with as many people as I can!

Have you got a favourite memory from your time in music – the one that sticks in the mind?

So many - but one of those would be the first time I worked in the studio recording with Gerry Leonard; long-time guitarist and M.D. for David Bowie. It was the first time someone of that calibre had played on my music - and it was my first body of work. Gerry is a phenomenally atmospheric player and he adds layers upon layers of beautiful sounds to a song. When we took a minute to play back the takes over the speakers in the studio; there were some moments of ‘Wow, I really have some awesome songs here. Big sounds that will truly move people’.

Never mind the simultaneous feeling - that I had become worthy of people of that calibre working with me and becoming my friends and supporters.

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What advice would you give to new artists coming through?

Two important things that stick with me, as I move through this journey, are this. First: you have to mean it. You have to be genuine. If you are making music from a genuine place, people will believe you; they will want to work with you and they will want to listen to you. Music reaches people when it is genuine. All humans know this in their core.

Secondly: be in it. Be around music, go to shows; talk to artists…not just about the technical stuff, but about life. Watch shows, learn what you want to do and what you don’t want to do. Absorb it all and give back what you can from your soul.

Do you get much time to chill away from music? How do you unwind?

Time away from music: yes! Chill: not so much! Tons of kid’s activities to keep me occupied and in reality! I love being with them!  I also work out. I box and I snowboard.

In the summer, I try to be at the beach or wake-surfing as much as I can! I am also just a huge fan of being with my friends and family: gatherings, dinners; dancing, live music - whatever social stuff I can do with them makes me happy!

Finally, and for being a good sport; you can choose a song and I’ll play it here (not any of your music - I will do that).

Today, I pick….

Arctic Monkeys - R U Mine?

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INTERVIEW: Jaafar

INTERVIEW:

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Jaafar

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RUNNING a music blog…

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means, at times, speaking to an artist who hails from a part of the world, one assumes, has a very narrow music scene. I have been talking with Jordan’s Jaafar about his career and the musical culture of his country. He opens up about his latest track, Yara, and the story behind it; how it differs from the mega-successful, Sixteen, and whether more material will come – and the tour dates he has booked.

Jaafar tells me about his influences and why Peter Gabriel is a big draw; whether there is a moment to reflect outside of music; if he will come to the U.K. and see us at some point – also; if he can recall the first album he ever bought!

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Hi, Jaafar. How are you? How has your week been?

Hello! It’s been great so far. Tiring but great. We’re half-way through a press tour to promote my new single.. so there’s been a lot of traveling.

For those new to your music; can you introduce yourself, please?

Sure. My name is Jaafar. I’m a singer and songwriter from Jordan. I think the best word to describe my sound is ‘fusion’. Listen to my song, Dalia...that’s the best introduction to my music.

Yara is your new track. Can you reveal the story behind the song?

Yara was written very quickly.

I went into the studio with the verse and melody and, within an hour, we had written the whole song and completed the demo in the same session. Sonically, it’s a fun song that’s very much a fusion of World sounds with different Pop and Rock elements. I wrote the song about a girl who I was in to at the time. There are all the themes of a new love interest: declaration, longing; confusion, frustration...

It follows the hugely successful, Sixteen. Was it intimidating following that song?! What has been your reaction to its success?

Sixteen was a turning point in my career. It opened doors for me and introduced me to a much broader audience. Even within the industry, people started to take notice. I guess I was more excited to follow that up than nervous. Now, when I put new music out, people are eager to take a listen.

That song looked at the refugee-crisis in the Middle East. Are the politics and social strife of the area something that compels anger and creative drive?

Injustice is aggravating - especially where youth is involved. When I wrote Sixteen; I was really affected by everything going on - and by what I was seeing on the news. I was living in America at the time and I think, being far from home and far from the region, intensified that feeling.

I was not in a headspace to write love songs….

Will there be an E.P. or album later in the year, perhaps?

Yes - a full-length album. My first one! I can’t wait to share it with everyone.

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You are a Jordanian songwriter. Is there a lot of good new music in the country? How much of the music scene is comprised of Western sounds?

Sure; there’s good music. It’s not necessarily at the forefront, though. It’s tough to be a musician in Jordan. There’s still not a fully-formed industry. Hopefully, I can be one of the people who helps change that.

How much of the scene is comprised of Western music? Very little.

I hear hints of Peter Gabriel in your music. Which artists influence your own sounds?

I love Peter Gabriel!

The list is so long and varied: The Police, Cheb Khaled; Sayyid Darwish, Cat Stevens...to name a few.

Can you each remember the first album you ever bought?

No; but I can remember some of the very first records I listened too - they were my dad’s. Like, for example, 1, 2, 3 Soleil (Live à Bercy) by Khaled, Faudel and Rachid Taha.

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Can we see you tour soon? What gigs do you have coming up?

Yes! I can’t wait. We’ll start touring early-summer. We’re doing a mixture of festival dates as well as headlining shows - and I’ll also be the opening act at a couple of shows.

Do you reckon you’ll come to the U.K. and play? Do you listen to a lot of British music?

Yes. We’ll be playing in London in June! I’m very excited. I’ve never played the U.K. before.

What do you hope to achieve in 2018?

I hope, just, to be able to be on stage and share my music with the world...and have a good time doing it.

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Have you got a favourite memory from your time in music – the one that sticks in the mind?

There are so many. Most of them are (of) memories on stage or preparing for a show. I love performing live and putting together a show. I also have so many great memories traveling the world in order to perform or promote my music. That’s one of the blessings of this job: it takes you around the world and you get to experience so much.

What advice would you give to new artists coming through?

This is a brutal industry and, so, be honest with yourself. Refine your craft and surround yourself with people you can trust - and who give you positive energy and tell you the truth.

Do you get much time to chill away from music? How do you unwind?

Yes, I do. I think it’s important.

At the end of 2016, I was completely spent because it had been, like, three years of non-stop work. So; I took some time off and recharged. I unwind by doing nothing! Just hanging out with friends…

Traveling anywhere there’s a beach.

Finally, and for being a good sport; you can choose a song and I’ll play it here (not any of your music - I will do that).

This Is the Picture (Excellent Birds) - Peter Gabriel

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INTERVIEW: Charlie Grant

INTERVIEW:

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PHOTO CREDIT: Cristobal Rey 

Charlie Grant

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I have been talking to Charlie Grant…

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about his move to Berlin - and why he decided to head to the city. Grant talks about his new work, The Astronaut EP, and some of the themes that go into it; what sort of music got him started and hooked; how he transitioned from writing songs for big names (including Melanie C) and embarking on his own career – and what tour dates we can look forward to.

I discover how The Astronaut EP differs from his past work; what advice Grant would give new musicians; what his treasured memories of music are; how he spends time away from music – and what the next steps of his career will entail.

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Hi, Charlie. How are you? How has your week been?

Hi! I’m good, thanks. I played a gig in Berlin last night and did a couple of new songs that went down a storm. So, I’m still buzzing from that. I’m also recording a song for my next E.P. next week, so was rehearsing it with my band. It’s a very energetic and up-tempo tune where everyone gets to rock-out - so that’s going to be a lot of fun.

For those new to your music; can you introduce yourself, please?

I guess the obvious phrase to describe what I do is ‘singer/songwriter’, but I’d say there are also elements of Rock, Blues; Americana and straight-up Pop in there, too. I’m a fan of the craft of songwriting and I like storytelling in songs. Being able to work with great musicians never fails to be exciting and inspiring for me. Especially great drummers - I’m in awe of them.

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PHOTO CREDIT: Danny Feng

Tell me about your new work, The Astronaut EP. What themes and ideas compelled the creation?

Well. The song, Astronaut, was inspired, lyrically, by becoming a dad for the first time. I wrote it with two other artists, Jonathan Kluth and Flavian Graber from the band, We Invented Paris. Flavian has a daughter - and I’d just found out I was going to be a father. It’s about how it can be hard not to let the disappointments and losses that come with life shut down the part of you that can be touched by simple things. That kind of innocence and joy that is natural for children: everything is new and amazing to them.

Other than that; there is a song about wishing you could talk to the future version of yourself and get some reassurance that everything is going to be ok - and one called Blood Don’t Lie that talks about how, sometimes, your body won’t let you keep secrets, in the context of being around someone who you have strong feelings for but they doesn’t necessarily know about it. I think my favourite song on the E.P., lyrically, is Born Broken. It’s inspired by those times when someone you care about is in a weird relationship. Like, when a person, deep down, doesn’t believe they are worthy of being loved; so they keep choosing people who treat them badly.

How do you think the E.P. differs from your previous work? Are you more adventurous as a songwriter would you say?

I’d say I’m getting more adventurous as far as experimenting with different sounds goes but, in all honesty; I’m not that interested in trying to reinvent the wheel when it comes to songwriting. I am interested in breaking free from traditional song structure more but it’s hard - and the trouble is it (just) works brilliantly; so it’s a bit of a case of ‘if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it’…

The more I write, I feel (like) simplicity is the ultimate form of sophistication, so I don’t know how that fits in with being adventurous yet.

The single, Astronaut, is out. It is an uplifting and compelling track. What was the decision behind releasing the track to the world?

It connects with me a lot because it’s inspired by a huge recent event in my life; so it resonates with me at the moment - and I felt that it could do that with other people too. I like the energy of the track and, yeah, I think it has an uplifting quality to it and a kind of innocence to it in a way. Maybe people could use some of that with all the grim stuff going on in the world…

I know the 1970s plays a part in your tastes and music choices. What sort of music were you raised on?

My parents were both, mostly, into Classical music but really loved a few 1960s and 1970s bands like The Beatles, Simon & Garfunkel, ABBA: things like that. I remember being five or six and (just) wanting to listen to A Hard Day’s Night and Help! over and over again. It was overwhelming in a way: the energy and the amazing melodies. We lived in a remote part of Scotland with an ancient T.V. that could only pick up two channels in black-and-white, but we watched Top of the Pops religiously and enjoyed passing judgement on who was great and who was crap.

Later on, my dad lived in the U.S., so my brother and I would visit him in the school holidays and I got exposed to lots of the greats from the 1980s like Prince and The Police via MTV – and, really, that’s when my music obsession started properly. Much later on, I got really into 1970s Soft-Rock: stuff like Fleetwood Mac, Bread; the Eagles and Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers.

Also, The Beach Boys - stuff that came after Pet Sounds. I don’t know why it speaks to me so much; it’s just undeniable somehow. It’s funny that Yacht-Rock is finally considered cool nowadays. I consider the fact that my daughter Coco asks to hear Steely Dan to comfort her if she’s upset (to be) a huge parenting achievement.

You started in the U.K. - and wrote songs for big names such as Mel C! Was that quite an enjoyable time? Do you feel you were honing songwriting skills whilst penning for others – or was it quite a stale time?

It was great because, when I got my first publishing deal as a songwriter in London, it was the first time I’d ever felt acknowledged, and actually got paid...so it meant a lot. I could finally give up the day job. It was definitely a time of honing my skills, working with some great people and learning all the time.

It did get stale though in some ways, eventually. I made the mistake of neglecting the part of me that is an artist by nature.

What was the reason for embarking on your own music? How come you decided to move to Berlin?

When you are writing for others, you are more there to provide a service than to satisfy your own muse. It’s rewarding in its own way, but I missed the freedom of being able to express myself without having to think of anyone else. That, eventually, led me to start work on my own artist project, though; so I guess it was all part of the big picture. I also had a stockpile of songs that I really liked that were kind of just sitting around - so I thought I’d do them my way and have some fun with them.

I came to Berlin for a songwriting camp in 2010 and had an amazing time here. I met enough like-minded musicians and writers to start coming back a few times a year. Meeting my now-wife here in 2012 sealed the deal as far as moving over goes…and I’ve never looked back.

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PHOTO CREDIT: Cristobal Rey 

Is there a very different pace in the German capital? Would you advise other artists to come over there?

Compared to London; I find Berlin actually very laid-back and the music scene is on a much smaller scale - in a good way. It’s kind of more manageable and everyone knows everyone. It feels pretty friendly and communal in that way. London is way more competitive, as surviving there as a musician is bloody hard - which makes people more ruthless almost by necessity. That pressure can push people to do their best work, though: things being too cushy isn’t always conducive to digging deep.

Generally, though, I do prefer it here and it’s an exciting time to be part of it as Berlin is, more and more, becoming a creative hub on a global level. So, yeah; I would recommend it.

Which musicians did you grow up on? Can you remember the first album you ever bought?

Apart from the ones I mentioned before; I went through a massive Rock and Metal phase. My older brother got me into Led Zeppelin and I loved some of the poodle-hair bands of the 1980s like Van Halen and Def Leppard and, then, eventually Nirvana and lots of 1990s Alternative-Rock bands. Also, Beck, Jeff Buckley and Elliott Smith…I got heavily into soul artists like Stevie Wonder and Bill Withers at some point, too.

The first album I bought was Queen’s Greatest Hits on cassette.

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PHOTO CREDIT: Diogo Castro

Can we see you tour soon? What gigs do you have coming up?

I’m in the early planning stages of a German tour in the autumn but, right now, I’m mostly focussed on getting the next E.P. ready to release – it will come out in late-May. I do have some Berlin and London gigs coming up, though:

24th April: Prachtwerk Berlin (with Dorothy Bird and Adam Wendler)

18th/19th August: London Express Live (support for Lee Mead)

23rd August: Artliners Berlin (with Mike Featherstone)

20th September: Be’kech Berlin

What do you hope to achieve in 2018?

I’d love to keep building on the great start we’ve made getting Astronaut out there on the radio in Germany; start playing more gigs further afield and getting some songs on some well-known Spotify playlists. My big dream for this year, though, is to put out a fourth E.P. and, then, compile them all together on a double vinyl album. That would feel like an amazing way of wrapping up all the work I’ve done so far as an artist.

Have you got a favourite memory from your time in music – the one that sticks in the mind?

That’s a tricky one: there are lots…

One of the best was a couple of years ago when I was touring in the U.K. as support for my friend, Ben Montague. We played at a venue in Newcastle called The Cluny and it was packed. I was, basically, unknown to everyone there but the reaction when I played was overwhelming. People really got it and were singing along with songs by the last chorus - it was magical. It was such a great feeling and it gave me a huge boost in confidence to keep doing what I’m doing.

What advice would you give to new artists coming through?

Don’t be too precious about your work: all artists are in love with what they create to an extent and that can blind them to whether it’s actually any good or not. Play live a lot. Open mic nights are a brilliant way to start. I still enjoy doing them pretty regularly. If you are an introvert like me, it can be hard to put yourself out there and risk being criticised (or worse); no-one giving a sh*t either way, but you have to be seen and heard.

You end up meeting like-minded souls along the way and you can support each other - it can feel like a lonely path, but it doesn’t have to be. Feeling like you are part of a community of fellow musicians can really sustain you through difficult times when it feels like nothing’s working out, I think.

Everyone’s been there at some point.

Do you get much time to chill away from music? How do you unwind?

Um; not really, to be honest! My daughter is two so, the last couple of years have been full-on. It’s wonderful, though, and I love my life. I still have a lot I want to achieve - so chilling out is hold for a while longer, I expect.

Finally, and for being a good sport; you can choose a song and I’ll play it here (not any of your music - I will do that).

One of my favourite songs of last year was For What It’s Worth - from Liam Gallagher’s solo album. It’s great to have him back - and it’s got everything going on that a great song should do, in my opinion

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INTERVIEW: Bend Sinister

INTERVIEW:

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Bend Sinister

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IT might be obvious to most…

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but I was not too sure where that name, ‘Bend Sinister’, came from. I ask the guys about the derivation and what the new single, Heard It All Before, is about. They talk about their music and how it comes together; when they found one another – I ask if there is any new talent we need to get our ears around.

Bend Sinister chat about gigs and whether politics affects their songwriting; if the Canadian band will come to the U.K. soon; what sort of music drives and compels them – and, whether, they ever get a chance to de-stress away from music.

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Hi, Bend Sinister. How are you all? How has your week been?

We are SO good! Spring is in the air; Rock ‘n’ Roll is in our soul…can’t complain!

For those new to your music; can you introduce yourselves, please?

Why, hello those who are new to our music. We are Vancouver’s own Bend Sinister! (We’re) a Rock ‘n’ Roll-fueled, music-making machine filled with classic and modern tones to delight your ears! If you enjoy the ’70s with modern Pop sensibility, look no further!

Can I ask about that name - and where ‘Bend Sinister’ comes from?

It comes from a Vladimir Nabakov novel titled, you guessed it, Bend Sinister!

Heard It All Before is your new one. What is the tale behind it?

It’s a tale as old as time! Living life is always a beautiful challenge; everyone has their demons knocking at their door - and Heard it All Before follows that internal monologue, struggling with the constant conversation in your head; trying to find a way out; looking for answers and attempting to be better every day.

Do you think, given the political climate, there is more cynicism levied towards leaders right now?!

With social media taking a forefront (of how) we digest our news; it’s hard not to feel a bit cynical, watching politics unfold like a bad reality show. But, with cynicism comes great art and a push for change. I think we are already seeing that blossom as we wade through the swamp.

Do you guys plan on releasing more material this year?

BIG TIME! We have a brand-new record coming out around May 25th-ish, titled Foolish Games. We are very excited to share this record with the world as it has a lot of gems we are proud to call our own!

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How did you all get together? What attracted you to one another?

We all (just) couldn’t resist Dan Moxon’s dreamy vocals and savvy eye for vintage furniture (smiles).

I think great music attracts great players - and the vicious cycle of touring in a Rock ‘n’ Roll band caters to a certain type of person and, luckily, we are all cut from that rug!

Do you all share similar musical tastes? Which artists did you grow up around?

‘Yes’ and ‘no’. I think, what makes us such an interesting band, is we do share similar musical taste to a point - but we all have such a wide spectrum. Each of us brings a unique flavour that pushes the music in a new direction.

Our van playlists usually consist of everything from Queen, Supertramp; Elton John, Huey Lewis and the News; Hall & Oates, to Kendrick Lamar; Dr. Dre, Daft Punk; Vulfpeck, BadBadNotGood; Shania Twain, Nick Cave - all the way to the Jurassic Park score; massively slowed down to weirdness. We will listen to anything once!

Can we see you tour soon? What gigs do you have coming up?

Of course! We haven’t stopped touring in years!

We will be hitting up Canadian festivals and cities throughout the summer, supporting our new album, Foolish Games. I believe we are working on a West Coast tour of the U.S. and are, very much, hoping to be back out in Europe by the end of the year…the key-word is ‘HOPING’, on that one!

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Do you think you’ll come to the U.K. and play here?

I sure hope so. We love the U.K. - the crowds, fans; venues and atmosphere. We are dying to get back as soon as possible!

What do you hope to achieve in 2018?

World domination, obviously!

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Have you each got a favourite memory from your time in music – the one that sticks in the mind?

There’s so many! I imagine playing to Dave Grohl, John Paul Jones and Josh Homme in Toronto for a private show is up there! We’ve had the pleasure of touring around Europe with the legendary Mike Portnoy, which was a blast. Having a fifty-six-piece symphony behind us playing a set was surreal...

We’ve definitely had our fair share of great memories - especially while creating the music!

What advice would you give to new artists coming through?

Write good music…or go be a dentist.

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IN THIS PHOTO: The Lemon Twigs

Are there any new artists you recommend we check out?

The Lemon Twigs. Couple of young dudes killing it right now!

As for local Vancouver bands we love: Youngblood, Little Destroyer; Peach Pit and JP Maurice to name a few!

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IN THIS PHOTO: Youngblood/PHOTO CREDIT: Mandy-Lyn Antoniou

Do you all get much time to chill away from music? How do you unwind?

Dan has a hot-tub in his backyard; Matt golfs and walks his dog; Nick is vegan (I heard it’s the best way to unwind) and Joseph finds a spike to sleep on!

Finally, and for being good sports; you can each choose a song and I’ll play it here (not any of your music - I will do that).

Matt’s Pick: Steve Winwood - Valerie

Nick's Pick: The Garth Experience - Papa Loved Mama

Dan’s Pick: Loverboy - Turn Me Loose

Joseph’s Pick: Black Sabbath - It’s Alright

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INTERVIEW: spudd cannon

INTERVIEW:

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 spudd cannon

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THERE is another band…

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out there with a very similar spelling to that of spudd cannon. To be fair; their (the other band) music is not as fiery, interesting and full-on as the lower-case-spelt alternative. I have been talking with the trio – Mikey and JJ take up most of the answers – about their E.P., Dude, Where’s My Boat, Man?, and the themes that inspired the songs. They talk about their formation and where they head next; new artists worth a shot; whether, they feel, too many groups are avoiding a D.I.Y. approach to music-making – they provide advice to new artists.

I discover what music makes them tick; how they spend their time away from music; the sounds and artists who made an impact on them growing up; what the inspiration behind their name is – and what the vibe is like in their part of the world, Bishop’s Stortford.

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Hi, guys. How are you? How has your week been?

Mikey (Vocals/Guitar): It's been good. Well, mixed, I guess. We did a photoshoot and made a video at the weekend but, then, it's back to the harsh reality of day-jobs until, hopefully, someday we can do this sh*t full-time…

JJ (Bass): …But, on the whole, it's been quite productive, actually.

For those new to your music; can you introduce yourselves, please?

Mikey: We're spudd cannon. We like to play energetic, no-nonsense Punk-Rock music. Our sound has been likened to early-Green Day; Cheshire Cat-era Blink-182; the Sex Pistols and FIDLAR. To be honest: we're pretty okay with that.

Can I ask whether there is a special story behind the name, ‘spudd cannon’?

JJ: Mikey came up with the name…

Mikey: It's from a video game called Bully that came out years ago. The protagonist is a teenager attending boarding school and a ‘spud cannon’ was one of the weapons you could use. I just thought it sounded kinda cool for the band.

Dude, Where’s My Boat, Man? is your new E.P. What sort of themes inspired it?

I guess you could say that In My Back Yard is written a little tongue-in-cheek - but it's primarily about boredom. Shy Guy Says follows a similar theme: although, more specifically, it describes social anxiety as well. Magic Stars is about having good memories of a relationship; albeit you're glad it's over. A to Z is a song about lust.

JJ: Our best work is usually based on events or people.

Life is pretty swell right now, so the songs are generally uplifting. We've written songs in the past with quite a sour taste - but they're not working for us right now. 

Will there be any singles from the E.P. arriving? 

Shy Guy Says is, probably, the single we'd pick. We've just shot a video for it that we're super-excited about. We do have a couple more tracks on the way, though, that we are planning on releasing as singles

The E.P. was recorded in a basement and has that D.I.Y. feel. Was it important to keep things raw and ‘proper’?!

It was important to keep it cheap...!

Mikey: Seriously though: incredibly important. In previous bands, I've gone down the route of paying for people who claim to be engineers or producers; doing hours upon hours in studios and thinking the end result/mix sucked. By recording and mixing our E.P. ourselves, we gave ourselves the freedom to showcase a handful of songs that properly replicate who we are and how we sound live: three guys, one drum track; one bass track, one guitar track and one vocal: no dumb effects, no Auto-Tune; no bullsh*t.

Sometimes, that feels lost in music today

JJ: Mikey was the main guy behind mixing. He has no training or experience as such - but we're stoked with how it turned out

Bishop’s Stortford is where you hail from. How did you find one another? What is the scene like where you are?

Mike's dad used to be Charlie's cricket coach and knew Charlie was a drummer. Mikey was starting up his first band at the time. Me and Charlie went to high-school together and started doing bits and bobs musically there. I met Mikey through him. Our eyes met across the room; instantly there were sparks. 

Mikey: Unfortunately, we're at a point where we feel the local music scene is dissolving. We've seen a lot of our favourite venues close in recent years, such as The Square in Harlow.

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I can hear Punk bands like Green Day and Ramones in your sound. Which artists did you all grow up with?

JJ: There was a time when I exclusively listened to AC/DC. They're a huge Rock influence of mine. I guess the Punk side of things came from when I was an angsty teenager…and it never really went away.

Mikey: None of our parents really listened to Punk. My dad played a lot of Genesis and things like that when I was growing up; so there was always music in the house. But, discovering bands like Rancid, Sum 41; Nirvana and Silverchair when I was a teenager was a huge eye-opener. 

What do you think of the band scene right now? Do you think the best band-made music is coming from the underground?

JJ: I think I've seen a lot of 'underground' bands that I think should be making headlines. I don't think the majority of this generation enjoy going to small gigs like I used to when I was growing up - so these new bands aren't getting the recognition.

Which is a damn shame. 

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Can we see you tour soon? What gigs do you have coming up?

Mikey: We've been so focused on getting the E.P. finished and our material up-to-scratch that we've stepped away from the live scene for the time being… 

Charlie (Drums): …We will always primarily be a live band, though.

JJ: We have been known to throw our own shows in the past. We're looking to play as much as we can this year. 

How does your music change when you bring it on the stage?! Is it somewhere you all feel very comfortable?

Mikey: Our music doesn't change that much: we intentionally recorded our E.P. fast to replicate the live sound. We keep things simple in recording: plug in and go.

JJ: It took me ages to get comfortable on stage. It's always harder when it's your music - because you're worried about what people will think.

Mikey: Being on stage isn't something that fazes me, personally. I have confidence in our music and our songs. It is nice when a new audience seems to appreciate it as well, though. 

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Which new artists do you recommend we check out?

Charlie: Us...

Mikey: Any band looking to do things a little differently to what currently seems to be mainstream Rock. I'm really into WAVVES, SWMRS; MT. EDDY and THE FEVER 333 at the moment.

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IN THIS PHOTO: SWMRS

What do you all hope to achieve, personally, in 2018?

In terms of music; I think the sky is the limit for all three of us. But, personally? Not sure. Maybe I'll finally get a decent haircut. 

JJ: I compete in powerlifting. I'd like to hit some big numbers this year.

Charlie: I'd like to successfully orbit the sun. Just once.

Have you each got a favourite memory from your time in music – the one that sticks in the mind?

Mikey: The bad ones, as well as the good, seems to stay with you. Playing the O2 Academy in Islington was a cool experience a few years ago. But, then you have times like when the stage collapsed mid-show at a festival gig. 

JJ: I got thrown out of one of our gigs once - for shenanigans. That memory will stick with me. I think my favourite memory would have to be the first time we played live together. I wasn't new to gigging at that point; it was just really comfortable on stage. We had a lot of fun.

What advice would you give to new artists coming through?

Pick a sound you love. Don't go with the trend. Don't necessarily be in a band with someone just because they're talented.

It's tricky to explain but you need to find people on the same wavelength as you. Me and Charlie have so much chemistry that we complement each other and know what direction we're going in when we play together. We can look at each other and know what to do next to give a song a twist.

Mikey: I would also say not to believe all the people who claim they can promote, grow or better your band - especially if there's money involved. There's nothing you can't do on your own.

Do you get much time to chill away from music? How do you unwind?

JJ: Music is probably how I unwind, actually. Work is frustrating. My other hobbies are frustrating. When we're all in a room together, it just works. 

Finally, and for being good sports; you can each choose a song and I’ll play it here (not any of your music - I will do that).

Social Distortion - Don't Drag Me Down

Charlie: Sham 69 - If the Kids Are United

Mikey: Wavves - No Shade

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INTERVIEW: Matt LeGrand

INTERVIEW:

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Matt LeGrand

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IT is rare…

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that I get to go to America and chat with an artist there. In digital terms; I have 'driven' to Chicago to talk with Matt LeGrand about his track, All Good. It is now up on Spotify – a perfect excuse to talk about the song, future material and how music came into his life.

I ask LeGrand whether we will see him in Britain soon; how his songwriting has changed since 2015; why he moved from France to Chicago; how this week has been treating him; whether he spends any time away from making music – he ends the interview with a classic anthem!

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Hi, Matt. How are you? How has your week been?

Hello! I’m fantastic! I have had another week filled with music - so I really can’t complain! Thanks for having me!

For those new to your music; can you introduce yourself, please?

Absolutely! My name is Matt LeGrand. I love what I get to do every single day! Being surrounded by sounds and music is the only way I see myself living my life. I love being a student of music and taking pieces from my favorite artists to create something that I can call my own!

Look for me on Spotify and you’ll know what I’m talking about!

Tell me about the track, All Good. What is the background and inspiration behind it?

So. The funny thing about All Good is that the song wasn’t really intended for me...

We had been invited to a studio session to listen to some ideas for my project. The atmosphere of the studio was great! As we were walking out the door, All Good was playing softly in the background and we stopped in our tracks. We asked what that was - and the rest is history!

All Good became my first single in almost two years! I didn’t write the song, but I did connect with it immediately! I loved the message. I find it to be a song about self-care and self-love. 

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What was it like putting the song together in the studio?

This song was an absolute breeze because it was easy for me to catch the emotion that was needed. I feel that the song found me in certain ways. I was going through a period in my life when everything that this song was saying (just) made complete sense. I almost felt that I could have written it, but…. I didn’t!

Recording (the song) was a great time!

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I believe you grew up in France. Was there a lot of music around? What sort of music did you grow up on?

I was in France at a very young age - almost from birth to six-years-old. I was born in Chicago and moved across the pond right away. With that said, I have very faint memories of my time there. I was able to pick up some of the language, which I try to hold onto as much as I can today! I’ve been asked before if I would do a song in French - and I said that I couldn’t wait for that day! I know that it’s on the horizon and I am really looking forward to having a musical connection with my French heritage!

I do love the classic French jazz from La Belle Époque! (Also, the musical geniuses, Daft Punk!).

Why did you relocate to Chicago? How different was the city and its vibe (compared with France)?!

We relocated to be with family. It was a culture shock for me. Again, I was young; so I have faint memories - but I do recall having my older brother translate everything I said. I didn’t know a word of English. Looking back on it now, I loved growing up in Chicago. It has everything! The winters are brutal, but we are rewarded in the summers! Freshwater beaches, which are, sometimes, completely frozen - and tons of great music waiting to be discovered! Doesn’t really get better than that...

Go Blackhawks!

What comes next in terms of new material? Are you working on stuff right now?

We have a BRAND NEW SINGLE AND VIDEO coming very shortly that I’m extremely excited for! It’s going to be a very fun Dance, feel-good record! Perfect timing with spring and summer rolling around! We are planning to release an E.P. this year as well - so I can get out on tour to see all my fans!

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Do you notice a change in your music and songwriting? What are the main changes you have brought in since, say, 2015’s Spring Break Girl?

To me, the changes are night and day...

Not only have I matured and grown as an artist, but as an individual. That’s the great thing about evolution: we are always learning, changing and growing. We have the freedom to try different things and make mistakes. We have the opportunity to experience new things and learn from them. Most importantly, we get to have the opportunity to live and spread good, positive love (and I value that).

The only change that I have made is, simply, (just) accepting things for what they are.

Can we see you tour soon? What gigs do you have coming up?

The goal this year is to perform, perform, perform - and then perform again! We will have tons of performance lined up very shortly! Stay connected on my Instagram for details!

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Do you think you’ll play the U.K. at all? Have you been over here before?

I love the U.K. so much! I have been plenty of times, actually! One of my favorite places to go in the world is the Cotswolds! To play a gig in England would be surreal - and I would have to continually pinch myself to wake up!

What do you hope to achieve in 2018?

I hope to continue developing myself, personally, and as an artist! Taking it one day at a time. I’d love to tag onto a tour and gain tons of performing experience! I will be recording much more music (hoping one HITS it big!). I hope to (just) keep doing what I’ve been doing: work hard.

Have you got a favourite memory from your time in music – the one that sticks in the mind?

I was in a three-piece band with my brother when I was in middle-school! We played the talent-show. I played bass and, at the time, I so small that if you stood the bass upright, it was taller than me.

I felt so cool playing Rock and Roll in front of my whole school.

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What advice would you give to new artists coming through?

This is a strange question for me because I’m a new artist myself - but I will gladly answer it to the best of my ability. Be patient or you’ll end up being one yourself; have your values/morals set in stone; accept the things you cannot change…and learn how to say 'NO'!

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IN THIS PHOTO: Charlie Puth

Are there any new artists you recommend we check out?

If we can, maybe, consider Charlie Puth to be a new artist, then I would definitely say go check him out if you haven’t already. Extremely talented guy - and I hope to work with him one day!

Do you get much time to chill away from music? How do you unwind?

I don’t really want to chill away from music, to be honest: it’s part of me and it’s part of every single day. I love learning new things and playing as much as I can. Don’t get me wrong, though: I do love my free time where I can, maybe, rock-climb; practice some yoga or go to the movies. It’s all about balancing the ‘work and play’ so you don’t burn yourself out.

Though, in my case, I am a very lucky person - because my work is my play as well! If I were to choose one thing to do for the rest of my life, it would simply be music. I love what I do!

Finally, and for being a good sport; you can choose a song and I’ll play it here (not any of your music - I will do that).

Thank you very much for the great questions! I really enjoyed answering them and thanks for having me!

With or Without You - U2

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INTERVIEW: Nikhil D'Souza

INTERVIEW:

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Nikhil D'Souza

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WE move on to investigate and expose…

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a great young artist with a lot of talent. Nikhil D'Souza tells me about his new single, Silver and Gold, and what the story behind it is. The Indian-born artist discusses his upcoming album and what we can expect from it; when music came into his life – and what it was like working with producer Jonathan Quarmby on his latest song.

D'Souza discusses future gigs and recommends new artists to watch; how he spends his time away from music; if there is a favourite memory from his time in music – how important Bollywood in regards his cultural outlook and musical creativity.

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Hi, Nikhil. How are you? How has your week been?

It’s been crazy with the new single release, Silver and Gold, and the work around that; coupled with traveling halfway across the world to play a gig. Crazy.

For those new to your music; can you introduce yourself, please?

I’m a singer-songwriter from Mumbai, India. My music, if I had to describe it, occupies a place between Alternative and Pop - with some influences of where I’m from. As a soundscape, imagine Jeff Buckley, Damien Rice and Ray LaMontagne - and then some more...

Silver and Gold is out now. What is the story behind the song?

At one point, a lot of the conversations I was having with friends were about how modern-day relationships are hard to sustain. The song is a hopeful cry out to falling, and staying, in love; about making it last, knowing there will be problems - and a tribute to the ones who have made it last over the years.

It was produced by Jonathan Quarmby. He has worked with, among others, Benjamin Clementine. Was it a fun experience working alongside him?

Jonathan is probably the hardest working producer I have ever seen. It was amazing working with him because he has a rare talent. He takes a song that you feel is lacking something and then he figures out what it needs - either a new chord progression or a new lyrical part. Also, he’s a super pianist; which is what I’ve wanted to work with for a while now.

Can you explain the video and how the concept came together? How involved are you with video treatments?

We worked with Toby Warren of The Blind Club before for the Beautiful Mind video. It was his idea to shoot at this fantastic, abandoned palace in the middle of the jungle. Old, but still standing strong, which in a way reflects the sentiment of the song: growing old but staying together despite the cracks. I liked the idea and, when I visited the location, it was obvious that this was the right visual approach for the song.

I’m usually involved with my video treatments - but I left this one in Toby’s very capable hands.

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I know you have an album out later in the year. Can you reveal any songs and subjects that will feature?

Love, as a theme, is the common thread – sometimes, about the innocent and wide-eyed, simplistic hope of new love. Also, you’ll hear some notes on a secret relationship I was in and the resulting heartbreak. Beautiful Mind, already released, is about being torn between someone you’re in love with and your best friend (who’s seeing her).

When did music come into your life? What sort of sounds did you grow up around?

I lived in an area of Mumbai where there were a lot of musicians and there were talent contests – that’s where I first started singing and playing. I remember my older sister would play tapes of the music popular then - mostly Pop princesses! Then, the boys in my apartment building would come by and play other stuff: Heavy Metal…anything. Tom and Jerry - I grew up watching that and fascinated by the musical score – I would remember every note. Later on, I got into Sting and the Police, U2 and many others.

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How important is Bollywood, and your heritage, to your musical direction and creativity?

My musical direction was more influenced by Western music through my early years, although we would watch Bolly films every other day and, by default, we would hear the songs that played in those films and sing a few of them.

Of course, since 2010, I’ve been singing in Indian films and some elements of that style have made their way into my overall singing style – every now and then you will hear in a subtle vocal inflexion (or musically). Instrumentally, we’ve used a few ethnic instruments in the recordings.

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Can we see you tour soon? What gigs do you have coming up?

A little gig at The Social, London on 26th March; then a support tour with Lissie in early-April,  followed by Live at Leeds on 5th May; The Great Escape, Brighton in mid-May - and a headline show at The Waiting Room, London on 21st May

You have played to all sorts of crowds. Is there anything that compared to the thrill of being on stage and watching people react to your music?!

Few things in life can compare with the feeling of singing to a huge crowd and having them sing your lyrics back to you. I guess it’s the full-circle feeling: from writing the song in your little bedroom, to playing it to a big crowd at a festival.

What do you hope to achieve in 2018?

My goal is to have as many people as possible listen to my songs and hear (from them about) what it means to them. The achievement would lie in hearing that it changed someone’s life in some way, big or small.

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Have you got a favourite memory from your time in music – the one that sticks in the mind?

Spending time in Nashville with my co-writer Jeff Cohen: our aim was to eat as well as we wrote. So, we would reward ourselves with eating out at some of the fantastic restaurants over there every time we thought we’d written a great tune...

What advice would you give to new artists coming through?

Write songs based on what you honestly feel. When you’re singing them on stage every other day for a year; that is the only thing that’ll keep it fresh.

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IN THIS PHOTO: Isaac Gracie

Are there any new artists you recommend we check out?

Quite enjoying some music by Isaac Gracie and Matt Maltese. Check them out!

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IN THIS PHOTO: Matt Maltese

Do you get much time to chill away from music? How do you unwind?

Over the last few weeks, my friend and I discovered the best pub for ales in Barnet. L.O.L. I quite look forward to that most evenings. I also like (just) walking around London with some good music in my ears…it’s beautiful.

Finally, and for being a good sport; you can choose a song and I’ll play it here (not any of your music - I will do that).

Last Words – Isaac Gracie

or

YAH. – Kendrick Lamar

or

Motel Blues – Loudon Wainwright III

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Follow Nikhil D'Souza

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INTERVIEW: INBAL

INTERVIEW:

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INBAL

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IT is about time I had a female artist…

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back on my blog! I get so many requests from male artists – as the rest of the week will attest – so I am very pleased to chat with INBAL. She discusses her latest single, Right Mistakes, and why the filming of its video was a memorable, if cold, experience. I ask about the E.P., INBAL 1, and its multi-city recording – and what she has planned in terms of future gigs.

INBAL talks about her hometown of Tel Aviv (Israel) and what the people are like; how her life has changed since she moved from there (to London); what she hopes to accomplish in the remainder of the year; the artists she grew up around -  whether there is any time to relax away from the demands of music.

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Hi, INBAL. How are you? How has your week been?

Hi, there. I’m great, thanks! It’s been quite of a hectic week, but can’t complain too much (smiles).

For those new to your music; can you introduce yourself, please?

I’m INBAL; a London-based singer-songwriter, originally from warm and sunny Tel Aviv. I’ve recently released my first two singles from my debut E.P. - which is exciting.

Right Mistakes is out. Can you reveal the story behind the song?

The song refers to the mistakes we make with us often knowing we’re making the wrong decision, and yet, choosing to do it anyway. The song takes the relationship angle of the subject; though, I do feel that this can be applied to many situations in life (or at least in my own!)

Tell me about the video. Where was that shot? Was it a good shoot?

The video was shot at the beginning of February this year, on a boat on the South Bank. It was one of the coldest days of the year and it was, obviously, shot outside - as you can see from the video. Although I couldn’t feel my feet, it was one of (the most) hilarious days as the cold really was insufferable, which led us to massive laughing fits.

Aaron Dolby, Alon (Didi); Danan and Gonçalo Malafaya Almeida were really lifting my stone-cold (literal) heart.

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Right Mistakes is from the E.P., INBAL 1. Are there connected themes that go into the E.P.? What was it like putting it all together?

I’d say the connection between the four songs is that they evoke autobiographical experiences and stories from my day-to-day life - each revealing different elements of the various genres that inspired my songwriting. I really wanted to create a versatile E.P. that wouldn’t be bound to (just) the mainstream Pop structure - and play within the Prog. and Alternative genres melody and structure-wise, but with a more Indie-Pop attitude to production.

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The E.P. was produced, mixed and made in a few different cities. Did you get to travel a lot whilst creating it? What was your highlight destination?

The E.P. was composed, produced and mixed in Brazil, Helsinki; London, Tel Aviv; Seoul and the United States.

So it happens that, at the time, I was going back to visit my hometown, Tel Aviv, and had to go to the States for a good few weeks as well; while Andreas, my producer and dear friend, was moving from London to his hometown in Brazil and, shortly after, followed his heart (and his girlfriend) to South Korea. While I returned to London, he was moving to Helsinki. Although it was physically challenging to work apart, I think it contributed a lot to the song and its production overall. 

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My personal highlight was definitely Austin, Texas. It was my first visit in the city and I absolutely fell in love. I’ve got a lot of family living in the area and seeing the city through their eyes really made me feel like spending more time there. The dancehalls, Tex-Mex; the thriving music scene and the Barton Springs are just a few of my recommendations. 

Tel Aviv is where you hail from. Is the city quite busy with great new music? Do you take a lot from the people there?

Tel Aviv, like the rest of Israel, is quite of a ‘young’ city. It, therefore, carries the influence of many cultures from which inhabitants past and present arrived from - mostly European and Middle Eastern combined. This also reflects on the music scene, too. I take a lot of inspiration from local artists, as I believe this middle ground between culture enriches both sides and lets you have some sort of freedom to spice things up and experiment. 

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Which musicians did you grow up around? Can you each remember the first album you ever bought?

My biggest influences are Jeff Buckley, Radiohead and Björk, but I think the first album I purchased by choice was Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. I just really liked Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds (at the age of six, I didn’t exactly know what it talked about...).

What do you hope to achieve in 2018?

I hope the third single and the E.P. will get as much support as the first two singles got - and I plan to gig a lot and start working on the second E.P.! 

Have you got a favourite memory from your time in music – the one that sticks in the mind?

When I was living in Tel Aviv, I joined one of my best friend’s tours around the country. We drove for hours and, basically, spent the summer around Israel gigging from the South to the North. It’s such a strong memory as, retrospectively, I think that was the moment I had a deep realisation that music is my path. Meeting new people; that music was the only thing in common between us was a really engaging experience.

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What advice would you give to new artists coming through?

The biggest (piece of) advice I can personally give is to trust your instincts. The more you grow, the more you’ll hear lots of different and contradictory opinions. At the end of the day, it’s your creation and you should follow your guidelines.

The best route for someone isn’t necessarily best for the other.

Do you get much time to chill away from music? How do you unwind?

I do, actually. I believe part of the creation process is also knowing when to put it aside to gain a fresh perspective. I really enjoy photography, playing with my pooch, Daisy (she’s the real famous one in our family - her Instagram is more popular than mine!) and practising Yoga.

Finally, and for being a good sport; you can choose a song and I’ll play it here (not any of your music - I will do that).

One of my latest musical obsessions is a band called ANIMA! The song, Blood, is a real gem in my opinion.

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Follow INBAL

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INTERVIEW: Hospital

INTERVIEW:

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Hospital

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THIS must be another first…

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in terms of my interviews and geographical exposure. I do not think I have ever featured a Russian band on my site! As it is; I have been finding out about Hospital and their stunning single, In the Evening. They talk about moving on from their past material and why they have changed their sound; whether there is a healthy music scene in Russia – and whether we might see them come over to the U.K. and play here.

I ask about their upcoming third album (Memory Waves); what it is about the 1980s that inspires a lot of their music; what it is like supporting huge artists like Lana Del Rey; if the band has ambitions for the rest of this year – how Hospital came together and started making music.

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Hi, guys. How are you? How has your week been?

Hey! I just came back from short vacation in Helsinki. It was kinda a ‘buy-as-many-vinyl-records-as-you-can’ tour. But, a pretty nice city, though.

For those new to your music; can you introduce yourselves, please?

Of course. We are a four-piece Russian Indie-Rock band. Crazy about 1980s synths and guitars - and songs with melodies. Because; there must be something you can do while taking a shower...

In the Evening is your latest single. What is the story behind the song?

Well. In the Evening is the first song we started to record for the Memory Waves album. It was (recorded) back in 2016. Not the best time for the band, because we were not sure if we should record anything at all. We were at the edge of a split, to be honest...but after the first half of the song was done, we decided that it might be the right sound for us.

A little bit noir kind of stuff.

It is taken from your third album, Memory Waves. Can you reveal the stories and ideas that go into the album? Is there a song from the album you would highlight?

It’s all about escapism, I guess. Of course, there are a lot of ‘typical’ love songs. But, love could be the best way to escape your fears, you know? For us, this album is about being strong whatever road you take in life. It’s about the value of friendship and fighting your demons. It’s a kind of escape from the modern world which, we know, is rubbish.

Cheers, Damon!

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How did ‘Hospital’ come to be? When did you meet one another?

The three of us knew each other from a very long time ago.

Me and Aleksey met when we were about fourteen. I first met him at the bus-stop in our hometown, Komsomolsk-on-Amur. He was standing there with a pile of books and we just started talking about these books and, then, about bands. So, that was it: we became friends. We then met Andrey while we were studying at uni. and Vova joined us when we moved to Moscow.

That was in 2007 - and we started playing together in 2011.

I hear the 1980s in your music and ethos. Is it a decade you all relate to?

Well. It’s not because we were born in the 1980s: we are actually (more) children of the 1990s. I think it all started from our love of The Cure and 1980s Space-Rock. We are all pretty tired of some of the faceless bands of the ’00s; you know I mean? To be honest, on our first two albums, we were one of them...

It’s like when you press 'play' and have no idea who the hell is playing in your headphones. So, we decided that it does not matter if someone thinks our music is sh*t – we just want them to know that this is OUR music (smiles).

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What sort of music did you all grow up around? When did you decide music is what you wanted to do?

I grew up listening to my father’s huge vinyl collection. There was a lot of Hard-Rock in there: stuff like Black Sabbath, Led Zeppelin and Deep Purple but, also, a lot of things like Ray Charles and Elton John. Then, after I watched the T.V. version of The Beatles Anthology, I became a fan of their music, too.

But, what really change my mind was The Doors…my heroes! From the first seconds of Break on Through (to the Other Side), I decided that I wanna be a musician. Then, when I was a teenager, I discovered all this Britpop and New-Wave bands and Grunge and so on.

Now; I prefer to listen to something like Chet Baker singing. Ha-ha.

Is Moscow quite up-and-coming in terms of music? What is the scene like there?

Oh, you know; I feel a little bit out of modern Russian scene but, as I see it: Garage-Punk-Rock and Lil-Peep-kind-of-Rap is very now.

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Can we see you tour soon? What gigs do you have coming up?

We have planned only one small gig in Moscow - just to test the new material. We don’t have any concrete plans beyond that, for the moment.

Will you play the U.K. at all? Do you get out this way a lot?

We hope so! Maybe someday. Hope our politics will not fu*k everything up. We don’t want another Iron Curtain situation: we wanna tour all over the world and play our music. This is all we want, actually: to love and play music.

You have supported huge artists like Lana Del Rey! Do those big shows give confidence and teach you things as a band?!

It was such a great experience!

The main thing is how much energy you can get while playing in front of 7000 people. It’s an unbelievable feeling.

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What do you hope to achieve, personally, in 2018?

Me, personally: I want to present a vinyl version of our new album to my parents - and see The Capuchin Catacombs of Palermo.

Have you got a favourite memory from your time in music – the one that sticks in the mind?

Those three gigs with The Neighbourhood. Oh, man; it was terrific!

What advice would you give to new artists coming through?

Prepare to be refused!

Do you get much time to chill away from music? How do you unwind?

Not as much as we want to - because we all work in our day jobs. Me, personally; I love to read and ride my Kick scooter. PS4 is good stuff, too. Haha.

Finally, and for being good sports; you can choose a song and I’ll play it here (not any of your music - I will do that).

Let it be Leaves - Catch

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Follow Hospital

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INTERVIEW: Thayler Rhys

INTERVIEW:

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Thayler Rhys

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MY mind has been on the hunt…

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for an artist who has the qualities and fabrics of Thayler Rhys. I have been chatting with the Toronto-based artist about his debut single, 10K Post Up, and how a rat-infested flat proved to be conducive, somehow, to songwriting – and what it was like living in such conditions.

The talented newcomer talks about his process and how his influences impact his own sound; whether we will see him in the U.K. at all; if there is time for him to relax away from music; how important Toronto and its people are – ending the interview with some great song choices.

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Hi, Thayler Rhys. How are you? How has your week been?

Hey, Sam. It’s been exciting and stressful, but well worth it. My first single is out!

For those new to your music; can you introduce yourself, please?

I’m a twenty-four-year-old artist from Montreal, Quebec – now, a four-year native of Toronto.

10K Post Up is your new single. Is there a story behind the song? How did it come together?

I made the song with the producer, friend and old (rat-infested) crib mate of mine, Quin. It’s one of many songs we have cooked up together. Some took hours; some aren’t even close to being done and it’s been months - and a few were did in less than fifteen minutes.

10K Post Up was one of those few.

It was a rainy day; I came over to work on some heat, did that. Quin played this beat near the end. I was like: “JHEEZ”. I got up and he looped it for a few minutes until I started to put together some melodies and words. I left not long after and, when he sent it back to me, we were like: “Hey; damn, this last thing we did is pretty sick, man”.

Things started to come together in 2016 – when you were living in a rat-infested flat with a friend! How did that environment and condition lead to songwriting impetus?!

Rats, mould; non-functioning electro. The best yet was when the kitchen ceiling flooded…and not drops, like…I’m talking shower-game-level. We lived in a house with all the familiar symptoms of a trap house.

Consequently, we had to make some dope beats.

It seems music has been a constant – but you have tried a number of jobs and lifestyles. Did you always know, when going through these phases, music was what you were meant to be doing?!

No, I didn’t: I still don’t. But, f*ck it, I love it - so let’s do it, ya know.

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Was there a moment when a lightbulb came on and you focused?

When I saw Wiz Khalifa’s Name on a Cloud video in my senior year of high-school, I knew I needed to mob with my homies and make music I would, hopefully, release some day…

Is Toronto a great city to make music and perform? What are the people like there?

Toronto is great! People are confident, hub-committed; open to all kinds of music and proud about Toronto! I really have enjoyed it here. I have been progressively meeting a lot of up-and-coming talent and everyone is really supportive of whatever your vision may be - as long as you’re passionate about it.

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Can we see any more material from you later in the year? Will there be an E.P. or album down the line?

Yep; all of those…and more!

Which musicians did you grow up on? Can you each remember the first album you ever bought?

Jheez. Uh…

Pink polo-backpack Kanye (West) had me shook, so I think that was my first album purchase on that lucrative pocket money and chores-for-change-income back in the day! My big brother got me on the 1990s classics: Pack (Tupac), Biggie (Smalls) etc. My sister was on soulful stuff: TLC and more. 

I’m pretty sure Quin would say Radiohead and more Radiohead - and Frank Ocean, since his first project.

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Can we see you tour soon? What gigs do you have coming up?

Gigs are being planned for the summer! All are Toronto-orientated for now.

Do you think you’ll come to the U.K. this year? Have you played over this way?

Hell, yeah! When the expansion allows it.

Not sure if that will be this year but my mom was born in London, so one has to represent and come to show love! (Smiles).

You are quite ‘new’ to social media, it seems – Facebook and Twitter accounts are fairly recent. Was there a reason for being away from these sites for a bit?! How important are they, do you think, regards exposure and recruiting fans?

Ya. Just thought I’d hop on the social media thing when we started the wave. Wave be small now, but stay chuned (sic.). Social media also requires a lot of effort, engagement-wise, so I’ve heard, when you’re starting out. So; I figured, when I’m ready, I’d get to it…

I’m ready!

What do you hope to achieve in 2018?

A very clear sense of direction of where the wave is heading and a happy fan-base to ride the wave with (Q and I and the close group of amazingly supportive and talented artist were working with) (Smiles).

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Have you got a favourite memory from your time in music – the one that sticks in the mind?

Yeah. When I first sang at my high-school talent show and had ladies, who didn’t know I existed beforehand, come see what’s really good with me right after I performed...

What advice would you give to new artists coming through?

I mean; I’m a really new artist, so for all the hella newer artists: patience, bare patience; then much more patience…and even more; a good work ethic (while working in a state of patience).

Do you get much time to chill away from music? How do you unwind?

I’m still a student for a little longer - and I work as well. When Quin sends me something we’ve done and I can listen to it – and think up more ideas – well…that’s my unwinding!

Finally, and for being a good sport; you can choose a song and I’ll play it here (not any of your music - I will do that).

Never by Dear Pressure

…or Roaches (Punken) by Maxo Kream

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Follow Thayler Rhys

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INTERVIEW: Coralcrown

INTERVIEW:

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Coralcrown

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I have been investigating Coralcrown auteur Luis Gotor…

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and asking about his move to the U.K. (Gotor was born in Spain). I learn more about the new track, Between the Lights, and what we can expect in the future. Coralcrown discusses the vintage sound of his music – and how he mixes that with modern ideals.

I learn more about his debut E.P., Birth (where his latest single is from), and the artists who inspire him; what gigs are coming up; if there is time away from music to detach and reflect – Coralcrown provides some handy advice for new artists.

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Hi, Coralcrown. How are you? How has your week been?

Hi! This is Luis. Feeling good! My week is been busy. Trying to get some time in-between my job to sit down and write some new music and ideas (locked in my bedroom).

For those new to your music; can you introduce yourself, please?

My name is Luis Gotor. I am from Spain. I moved to London in 2014 and, since then, I have been writing lots of music and trying to find my sound - coming from a bunch of different styles.

Can I ask where ‘Coralcrown’ came from? That name seems rather intriguing…

Haha, well, to be honest; I spent weeks trying to find a name...

I am terrible with that stuff and none of them convinced me...and then I asked Dani - the keyboardist - what he thought about a few and, with half of a name that I had he suggested (Coralcrow – ‘all together’); that’s it: one of the best gifts that I have ever had. At first, I felt a bit disappointed not be able to find the name by myself - but now I love it and I wouldn’t change it.

Between the Lights is out. Can you tell me about the story behind the song?

I think it was in a time when I felt a bit down and I needed a story to believe in love in a certain way. That kind of feeling when you want to be with someone and, when you get it, nothing else is important - and that becomes your unique and real world.

The production gives the song a vintage-cum-modern vibe. Was it important giving the song that balance and mix?

Wow, thanks. Well. It wasn’t premeditated really: my head gets bits from everywhere and makes its own mix. It seemed natural to me doing it that way. I love both and I think it’s rewarding to combine them.

The song is from your debut E.P., Birth. What sort of themes and ideas can we expect to see in the E.P.? Can you tease any others songs that will appear on it?

Birth is, you can figure from its name, all about a beginning.

It’s the start of all I want to share with people; it’s a selection of the songs that I think represented - by the time that I recorded it - the kind of sound that I wanted to show. They all are very dreamy and talk about desire. I haven’t thought much about it but, yeah, they all talk in a different way of wanting someone (in this or that way).

Whoever is coming out soon and it is a bit creepy but very true (not the murderer thing. God).

Luis. You started Coralcrown after the end of your former band. Was it quite hard transitioning from life in a band to a solo existence?

I was terrified at first with the idea of being alone and exposed - but it is a relief when nobody is stopping you and you can let flow all your ideas and, if you have to change everything a hundred times, you just do it and nobody is gonna get upset. Also, I must say, I am very particular (a pain) sometimes and I like to do things on my way.

There you go: pure honesty.

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How important was London, and its nightlife, to your decision to keep going with music?

Well. When I first came, it all seemed a bit overwhelming because everyone was having fun and all these bands were playing gigs. I thought I wouldn’t be able to do that anymore but then, as time passed, I was feeling more and more excited about the idea of coming back. Then all my passion took over and I recovered the energy to pursue it.

Which artists did you grow up listening to? Did music arrive in your life early?

I grew up listening lots of Spanish bands (Pereza, ECDL...) at first and then I became more interested in English-speaking music. I used to listen to British and American Pop-Punk bands (Blink-182, Busted...) like every teenager in the 2000s - but then I discovered the R&B from the 1950s (Chuck Berry, Elvis Presley…) and the Pop from the 1960s (The Beatles, The Rolling Stones; Pink Floyd, The Who...) and that blew my mind and put me on the road to where I am now.

However, at this point, I am a bit obsessed with the Disco-Funk from the 1970s – especially the Synth-Pop from the 1980s.

Can we see you tour soon? What gigs do you have coming up?

Yes. We’ll be at The Finsbury on 4th May presenting Birth. We can’t wait.

How important is the stage and performing live? Is there a big difference between your studio sound and live set?

I am extremely perfectionist and I like to work hard to get the best possible sound performing live.

I, personally, do like to notice the difference between studio and the live set when I go to gigs and I like to do it as well. But, at this early stage, we are happy to reproduce the songs as they are recorded.

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What do you hope to achieve in 2018?

I’d like to play as much as we can, maybe in a few small festivals. Obviously, I’ll see people liking the songs and share them with their friends: I love the idea of the songs being passed by word-of-mouth.

Also, I am planning to record a few more songs at the end of the year.

Have you got a favourite memory from your time in music – the one that sticks in the mind?

I do, and it is not a particular one: it is more a feeling that, when you are performing live with your friends (and musicians), there is a sort of magic and connection that is really addictive.

What advice would you give to new artists coming through?

I’d say do not ever give up if you believe in it.

Do you get much time to chill away from music? How do you unwind?

I don’t chill away much, really: it is a bit unhealthy and, yeah, I should. I should leave the cave more often than I do.

Finally, and for being a good sport; you can choose a song and I’ll play it here (not any of your music - I will do that).

Me and Michael – MGMT

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Follow Coralcrown

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INTERVIEW: The Great Dictators

INTERVIEW:

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The Great Dictators

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MY recent interviewing has taken me…

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all over the world. Although I have travelled a lot and featured artists from various parts; it has been a while since I included a Danish act. The Great Dictators are a fantastic band who discuss their latest single, Killing Fields, and how it came to be. I was interested knowing how the group formed and what the scene is like in Denmark right now – and whether the guys are coming to the U.K. to play.

I ask how the music has moved on since When I Waltz (their debut E.P.) and what their musical tastes are; how all the disparate sounds and genres formulate into something cohesive; if they get time away from music to reflect – what they would say to any new artists emerging.

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Hi, guys. How are you? How has your week been?

Great, thanks. Our week’s been pretty hectic with the release of our single and working on new music but, all in all, very good.

For those new to your music; can you introduce yourselves, please?

Well. We’re The Great Dictator; we’re from Denmark and we love beer. We also love to explore as many genres as possible - as long as the end result is something that will subtly rock our worlds. The overall genre is definitely some kind of melancholic Rock, though.

Killing Fields is your new song. Can you tell me what the inspiration behind it is?

Killing Fields, first of all, marks a step in a new direction for us; both genre-wise and as a band. We’ve been listening to a lot of, mostly, Electronic acts lately: Porches, Blanck Mass; Zola Jesus etc. Then, Dragut bought a drum machine - and, then, the rest is history.

The song, itself, is about the difficulties we as humans can have communicating with each other. The world is a dark but, also, a beautiful mess. There’s a lot of crap going on but hope tends to pop up; even though it’s only through small glimpses.

It is cinematic and dark; it mixes different shades together. Did the song come together naturally? How does a (The) Great Dictators song come together?

Dragut wrote the song and played around with it at his flat. Later on, we all brought our ideas; played around with it in our studio and made it sound like it does. That’s, basically, the standard procedure for every song.

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Is there going to be more material arriving? What are you working on?

There sure is.

As of now, we have the groundwork for an E.P. - that is set to be released late-2018. Killing Fields is the only finished track, but we’re working our butts off with the rest of the songs. We also hope to have one or two more singles ready before the E.P.-release.

How do you think you have changed since your debut E.P., When I Waltz?

We’ve definitely grown more as musicians - and the band constellation has changed a lot. All in all, we’ve grown more secure in what we do and stopped minding all the B.S. that tags along with being an underground act – that, sometimes, tickle the surface of local fame. We’re also more open to constantly exploring new musical directions and, hopefully, keeping our melancholic vibe intact.

How did The Great Dictators come to be? When did you meet one another?

Dragut started the project in 2011 as a musical collective, where Jakob was one of the first band members. Chris joined later on - and then it all made sense being a trio.

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I hear shades of Country and Folk; some Metal and Indie strands. Which artists inspire you all? Did you all grow up around music?

None of us grew up with musicians in the family, so it probably has more to do with our own discoveries and equally-music-interested people around us. We’re all (just) passionate music lovers with different backgrounds. Chris’ favorite genre is probably Math Rock; Jakob is into Electronic music and Dragut is a complete sucker for all genres.

Denmark is where you are based. What is the scene like there now? How does it differ to the likes of the U.S. and U.K.?

The scene, right now, is pretty standard and ordinary. It’s not necessarily a bad thing...

It seems like it’s imitating what’s going on in the rest of the world; also the U.S. and U.K. Streaming services, Pop singles and short attention-spans seem like they’re dominating, but still, there’s a cool and vivid underground scene of great acts. But, they don’t get the attention, support and money they deserve.

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Can we see you tour soon? What gigs do you have coming up?

We’re planning on (playing) gigs sometime after the summer; plus, a grand release show and a tour in early-2019.

Will you play the U.K. at all? Do you get out this way a lot?

No promises, but we’d love to have some gigs in the U.K. We have it in mind so, hopefully, next year.

Any ideas?

What do you all hope to achieve, personally, in 2018?

We’d like to drink more wine instead of beer. We still love beer but wine seems more sophisticated. Adult fluids, you know.

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Have you each got a favourite memory from your time in music – the one that sticks in the mind?

We supported Daniel Lanois when he played in Denmark a couple of years ago. He was an extremely cool dude and, fortunately, he was up for a really awkward selfie. But, in general, the band is about friendship, constantly meeting and working with new people and delivering new tunes that resonate with our fans. We’ll continue the journey and we’re up for more adventures.

What advice would you give to new artists coming through?

Write some good songs, make some good music: it might take a while, perhaps a whole fuc*ing lot of years, but keep on working on your own voice and then all the hard work  suddenly begins - with all the boring mail-writing and mingling; spending money you won’t see again but, hey: believe in yourself and then all the rest is quite unimportant.

Do you get much time to chill away from music? How do you unwind?

We really dig movies, so that’s a common panic room. We also like the soothing voice of Sir David Attenborough. But, music is our biggest passion - so almost everything has something to do with music…

Finally, and for being good sports; you can each choose a song and I’ll play it here (not any of your music - I will do that).

Christoffer: G Is for Jaile by Gallops

Jakob: Emerald Rush by Jon Hopkins

Dragut: Metal Gods by Judas Priest

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Follow The Great Dictators

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INTERVIEW: Statue

INTERVIEW:

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Statue

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FROM the working-class neighbourhoods of Brooklyn…

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it is to Belgium – where I get to discuss music with Statue. The band has released the video for the track, E. I was interested knowing more about them and the inspirations that go into their L.P., Kasper. They talk about their formation and fond memories from music; whether there are any dates in the dairy – and whether they are coming to the U.K.

The band talk about the scene in Belgium; the artists who inspired them to get into music; what they all hope to achieve throughout this year – I learn how a typical Statue song comes together.

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Hi, Statue. How are you? How has your week been?

Bart: Had a good dinner on Monday with some friends.

Emiel/Toni: Crazy-awesome! Just played our first shows of this year. Feels very good to play again.

For those new to your music; can you introduce yourselves, please?

Bart: Think Matrix fight scene music played by guitars not sounding anything like a guitar...

Lennart: ...oh...and please leave those vocals out.

E is out now. What is the story behind the single?

Antoni: It started out as a jam with a nice melody, wide-loud guitars and Rock-kinda drums. But, in the studio, we completely destroyed it...

Made it a bit more dumpster-Rock.

The video is quite quirky and fun! How was it putting it together?

While working on the song in the studio, we realised it would become a very nervous song. We couldn’t stop dancing and talked about fast cars and sports.The guys of Visual Internationals - who’ve worked out the video - came up with a crazy ping pong video-clip idea - and we immediately jumped on it.

Lennart: The recording of the video we’re pretty crazy. We rented the sports hall for a night. So, we had nine hours, a great crew and 480 ping pong balls to put it all together. Afterwards, we went to the swimming pool for two underwater shots. Pretty exhausting but loads of fun. We started at 11 P.M. and we’ve ended at 10.30 A.M. So, we were pretty fuc*ed - but we had to celebrate with some rum and red wine.

Kasper is your new album. What can you reveal about the themes and ideas that inspired its creation?

Bart: The tracks on the album started off, originally, in the likes of our previous album - Calexico Point - and originated naturally in our rehearsal space. Once in the studio, the great interaction with producer Micha Volders and Micha’s take on song structure and sound, triggered us to the more aggressive, robot-like danceable tracks you can hear on the album.

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How do songs come together for you? Do you write songs together - or does one person write the songs?

Every song started with one of the guys trying some riff, beat; a groove or whatever you want to name it. Then, the band picks in and start adding where others start toning down again; until the main theme of a song has grown. We start playing it regularly at rehearsals; from there it grows into a song that kept evolving - only taking a final form from the moment it’s recorded for the album (it will appear on).

Jan: Hours and hours of jams. For Kasper, we’ve selected ten ideas out of a-hundred-plus-hours of jams. Then, we come together; go completely insane listening to these crazy jams. Once we’ve selected the most interesting ideas, we start jamming and working on these songs for hours and hours.

Lennart: Every song is a team effort.

Did music come into your lives early? What got you hooked on it?

Bart: I can only speak for myself, but it didn’t come that early. As with many kids of my age, my interest was triggered at the age of sixteen; because I liked ‘guitar’ music - mostly Rage Against the Machine and Nirvana. For me, the reason picking up the bass instead of the guitar - like any sixteen-year-old would do - was that Lennart (yes, the same guy I’m still in with Statue) played in a Nirvana cover band and didn’t have a bass player.

Antoni: As far as I can remember, I’ve always wanted to play music and it never changed. So; I’m not sure what hooked me up. It’s just the most fun thing to do in the world!

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Which musicians did you all grow up around? Can you each remember the first album you ever bought?

We listen to very different kinds of music. But, living in Belgium; I think we all listened to bands like dEUS, Millionaire; Evil Superstars…

Emiel: I can’t remember the first album I bought. But; I think it should be something like Rammstein, Papa Roach; Slipknot, Sum 41; Metallica...

When I was fourteen, I started listening to Sonic Youth, Q.O.T.S.A.; Hüsker Du, Radiohead and Dinosaur Jr.

Bart: I didn’t grow up on a certain musician. I have been discovering new music from the moment I started consciously listening to music. The first album I ever bought was Blood on the Dancefloor - Michael Jackson.

Lennart: The first album I ever bought was By the Way – Red Hot Chili Peppers. It got me into guitar-playing. I liked the way John Frusciante approached the guitar. Afterwards, I really got into Tom Verlaine (Television), David Byrne (Talking Heads) and Feist. Oh, Feist...

She has an extraordinary way of playing the guitar. She wants to comfort you and cut your throat at the same time.

Joos: The first album I bought was Purple Pills by D12.

Jan: The Mars Volta - Frances the Mute.

You are based out of Belgium. Is the country quite active in terms of new music?!

Emiel: I believe Belgium is becoming very active in terms of new music. The last five years, the bands have been tripled. So much new music, new bands. Quite interesting but...

Lennart: ...there is a great underground scene with lots of bands with their own sound and vibe. More importantly, some of these bands find their way into the more popular circuits giving the edge to mainstream music (it’s craving for).

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Can we see you tour soon? What gigs do you have coming up?

Emiel: We’ll be playing most of the time in Belgium and the Netherlands. We’re slowly working on a team throughout Europe, so we can start playing other countries.

Will you come to the U.K. and play? What do you think of the music here?

Jezusfacory Records will distribute our album in the U.K. I think there are a lot more pubs, venues and bands in the U.K. This increases the creativity and level of the musicians.

Bart: Book us: we will tear down your club.

Antoni: We will come and visit you guys, but your E.U. exit doesn’t make it easy, though.

What do you hope to achieve in 2018?

Emiel: Play nice venues, go on tour; play a lot, play cool audiences; make a lot of fun with the band and the people we get to know on our way!

Jan: Start working on next year’s album!

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Have you each got a favourite memory from your time in music - the one that sticks in the mind?

Emiel: I think we have a lot of fantastic memories. But, there is one I still remember it was like yesterday. One time, we played and we stayed at the venue all night partying our heads off. When the morning came, we were all too drunk to drive. Only one of us could, so we all had to get in one little van with all the instruments. Someone got pressed in the trunk and another one had to sit on the roof of the car. Luckily, it was only a ten-minute drive.

Antoni: Playing at Pukkelpop was definitely one of the highlights. But, just playing the music I like with my friends just turns a big smile on my face.

What advice would you give to new artists coming through?

Antoni: Play as much with as many people as you can and do whatever you like.

Bart: You’re the musician: make the music you want to make. Don’t do it for anybody but yourself. Don’t give up.

Joos: Get out there and try to construct a sound of your own.

Lennart: Try. Fail. Fail again. Win.

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Do you get much time to chill away from music? How do you unwind?

Antoni: I don’t have much time to chill away or unwind. I don’t think any of us. If we’re not playing with Statue we’re playing in our other bands.

Lennart: As Antoni mentions, we don’t have much time left to listen to music. But, I truly enjoy listening to music on our way to a gig. In the best case; I’d love to dream away to some new albums on my couch with my headphones on...

But that’s pretty rare.

Finally, and for being good sports; you can each choose a song and I’ll play it here (not any of your music - I will do that).

Bart Weyens (Bass): The Fall - The Classical

Emiel Van Den Abbeele (Guitar): Hüsker Dü - Don’t Want to Know If You Are Lonely

Joos Houwen (Guitar): Serge Gainsbourg - En Melody

Antoni Foscez (Drums): Holy Fuck - Tom Tom

Jan Viggria (Guitar): Fu Manchu - Evil Eye

Lennart Janssen (Guitar): Ought - Habit

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Follow Statue

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Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/Statuemusic/

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/statue_music/

YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/user/nostatue

STUDIO PICS:

 Anton Coene

ALBUM ARTWORK:

Jasper Dufraing and Philip Vermeesen

INTERVIEW: Madelin

INTERVIEW:

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Madelin

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THERE aren’t many artists who arrest…

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the senses the same way as Madelin does. I have been speaking with the Brooklyn-based artist about the forthcoming E.P., The Peachmixes (officially released on 13th April). Madelin discusses the video for the High School Boys remix and featuring celebrated drag artists; what comes next in terms of gigs and material; if we can see Madelin in the U.K. – some of the artists who have inspired the music we hear on Madelin (the debut E.P.).

Madelin explains the reaction to her previous E.P. and why the material being put out now is more personal and pleasing; some advice new artists can adhere to – and whether sexual identity and gender equality are issues we need to tackle and explore in music.

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Hi, Madelin. How are you? How has your week been?

I’m good, but I’m really tired. I’m going on my third week without a day off - so I feel like a zombie.

For those new to your music; can you introduce yourself, please?

My name is Madelin. I grew up in Venice Beach California but I live in Brooklyn now. I call myself an experimental Pop artist. My music style is a cross between Björk, St. Vincent; Regina Spektor and Tove Lo. I like mixing different genres to the point of being uncategorizable. I’m inspired by intuitive melodies, found sounds and phat synths.

The High School Boys remix video is out. The video draws together Brooklyn drag performers. How did the concept come together? How important was it ensuring the visuals and messages were right?

When my collaborator, Jose Dao, and I first started conceptualizing the video we knew we wanted to work with the Brooklyn drag performers that we know and admire - and showcase them in the video. Since the song talks about a “high school boy” - whose name I can’t remember - we wanted to play with gender expectations and offer a full spectrum of gender expression. In that way; we honed in on the message of the video - which is that our memories of our experiences are fluid and always changing. We worked incredibly hard at nailing down the details of every single shot in the video.

Representing the Brooklyn artist scene properly was monumentally important to us.

It features ten-year-old, Desmond Is Amazing. Was it a lot of fun putting it all together?

Desmond was so much fun to have on set. He completely lit up the room with his fabulous energy and made everybody laugh. The experience of being on set and seeing it all come together was so rewarding. It felt like one of those cosmic moments when you’re surrounded by everyone you love and it’s like the universe is telling you you’re moving in the right direction.

The track is from the E.P., The Peachmixes. What can you reveal about the remixes that will appear? What was the reason for releasing a remix E.P.?

You can expect a very dynamic exciting E.P. with expertly-produced songs by some of my best friends who I went to college with. It spans genres, from Hip-Hop and Pop to Dancehall and Indie, but still has a cohesiveness to it. I wanted to put out this E.P. as a way to claim my power and independence as an artist. In 2017, I detached myself from my publishing company - because I felt like I was being manipulated and lead in the wrong direction musically.

As much as I love my previous Madelin E.P.; it was too influenced by people who were trying to change who I was to try and make me more marketable. The Peachmixes is all me: no one else’s advice was taken. It’s more of a redo E.P. than a remix E.P. to me. This is the start of the rest of my life in music - and it’s something I’m really proud of.

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The Madelin E.P. featured stunning cuts like High School Boys. What sort of themes and stories were influencing you around the time you wrote the E.P.?

The Madelin E.P. was written right before a really transformative time in my life. I was feeling kind of lost and like my destiny was out of my control. The feeling of people and things slipping through my fingers was a strong theme of the writing process for that E.P., as well as the feeling of moving away from your youth and being in that middle-ground of not quite knowing who you are yet...

A bit uncomfortable, but necessary for personal growth.

Do you think sexuality and identity are still awkward subjects to raise in music? Do you think there are obstacles for those who want to declare and emancipate?

I think now is the time for freedom of gender identity and sexual orientation to be in the forefront of music and art in general. Everyone should feel free to express themselves in a way that feels right to them. I, personally, consider myself genderless but still feel comfortable with ‘she’/’her’ pronouns. It’s difficult to feel comfortable expressing your gender or sexual identity when you’re still in the midst of exploring it...but I encourage everyone to give themselves the space to find what feels right to them - and to know that it’s ok if what feels right changes over time.

Never put yourself in a box or worry too much about what others will think of you. I truly believe that our souls have masculine energy, feminine energy and everything in-between. It makes sense for us to evolve in how we express our gender throughout our lives.

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You are from Bushwick, Brooklyn. It is a working-class neighbourhood. How important is the vibe and people regards your music and approach to songwriting?

I’ve lived in Bushwick for five years. It definitely influences me, musically. I feel a sense of comradery with all the artists who live here. It encourages me to stay on top of my sh*t.

What comes after the E.P.? Do you think you’ll bring any new material out before the end of this year?

Yes indeed. Expect more from me in 2018…

Did music come into your life early? What got you hooked on it?

I’ve been singing ever since I can remember. I started writing songs at age eight. I never stopped. Music got me hooked on music. I’m inspired by artists I admire. That is as true now for me as it ever was. I’m also addicted to the satisfaction I get from creating a song. It feels like the most authentic way for me to express my inner-world.

Which musicians did you grow up on? Can you remember the first album you ever bought?

I grew up listening to Motown, Pop music and classic singer-songwriters like Joni Mitchell and Paul Simon.

The first record I ever received was NSYNC’s first album - which I became obsessed with. The first one I ever bought myself was Return of Saturn by No Doubt. That’s still one of my all-time favorite records.

Can we see you tour soon? What gigs do you have coming up?

I’m taking a little time off from gigs to focus on recording new music. I’m planning on playing more shows this summer - so keep an eye on my Instagram for updates.

Do you get out to the U.K. much? Will we see you play over here?

I’ve never been to the U.K. but cross your fingers for me - that life leads me there at some point.

What do you hope to achieve in 2018?

I hope to get a ton of music recorded and to start releasing it. I want to build momentum and make a lot of art. I also want to keep enjoying living here in Brooklyn at the heart of the drag-scene here.

There’s nothing better than BK drag.

Have you got a favourite memory from your time in music – the one that sticks in the mind?

Making my very first E.P. in college, Cloud.  It’s not on Spotify right now but you can find it on SoundCloud and BandCamp under my full name, Madeline Mondrala. The process was so organic. I’m using it as a model for how I want to record music this year.

What advice would you give to new artists coming through?

Work harder than you think you need to, trust your intuition; don’t let anybody try and change you, do it because you love it not because you want money or fame…oh…and don’t take anyone’s advice….except for this advice I’m giving you right now.  

Do you get much time to chill away from music? How do you unwind?

Honestly, not a whole lot...

Between working to pay my rent and keeping up with my music hustle, it leaves very little free time. What free time I do have is spent at drag shows and queer parties, if I feel like popping off, or in my bed with my cat watching documentaries and hitting the vape pen if I feel like being a hermit.

Finally, and for being a good sport; you can choose a song and I’ll play it here (not any of your music - I will do that).

Polymorphing by Chairlift

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Follow Madelin

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INTERVIEW: Mute Choir

INTERVIEW:

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Mute Choir

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I am fascinated by Mute Choir…

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and what he is all about. Sam Arion is the man behind the moniker – he talks to me about his new music. I discover stories and ideas behind his debut album, Behind the Bars (out soon), and whether he has a standout cut. The Canadian artist talks about his influences and how music came into his life; new artists we should investigate – and whether he is coming to the U.K.

Behind the Bars’ title song is out now. It shows the talented songwriter is one of the most promising new acts around – as we find out in a revealing and personal interview.

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Hi, Mute Choir. How are you? How has your week been?

It’s been good. Been keeping very busy in the studio getting the mixing done for this record.

For those new to your music; can you introduce yourself, please?

Hi. I’m Sam. I have bigger hair than your dad in the 1980s. Hope you like the music…

When Did ‘Mute Choir’ form? Why did you decide to get into music?

Mute Choir has been a relatively new project; only really getting its legs in the past year. But, a lot of this record contains music from a few different time periods in my life - and it kinda feels like years and years of experiencing life and writing songs through all that has led up to this album and project. So, in a way, you could say ‘Mute Choir’ has always been there with me: it simply has been shaped into a more tangible form now.

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I was a visual artist as a kid - so art, in general, was always a huge part of my life. Around thirteen, I started getting really heavily into some music that helped me through some really rough times. From there, I started writing poetry and trying to sing the best I could at the time. I wanted to be able to, one day, offer the same consolation to someone going through something as the music I listened to did for me. Then it, basically, just never stopped from there.

Behind the Bars is your upcomimg, debut album. What are the main themes explored through the record?

Behind the Bars deals heavily with themes of entrapment and freedom. That became a recurring theme as I wrote more music. It related, in some way, to every song on the record; whether it’s a love song or a socio-political commentary. It would always find its way back to this universal theme, both in my music and in my life…so it sort of became an accidental concept album.

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Was it quite an easy and quick album to put together? What, typically, would comprise an average day in the studio?

I wouldn’t say so, no. Some songs were written, or partially written, years before the completion of the album - and took that time of putting them on the backburner before the finishing touches towards those songs were realized. The actual pre-production of the album comprised of me cooped up in a basement outside of the city, basically, writing and working on the tunes every day for about nine-ten months.

During that time, I was pretty isolated from just about everyone and everything; this gave me the time and peace to really reflect on my life, my emotions and my thoughts. Through that process, most of the album was written and demoed out. From there, we re-tracked all of the live instruments as well as the vocals in the studio; leading to where we are at now, in the mixing stage.

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A day at the studio, for me, can be pretty chaotic and a frustrating process. Sometimes it really feels like I need to just get something out, like a splinter boring deeper with each passing minute and, if you don’t pull it out, it will go too far in and it gets lost under your skin. So, I tend to work at a very fast rate, throwing ideas all over the place; usually using about three-per-cent of them overall. But, that’s just kinda how my brain works and, somehow or another, I find a way to organize it and make it one cohesive thought at a certain point.

I never know how long it will take because, sometimes, you start a thought but you don’t have the necessary experience to finish it. Then, one day, something happens in your life that just teaches you exactly what you needed to learn before you could finish that lyric or song.

So; it’s pretty unpredictable and I try to never set a formula or force a song to be something it isn’t meant to be.

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Do you have a favoured song off the album? Which one means the most to you?

A lot of the tunes on the record mean a lot to me in different ways, but Election Season is my jam. I don’t think I’ve felt a stronger sense of accomplishment and pride in my work with anything else I’ve done before that.

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Which musicians did you grow up on? Were you raised in an eclectic household?

I grew up on just about every style of music you could imagine. I think the first thing that really caught my attention as a kid was The Beatles as well as Punk music. From there, my taste progressed to pretty much every style and variety of music you could imagine.

Both my parents were very talented painters and visual artists - so that was definitely a big influence on me as an artist. However, I’m the only musician in my family and no one was huge on music really. My father did show me some awesome musicians as a kid like The Beatles, Terry Jacks; David Bowie and a lot of really killer legendary classic bands - and that, definitely, had a pretty huge impact on me.

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Can we see you tour soon? What gigs do you have coming up?

As we’re finishing up the record, we haven’t been doing too much in the way of shows but we have a gig coming up in May…and I’m really looking forward to getting back into the live swing of things in the next couple months. Definitely going to hit the road once the record is out.

Do you think you’ll play the U.K. at all? Have you been over here before?

I plan on it: It’s just a matter of time. I haven’t been before but I’ve been yearning to go for quite some time now. So many of my biggest influences and absolutely brilliant artists have come out of the U.K. - and I’d really like to come and play and take all of it in.

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What do you hope to achieve in 2018?

I just want to share my music with people and hope they can take something away from it. If I can do that, it’ll be a good year.

Have you got a favourite memory from your time in music – the one that sticks in the mind?

I saw LCD Soundsystem on once headlining a festival over here and that was probably the closest thing to a religious experience I’ve ever had. It changed my life; it inspired me and gave me a new kind of confidence that helped me, at the time, to take the leap into pursuing what is now Mute Choir.

What is Toronto like for new music? Is it a great city to play and perform in?

It’s cool. There’s a lot going on and there’s always kinda something for everyone here. The music scene is really diverse, but the scene is always very welcoming and I rarely feel a sense of competition amongst artists: more of a comradery than anything.

It’s a chill spot.

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What advice would you give to new artists coming through?

As cliché as this sounds: just do 'you'.

I spent so long thinking about what kind of artist I should be and where I fit. Honestly, you don’t need to decide that stuff. If you just make music as honestly as you possibly can, it will find you. Don’t worry about your ‘brand’ or your identity: it’s nearly impossible to see from a first-person perspective before you get out there.

For me, I only really discovered the music that felt like ‘me’ and felt like ‘my sound’ when I stopped caring, or trying hard to find it. I just made stuff that sounded good to my ears, without too much of a filter. Albeit, I did this for years to no avail until it finally felt right but, work at it; work as hard as you can until you find something that feels like you.

But; also give yourself time to live a little: you’re probably not going to write a good song if you don’t have any time in your life to experience anything to write about.

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Are there any new artists you recommend we check out?

Rubéhill and Deanna Petcoff have put out a couple unbelievable tunes recently. I’d definitely check them out - if you know what’s good for your eardrums…

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IN THIS PHOTO: Deanna Petcoff/PHOTO CREDIT: Sabrina Carrizo Sztainbok 

Do you get much time to chill away from music? How do you unwind?

Lately; not much, no. It’s been pretty busy and hectic over the past few months.

How do I unwind? I don’t know. I don’t imagine it would be vastly different than anyone else…I’ve never really thought about it; I don’t exactly have an ‘unwinding’ routine…I just live my life day-to-day and take it as it comes.

Finally, and for being a good sport; you can choose a song and I’ll play it here (not any of your music - I will do that)

Apartment by Rubéhill (it’s a jam)

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INTERVIEW: Eleven Past One

INTERVIEW:

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 Eleven Past One

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THERE is no doubting the chops…

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of Eleven Past One! The Canadian group are on the rise and collecting fans like President Trump accrues dissatisfied and bewildered opponents. Hailing from Bowmanville; I have been speaking with the Pop group about their lauded new single, Closer, and the story behind the song; whether there is more material in the pipeline; how they, and their music, has developed and grown – and whether a tour is on the cards.

They talk to me about writing and recording in L.A.; whether they ever get time away from the hectic music industry; what they want to achieve before this year is through; advice they’d offer to new artists – and why the 1980s is a special/inspiration period for them.

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Hi, lads. How are you? How has your week been?

Hey! It’s been pretty good, pretty good.

For those new to your music; can you introduce yourselves, please?

We’re Eleven Past One. My name’s Daniel (singer), Stephen on guitar; Steve on drums and Justin on bass.

Closer is your latest single. What is the story behind that track?

Well. We went to L.A. to meet up for some writing sessions with several different writers/producers. We were with Cimo Fränkel and Rik Annema in one of those sessions. We began to write with them and came up with our song, Wrong Way Home, but they also approached us with Closer. Immediately, when we heard the first note, we knew it was something we had to be a part of.

Is it true you went out to L.A. to work on/record the song? Was that a cool experience?!

Yes; it was an amazing experience. We’ve done plenty of writing, recording and touring in L.A. There’s something magical about it. The feeling of working in the world-mecca of entertainment is always cool.

You are based in Canada normally. Is it a lot different compared to the U.S. – in terms of the music and vibe?

Well. It definitely can feel different. Radio, for example, is different. It’s hard to put your finger on it, but the U.S. has more of an international/universal sound when it comes to music, in my opinion.

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How did Eleven Past One get form? What brought the band together?

Well. After I had finished university (Daniel), my brother (Stephen); Steve and I formed the band back in 2009. Stephen and Steve had met in high-school, bonding through a fire alarm that went off at their school. Stephen went to Steve’s house that day, shared that they were both musicians and Stephen explained that his brother was a singer…

The band was formed!

You have done sterling business on YouTube and Spotify – your music is connecting with people. Is it quite touching realising so many people are reacting?

It truly is touching. It’s an incredible feeling to be able to have the access to share our music worldwide through the Internet. When people write to us about how our music has touched them in specific ways - we really treasure that.

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Is there more material coming later this year? What can you reveal regarding more music?

Well. There will be more music released this year. We’re brainstorming right now as to what song we should release next.

It seems there is a fondness for the 1980s and that period. Did you guys grow up around 1980s music? What attracts you to the decade?

I think it’s cool to experiment with music in different ways. I guess we’ve taken some 1980s elements of music and mixed them into a more current sound.

Can we see you tour soon? What gigs do you have coming up?

We would love to tour soon. Trying to put something together…

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Do you think you’ll come to the U.K. and play this year?

That’s the goal!

What do you hope to achieve, personally, in 2018?

Well, personally, there’s a lot going on in our lives. One of us is getting married this year; one of us is having a baby; some of us are moving into new homes. It’s quite exciting.

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Have you each got a favourite memory from your time in music – the one that sticks in the mind?

Daniel: Well, that’s a pretty hard question because there are PLENTY of favourite memories. One that sticks out in my mind at the moment is the time we played a sold out Molsen Amphitheatre in Toronto, Canada. It’s one of the most famous places to play around here.

Stephen: Hearing our song on radio for the first time.

Steve: For me, it was probably the time we spent living in Cocoa Beach Florida in the trailer park. Everything about those times are memorable for me. (Or, going to Gene Simmons’ house in L.A. for the first time).

Justin: Recording in a professional studio for the first time.

What advice would you give to new artists coming through?

KEEP GOING. No matter how hard it is, never give up on your dreams because, if you have the perseverance, you can accomplish anything really.

Do you all get much time to chill away from music? How do you unwind?

Daniel: Yea; we do get time to chill and just hang with family and friends. I’m a homebody during most of my down time. I love to watch countless hours of T.V. when I have the chance. Haha

Finally, and for being good sports; you can each choose a song and I’ll play it here (not any of your music - I will do that).

Daniel: Pray for Me by The Weeknd and Kendrick Lamar

Justin: Wolves by Marshmello and Selena Gomez

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INTERVIEW: Maja Francis

INTERVIEW:

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Maja Francis

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I am always keen getting interesting and original…

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female artists onto my pages. I have had a run of boys lately: it is good to have Maja Francis here talking about her song, Saved by the Summer, and the Shura Remix. She discusses her life in Sweden and music that has inspired her; whether there are gig dates coming up – and whether there is any more material coming along.

I find out whether Francis gets chance to relax outside of music; how emotions connect with her music; what she would say to new artists coming through; how she felt when her current E.P., Come Companion, garnered huge reception – ending the interview with a great song!

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Hi, Maja. How are you? How has your week been?

I’m having an emotional day, but I’m ok - just cried a little bit in my bathtub while listening to Dolly Parton, so I feel better now. 

My week has been really nice. I had a show in Stockholm and I loved every minute of it. Also; I’ve been having lots of me-time looking, at cute baby animals on Instagram and taking long baths. 

For those new to your music; can you introduce yourself, please?

I’m a Cry Baby from the south of Sweden that loves glitter.

Saved by the Summer is new. It has that feel-good vibe and harks back to the classic summer songs. What was the inspiration behind it?

It's about having your heart broken but, when summer comes, it feels a little bit easier to handle it...summer is there to lay you down on the grass telling you: 'Everything will be ok'...

It certainly adds sunshine and warmth to the world! What was your reaction when hearing it back for the first time?

I'm glad you feel that way! I started writing this song with some friends in springtime...you know; when those first sun rays come peeking out, reassuring you that brighter days will come? We finished it late summer and, when I heard the finished version, I just smiled.

It is something about this tune that makes me playful and careless.

The version we have out is Shura’s remix. What was the reason for drafting in Shura? How did you come to discover her music?

My drummer showed me her music on our way to a show last summer and I loved it. Somehow, a year later, my manager got in contact with hers and asked if she would like to do her take on Saved by the Summer...and she did! I'm super-excited about it! 

Your E.P., Come Companion, did very well! Were you surprised by its success and popularity?

I’m really happy for all the love it got! But, at the time, I was so thankful for even getting the E.P. out there. It was a long journey with lots of obstacles and setbacks. I learned a lot in that process that I’ve got real use for now that I’m releasing my new E.P.

Do you think they’ll be more material coming later this year?

I'm releasing an E.P. series called Cry Baby Pt. 1 & Pt. 2 this spring and summer! The first one is released March 23rd - so I'm counting the days now! The next one is due by early-June. By releasing Cry Baby, I’m celebrating the beauty of feelings...and of being emotional. It's like a tribute to feelings, really.

About how I think we should start wearing them like a tiara and never apologize for them.  I think the most interesting people and things in the world are the ones who have a crack or a tear somewhere. I guess Cry Baby is a place where glitter and tears can live together in symbiosis...

Without one taking out the other. 

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It seems like music, for you, is a way of putting emotions out there and finding some form of clarity. How important is it to get songs out and express yourself through music?

Music is definitely a channel for my never-ending rollercoasters…and for my emotional cycle. I even turned this ‘feelings cycle’ to tracks on my upcoming E.P.s. They’re called Feel, Break; Grow and Shine - and they’re a reminder that everything is temporary. If you let yourself feel and break down, you will be able to grow and then shine. 

What is the music scene like in Sweden? Is it quite a blossoming and diverse musical landscape?

Sweden has many amazing artists, songwriters and producers. New flowers pop up every day! But, I do miss smaller venues for Pop or Alternative music - at least where I live in Stockholm. When I lived in Nashville; I could just go down the street any day of the week finding a new act to fall in love with.

Stockholm is more of a behind-the-scenes music town.

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Which artists did you grow up listening to? Did music arrive in your life early?

Mariah Carey was my first female crush; then came Joni Mitchell and Tori Amos, Cyndi Lauper and many more. I love unique and weird voices.

My dad owned a record store where I hung out all the time as a little girl. Also, my grandmother was a singer in Sweden in the 1950s and my grandfather was a songwriter – so, I guess music has been with me since I was a baby!

Can we see you tour soon? What gigs do you have coming up?

I have some shows planned in Sweden this summer, but I would love to come play outside of Sweden! Will definitely work on making that happen (smiles).

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What do you hope to achieve in 2018?

I hope to make a Cry Baby army that will take over the world with emotions and glitter!

Have you got a favourite memory from your time in music – the one that sticks in the mind?

When I got to sing my song, Last Days of Dancing, with my friends Seinabo Sey & Amanda Bergman at one of the biggest arenas in Stockholm, with thousands of people to collect money for refugees coming to Sweden. I was, maybe, the most nervous I've ever been but Seinabo & Amanda took my hand and I felt like we became the Powerpuff girls and I could walk out there without any trouble.

Also, those babes have two of my favorite voices ever; so it was really a dream singing with them

What advice would you give to new artists coming through?

Stay in your own creative bubble! It's so easy to look at others and compare. But, in the end; the only thing that matters is you. Your music. Your art. That’s where the beauty lies…

Even if people don't get it. 

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Do you get much time to chill away from music? How do you unwind?

I try to go down south to my parents’ house a lot where I have my cat, Pony, the ocean and its quiet. Also; I make sure to get alone time with myself a few times a week so I can recover from all the buzz, take a bath and a glass of wine. Read poetry and put sequins on clothes or things in my apartment. 

Also, I like to dance in my living-room.

Finally, and for being a good sport; you can choose a song and I’ll play it here (not any of your music - I will do that).

Kate Bush - This Woman’s Work 

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