GIGWISE: Issue 6 - The Annual

ONES TO WATCH

Terra Kin - GLASGOW

Glaswegian Terra Kin may have just released their debut EP but the artist is no newcomer. The 23-year-old has been amongst the Jazz scene that stirs through Glasgow for a good few years now, and with recordings that perfectly capture the magic of their live vocals - the singer/songwriter has more soulful sounds up their sleeve.From playing in King Tuts to Edinburgh’s new Connect Festival, it’s about time they were heard far and wide. - Maeve Hannigan

Cherym - DERRY

Northern Ireland has always been a home for punk, even if we’ve been overlooked in its history. Carrying the torch for Derry is Cherym, who are injecting new life into the local scene with their pop-punk earworms. Their EP Hey Tori has gotten them a lot of attention with a Northern Ireland Music Prize nomination, and it’s about time the rest of the world started paying attention. - Vicky Greer

Cowboyyy - ???

With only one single ‘Gmaps’ released at the end of September, it’s impressive to see Cowboyy have already defined their visual style, secured radio plays and booked a string of shows, so I’m expecting big things from them in 2023. The four-piece met through friends of friends and on Instagram, so they come from all over the UK: Emsworth, Southampton, Brighton and Christchurch. - Phoebe Scott

Lizzie Esau - NEWCASTLE

Newcastle-based singer-songwriter Lizzie Esau is already marking her mark in the region and beyond with embellished rock tunes that offer something truly special in an admittedly saturated market. Having spent 2022 walking the boards of festival stages and supporting acts like Circa Waves and The Amazons, Lizzie and her tight-knit live band are barrelling momentum into an ever-growing list of live performances that flex high-reaching vocals and impeccable instrumentals - plus a bit of Geordie banter. Having just recorded a new slate of tracks, you’d be silly not to jump on board. - Finlay Holden

Luxury Goods - SHEFFIELD

Taking clear inspiration from Sheffield’s pop darling Self Esteem, Luxury Goods is quickly becoming a must-see act on the city’s painfully male-heavy, rock-heavy live circuit. Cutting through the noise with their big time alt-pop, the merge of danceable beats and darker, thoughtprovoking subject matter, it’s as smart as it is hooking. Pinned down by Leonie Sloot’s unique vocals, their EP This Is No Time To Dance sounds like a band on the brink of something big. - Lucy Harbron

Yusuf Yellow - LEEDS

Leeds based but returning to London for the new year, Yusuf Yellow is a hip-hop artist who’s developed a name on the West Yorkshire scene through a compelling mix of expressive and introspective lyrics over mellow, jazzy rhythms. A compelling and charismatic live performer, he’s been accompanied by excellent backing group The Energy Collective, a 8 piece ensemble made up of some of the most impressive soul + hip-hop musicians from around the city, and together they’ve produced some notably joyful performances, most recently a triumphant headline slot at legendary Leeds venue Brudenell Social Club. - Ryan Bell

CONTRIBUTORS

Dear Reader,

Let’s start with the elephant in the room, you’re reading this on your phone. Just like the price of your coffee, your bread, your mind, your soul etc, the price of running a magazine keeps getting higher and as an independent publication, sometimes things just don’t work out. In the same boat as the venues you frequent and the artists you love, music has had a rough year. But with simply too much good stuff to deprive you, we’re here.

In digital format for one run, it’s a small price to pay for a minor heartbreak that we’re not in in our favourite indie record stores this time round. But hey, we’re portable now. Why not take us out, go for a browse at your local shop or a coffee in your nearest cafe and spread the love to the independent venues that need it most at the moment.

Oh and look, the elephant has a friend. You might have noticed that I’m not Jessie. Taking over the reins and attempting to fill some impressive pink shoes, it’s been allchange for the Gigwise team. Stepping up to editor 6 months after becoming Deputy, and 2 years on from my first articles

for the site, it feels like the privilege of a lifetime. And taking over as we round up our favourite albums of the year and pick our ones to watch for 2023, my view from the editor’s chair is hopeful and excited.

In tough times, art matters. And 2022 saw some of the finest displays of talent that only seem to prove that artists are getting better, bolder and more resilient with the years. From Nilüfer Yanya defying the odds to beat the tricky second album stereotype, to Liverpool gifting us two of our favourite acts of the year as a middle finger up to the london-centric, middle class industry machine; this 2022 roundup issue is an optimistic one. And as we wrap up with the start of our 23 for 2023 list, it seems the years to come are in great hands with the bar set ridiculously high.

Made by an industry-best team of countrywide music lovers, helped to happen by some of the nicest people in PR and management, and all put together by yours truly for the first time - Merry Christmas, and we’ll meet you back in the record store in the new year.

Love, Lucy x

CONTRIBUTORS

WRITERS

Jessie Atkinson

Luke Ballance

Ryan Bell

Karl Blakesley

Richard Bowes

Lou Boyd Cailean Coffey

Laura Dean Grace Dodd Tilly Foulkes

Vicky Greer

Maeve Hannigan Finlay Holden Cian Kinsella

Molly Marsh Neive McCarthy Matthew McLister Millie O’Brien

Aimee Phillips

Priya Raj David Roskin Phoebe Scott

Rishi Shah

Cameron Sinclair Harris

Chlo Spinks

Martha Storey

Chiara Strazzulla

Laura Molloy

PHOTOGRAPHERS

Fabiola Bonnot Phoebe Fox

Melissa Gardner

Briony Graham Rudd

Cara Kealy

Rachel Lipsitz Niamh Louise Saffron Rose

Adam Taylor

Ethan Weatherby Rosie Alice Wilson

Remember that?The most memorable musical moments of 2022

Maybe the fastest year in history? Recap the good, the great and the absolutely unbelievable with our rundown of the top moments in music this year.

Kanye giving us Julia Fox

Ye hasn’t given us much good this year, in fact, he’s spent the majority of the year pretty much disgusting us. BUT, we do have him to thank for bringing a true icon to our attention. Ye’s first public foray into romance after a rocky split from Kim Kardashian may have only lasted a couple of weeks, but it introduced us to the fascinating mind of Julia Fox. Without that relationship, we wouldn’t have been able to appreciate such moments as Fox’s proclamation that she has not cried since 1997, her unabashed confidence producing the “uncut jahmms” soundbite, and some extremely confusing fashion choices that we must admit have slowly grown on us... Now a candid social media star in her own right, we hope she’s here to stay for 2023, while hopefully he might be a little quieter… - Chlo Spinks

Wolf Alice wins ‘Best Group’ at the Brit Awards

At the 2014 Brit Awards, Alex Turner defiantly proclaimed rock ‘n’ roll’s prevalence over pop “sludge”. Eight years later, Wolf Alice, who were beginning to build traction soon after Turner’s words (“that rock ‘n’roll, eh?”), proved this to be true, taking home ‘Best Group’ in February’s Brits showpiece. Defeating Little Mix and Coldplay for the title seemed unthinkable, yet it was Ellie & co who provided the biggest shock of the evening: no more than they deserved following the success of Blue Weekend. Three albums in and still on the Dirty Hit independent label, it proved hard work and perseverance can lead to mainstream pay off!Matthew McLister

Charli XCX Crashing Twitter

Descending into buzzword status thanks to excessive overuse, these days ‘iconic’ can be devoid of meaning. Charli XCX remains the exception - evident in March, when she was papped outside of a London restaurant the day before her album release, wearing a baby tee emblazoned with ‘They don’t build statues of critics’. The resulting crisis among music writers saw those most affected frantically scouring the internet in desperate attempts to find any evidence to the contrary (apparently a sculpture of literary figure Northrup Frye on a Toronto bench disproves the $50 t-shirt). Regardless, this will forever exist as the definitive moment in a genuinely fun album campaign, ultimately proving that the best publicity stunts are the most understated, and the best way to make a point is to spell it out in pink, italic font across a crop top. - Laura Molloy

UK finishing 2nd in Eurovision

In the 21st century, the UK tarnished its own, quite impressive, Eurovision legacy. Most Brits enjoy the contest for everybody else and then feel shame when it’s our turn. But this year Sam Ryder somehow took us from 0 points in 2021 to 466 in 2022, clinching first in the jury vote and second overall, as well as hosting duties for 2023 due to the winners, Ukraine, being unable to act as host nation. Most of us have memories of Eurovision embarrassment, now we can look back with pride. - David Roskin

Self Esteem’s Meadowhall Bra

Draped in a cape and wearing bra cups that paid homage to Sheffield’s Meadowhall shopping centre, Self Esteem delivered a set that was nothing short of biblical over on the John Peel stage at this year’s Glastonbury Festival. With the crowd hanging on Rebecca Lucy Taylor’s every word as she stormed through an empowering set of tracks that address difficult topics such as consent, putting yourself first and the objectification of women, she was visibly overcome with emotion and it truly felt as if we’d witnessed something special from an artist who will never forget her roots. - Laura Dean

Kendrick Lamar closes out Glastonbury 2022

Accompanied by a troupe of dancers and theatrical production beyond anything seen in the festival’s 50-year history, Kendrick’s flawlessly iconic Glastonbury headline set will forever be ingrained in musical memory. Face bloodied and wearing a crown of thorns, he spectacularly ended the show with a performance of ‘Savior’, the climax of which saw him passionately and repeatedly shout “God Speed For Women’s Rights’’ in response to the US Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v Wade that same weekend. It made for a strikingly powerful, emotionally charged moment that will still be talked about for years to come. - Karl Blakesley

Taylor Swift SURPRISE!

Since I booked tickets to see HAIM back in 2019, the London show had been cancelled twice over. In the intervening period, the trio had also gone from being simply a band I liked to becoming pretty much my favourite band. I’ve found live music to be significantly more affecting in 2022, and the HAIM show was especially moving. Then halfway through the gig, in the middle of the song ‘Gasoline’, Danielle Haim announced from the drum kit that they were bringing a special guest on. I didn’t want to get too excited, but I did know who it might be. I knew it might be the person whose albums Folklore and Evermore had soundtracked my pandemic, alongside HAIM’s own Women in Music Part III. It’s difficult to articulate quite how cacophonous the applause was when Taylor Swift walked out on stage. It sounded like a Beatles concert in 1964. It was as if every white girl below the Watford Gap was undergoing an exorcism.

Popping up again by surprise at Bon Iver’s 2nd London date, I can’t shake the feeling that Miss Swift could be anywhere… stay prepared. - Molly Martian

Good Old Tramlines

Always one of our favourite weekends of the year, Tramlines and Tramlines Fringe always have us crawling back to the spiritual home of Gigwise - Sheffield!

With the Gringe taking over the entire city with local upcoming names to know, sets from Femur, Teah Lewis and Saintes brought in crowds worthy of the Hillsborough field. And over in the official set up, sipping Sly Dog rum, running from set to set with the classic bucket hat brigade and wrapping it up by screaming Self Esteem lyrics along with what felt like the entire population of the city? It doesn’t get much better than that.

The Resurgence of Running Up That Hill

Despite keeping a low profile, Kate Bush managed to become the oldest woman to ever score a number one on the UK charts, and claim the title of ‘song of the summer’ with a track 37 years old.

A particularly emotive scene featuring Max (Sadie Sink) in Stranger Things saw ‘Running Up That Hill’ catapulted back into the limelight, sitting at number one in the UK for three weeks and breaking record after record, amassing 86.6 million streams between June and August. And also saw some pretty atrocious remixes pop up too, but we’ll ignore those. - David Roskin

That Fred again… Boiler Room Set

“Have you seen Fred again..’s Boiler Room Set?” was all anyone seemed to be asking each other for weeks after the viral YouTube video dropped in July. Whether you had watched it or not soon became a litmus test of how cool you were. Throughout the performance, producer extraordinaire Fred again.. whipped through a range of genres, smelting together everything from house and techno to grime, drum and bass, garage and breakbeats as he teased addictive bangers that would soon be released on his Actual Life 3 album.

It was a truly hair-raising set that took the producer from underground favourite to recognised star, marking a defining moment in his career. The video has since gone down in the Boiler Room hall of fame. To date, the video has 8.6 million views. - Aimee Phillips

The return of Pulp!

‘After much speculation, the drawing in of the nights brought with them good news for once, at least for those of a certain upbringing (and age). A few weeks after Pulp announced a series of huge dates across summer 2023, Blur very nearly stole their thunder with the announcement of a HUGE show at Wembley Stadium pencilled in for the week after Jarvis and co. undoubtedly slay Finsbury Park. All too much excitement for the middleaged mob, without even mentioning that both bands have Glastonbury-shaped holes in their itineraries. Staying out for the summer indeed. - Richard Bowes

All Year, Forever

The Grand Return Of Matty Healy

It was the year of the great return of Matty Healy, everyone. The pretentious, loveable, controversial, existentialist indie icon returned to the stage in 2022 alongside The 1975 with a sensational album, an array of clean-cut suits and that biting sense of self-awareness.

From a victorious, hit-filled Reading and Leeds headline performance, to an even more chaotic stream of Twitter rants, a generation of people finally saw a revival of the intense, head-spinning Matty Healy crushes that marked their teenage years. And on top of it all? ‘Being Funny In A Foreign Language’ was the perfect shining indie-pop album fans had waited two years for, ensuring one of the world’s most controversial bands made a stellar comeback. -

Drunk at the office party GIGWISE CHRISTMAS PLAYLIST

Los Christmos - Los Bitchos

Uncomfortable Christmas - CMAT + Junior Brother

All I Want For Christmas Is A Work Email - Self Esteem

Christmas Will Break Your Heart - LCD Soundsystem

Snowqueen Of Texas - Molly Burch

8 Days Of Christmas - Destiny’s Child

White Wine in The Sun – Tim Minchin Christmas Wrapping - Waitresses

A Spaceman Came Travelling - Chris De Burgh Don't Shoot Me Santa - The Killers

Father Christmas - The Kinks Yule Shoot Your Eyes Out - Fall Out Boy

I Wish It Was Christmas Today - Julian Casablancas Christmas Song - Phoebe Bridgers

Last Christmas - Wham! Christmas Time Is Here - Khurangbin White Winter Hymnal - Fleet Foxes

I’ll Be Home For Christmas - Kacey Musgraves + Lana Del Rey

Love To Keep Me Warm - Laufey + Dodie White Christmas - Billie Marten

Winter Song - Sam Fender Just Like Christmas - Low

The Tricky Second AlbumNilüfer Yanya in her Sophomore year The Tricky Second AlbumNilüfer

Yanya in her Sophomore year

Words By Luke Ballance

Photos By Ethan Weatherby

“When I’m in London, I don’t really do much work,” laughs Nilüfer Yanya. “I’m just running around!” It’s the second time the 27-year-old singer-songwriter has used this phrase during our conversation, and it certainly offers a window into her hectic world; in the eight months following the release of her sophomore album PAINLESS, she’s powered through a self-described “whirlwind” of almost 70 shows, among them a full-blown headline tour of the UK and US, a debut appearance at The O2 Arena in support of Roxy Music, and call-ups for both of Adele’s landmark Hyde Park takeovers in the summer. The highlight reel looks great, but life on the road has proven gruelling at times, too: “The reality of touring when you don’t have tour buses and loads of crew is pretty exhausting and it doesn’t always go to plan. But it’s been so nice to be getting back out there, seeing the world and bringing music to new places and new people.”

In the absence of routine, Yanya has been making the most of her limited time back home in Ladbroke Grove, catching up with loved ones, building plenty of exercise into her mornings, and, as is custom, celebrating the return of Notting Hill Carnival - her mum is half-Bajan, but she’s never been to Barbados before this year, so the event has doubled up as an annual means of connecting with her Caribbean heritage. When she’s working on new music, she’s typically found her uncle’s home studio in Cornwall to be much more conducive to productivity; a blissful alternative to the constant hubbub of the inner city. “It feels a lot more natural and easier to disconnect,” she explains. “It gives you a different perspective on everything.” In an ideal world, she would be holed up in the studio more often, perfecting the intricacies of each record, but she’s accepted that her packed schedule of shows is a non-negotiable. “That’s how I can balance out the costs of making the record,” she states matterof-factly, “but I feel like I could make the music I really want to make if I could spend more time writing it.”

For now, she’s been finding creative ways to repurpose her existing material for live audiences, testing out new arrangements of songs like ‘midnight sun’ and ‘L/R’ which incorporate saxophone runs and distorted analog effects from her friend, bandmate and sometime producer

Jazzi Bobbi into the mix. Unusually, around half of the guitar lines on the new album were written and recorded by close collaborator Wilma Archer, so Nilüfer had to learn to play many of them from scratch on her fleet of Fenders – a Jazzmaster, a Meteora, an Acoustasonic and a Strat – ahead of this year’s live dates. “I’d like to write more holistically, tying my band in for the early days of the writing process, kinda like how people used to make records,” she reflects. “I feel like I’m doing it in bits and pieces at the moment. It’s a bit detached and random, but I’ll probably still feel like that with the next album!” It’s a knowing moment of selfreflection from a woman who’s long been her own worst critic; Yanya’s 2019 debut Miss Universe, for instance, garnered widespread acclaim, but she’s repeatedly expressed regrets about its “forced” concept, which involved a series of Black Mirrorinspired skits about a dystopian wellness brand.

In contrast, PAINLESS lets the music do the talking. There is an overarching lyrical theme, but the songs were already finished by the time that Yanya noticed a pattern. “I wasn’t thinking about it at all,” she admits; the recurring references to violence, bruises and scarring were simply

subconscious products of her psyche, although the album’s title, which challenges the notion that artists must suffer in order to create their best work, was very much intentional. “I guess it’s a big theme in songs anyways – it’s not a new topic – but I do find the mix between the physical and the emotional side of pain quite interesting.

In the past, she’s also talked about finding her voice after attracting “domineering” people into her life; when asked if this was another underlying arc of the album, she mulls this over momentarily before clarifying: “I don’t think I was ever a pushover, I think it’s a lot to do with growing up. Understanding that there are times you can be overshadowed and knowing why that is and when that’s happening. And I guess it sounds tacky, but knowing you are a lot stronger than you think you are. Once you know that, it’s about not being that person that other people have been to you. How to be a good person.”

One song on the album has a particularly poignant backstory: ‘company’ was originally recorded as a duet with Søren Holm, the 25-year-old frontman of Danish indie pop group Liss, who took his own life in May 2021. His vocals ultimately went unused, and he received a dedication in the LP’s liner notes. “I didn’t go with that version for completely different reasons – nothing to do with Søren’s contributions –but I really wanted to finish it, especially after I found out that he passed away,” Yanya shares. The pair never got to meet in person, solely communicating via Instagram, although she’s since befriended the surviving members of the band, and they posthumously released a second collaboration, ‘Boys in Movies’, this spring. Was the idea of releasing it difficult to grapple with? Are the ethics of it something she’s thought about in relation to her own music? Apparently not, but she talks me through her thought process in real-time, debating herself aloud before reaching a conclusion: “It’s weird ‘cause you lose the creative control over how it’s finished, how it’s released, and all those things that make it ‘you’. I guess that’s why it’s important to have wills; maybe it would be good practice to be like ‘this is what I wanna happen to my music if I was to die today, and this is who I’d want to trust with it’. I’m thinking about the will thing now. I’m gonna do that.” It’s a dark topic, one that many would shrug

off or shy away from the discomfort of - but not Nilüfur, seeming almost at ease when tackling the tricky stuff.

Another theme that crops up frequently on PAINLESS is the idea of inescapability: the project’s queasy, post-punk-inspired lead single “stabilise”, for instance, is centred around the disconcerting feeling of being surrounded by high rises. The lyrics don’t literally reflect Yanya’s own environment growing up; instead she employs the architecture as an extended metaphor, a permanent reminder of how inequality can cast a long shadow: “I was thinking about how the area in which you live can pull you back and hold you down a bit,” she tells me. “You feel like you can’t get out of it.” In fact, she’s even been formulating an escape plan of her own: she’s toying with the idea of a move to Istanbul, where much of her Turkish father’s family still lives. Her latest trip in October, which also saw her visit the country’s capital of Ankara, reaffirmed these feelings, and in her little free time she’s been learning the language: “I was doing Turkish lessons up till March for a whole year with my sister. I did put them on hold when touring started, but I’m super excited to get back into it.”

think I just need to keep exploring”

Yanya is someone who dreams big, and her list of aspirations doesn’t stop there. She plans to one day produce her own records, a journey which she hopes will help her to bridge the gap between the ideas in her head and the reality of what they end up sounding like. I ask if she’s picked up anything second-hand in the studio yet from people like Archer. “You definitely are learning something just from working with them, but how to apply that knowledge is another thing,” she replies. “I don’t really like being on my laptop or staring at screens, so I get quite frustrated, but that’s my fault!” What she lacks in beat-making savvy, she more than makes up for in other technical skills, though. Trained in piano the old-fashioned way until she turned eighteen, she’s got a robust knowledge of music theory and a scholarship to show for it, and has enjoyed bringing the more exciting parts

“I

of the discipline into her work. Album track ‘belong with you’, for example, is written in a ¾ time signature – also known as ‘waltz time’ – in a break from the typical pop format of 4/4, and triplet rhythms similarly come into play on ‘try’. “I remember on ‘Angels’, that was the first time I wrote something that wasn’t in 4/4,” Nilüfer recalls. “Once you open up your brain in that way, it’s kinda become another default that I often go to when I’m writing. I think I just need to keep exploring!”

As the end of the year beckons, Nilüfer’s still got one more surprise up her sleeve: she’s gearing up to release a deluxe edition of PAINLESS. The details are hazy for now, but she assures me it will include an “exciting” selection of remixes of familiar tracks, and can be expected sooner rather than later. It’s the cherry on the cake of an award-winning 2022, and she’s looking forward to unwinding during the festive season, which often sees her fully immersed in a totally different undertaking: home-cooked Christmas dinner, vegan style. “I usually have loads of roasted vegetables, and I’ve made really nice vegan pies in the past. A nice addition is vegan mac ‘n’ cheese. What about you?” When I reply with beetroot wellingtons, she excitedly tells me that she’s made those too. Maybe she should add writing a cookbook to that list of longterm goals; she’s got at least one customer already.

Lucky Her:

A Post-Debut Portrait of Phoebe

Building up to this moment for years, 2022 finally gifted us Phoebe Green’s debut album. But when you’ve bared your soul and had it received with open arms; where do you go next?

Words by Cameron Sinclair Harris/ Photos by Saffron Rose

At the end of a whirlwind year, Manchester singer/ songwriter Phoebe Green is ready to embrace the winter with open arms; “I feel so connected to myself at this time of year, I love it” she muses. She’s had a lot to love about 2022, following the August release of her debut album Lucky Me, which came out to critical praise and adoration from fans. Releasing an album, particularly a debut, can be a time of intense emotions for an artist putting their work out in LP form for the first time, and nearly four months on from the album’s release, Phoebe is ready to lay those anxieties to rest. “I think because the album is so personal, it felt incredible that people connected to it” she says upon reflection.

Lucky Me is a bold and vulnerable album that lays Phoebe’s demons bare for the listener, but now is in the place where she feels distant from the material. “We’ve been rehearsing songs with the band, and I’m like ‘this poor girl!’. It was a weird period of my life.”. The album took Phoebe’s rawest emotions and turned them into dancefloor tearjerkers; she remains immensely proud of her work, but admits “even just the way I’m talking about myself, I listen and I’m like ‘oh my god, come on, you’re better than that! Why are you so miserable’?”. Upon the album’s acclaim upon release, she couldn’t be more delighted with the reception; “because it felt like I was so isolated when I was creating the album, I kind of forgot people would be responding to it.

I got the reaction I subconsciously desired; I knew I wanted to surprise people with it, and I wanted people to feel emotionally connected to it, I definitely achieved both of those!”. During live dates, Phoebe has had fans come up to tell of her of their connection to her material, something which she describes as “overwhelming” and “emotional”; “I don’t think I’m too obvious about specifics, but it’s really interesting hearing people connect to a song without the finer details, when it’s something independent to them. I feel like giving them a hug and going ‘it’s alright!’”.

Although Lucky Me is her debut album, it isn’t Phoebe’s first rodeo. Having been releasing music since 2016, she concedes that “both emotionally and identity-wise, the music is so representative of where I am at any given time.” Her songs are a “documentation of what I’m going through, my relationships and how I perceive them, just going about my usual shit!”. Sonically, there has been a progression as well- what started off as guitar-led bedroom indie has blossomed into full on synthpop, which Phoebe attributes as a reflection on the lyrics; “I don’t just change one thing, everything changes alongside it! I try to make it as cohesive as possible.” Recently, collaborations have become a habit of Phoebe’s, which include tracks written with Swim Deep, Jessica Winter (who you’ll meet in a couple of pages time) and Jules Jackson of The Big Moon. But it wasn’t something that came easy; “because I’d been writing for so long on my own, I was so clueless”. But as we all know, the comfort zone is boring; “I know myself and I know what I’m good at, I know what my limitations are. It’s so good to work with other people that can do things I can’t do.” Looking to the future, her dream collaborator would be Mercury winner James Blake, gushing “everything he touches is so brilliant!” as she aims to keep exploring collaboration further and dip her toes into writing for other artists - two New Year’s resolutions we hope to see materialise.

“I got the reaction I subconsciously desired; I knew I wanted to surprise people with it, and I wanted people to feel emotionally connected to it”

Throughout 2022, Phoebe has been a force to be reckoned with live; not only has she been playing her own headline shows up and down the country, but has played countless festivals and toured with the likes of Self Esteem and fellow Mancunian art-rockers Everything Everything. “It’s really hard to know what other people’s fans will want from a support act” she elaborates, “so many people go to gigs just for the headliner, so there’s an extra pressure to be engaging when people aren’t there for you. When crowds see supports, they don’t realise how much of yourself as an artist you are giving to get new fans”. But, as many a musician will know, there are those shining moments that make it all worth it when you win the crowd over to your side; for Phoebe, these moments seem to come with ease and regularity, “which is so lucky, it feels amazing for that work to pay off!”. This winter will see her take Lucky Me on the road on her biggest headline tour yet, so winning new fans isn’t something she needs to worry about. It is an “exciting yet terrifying” prospect; “it’s gonna be amazing to see how people respond to what we haven’t played before”, bringing up album track ‘Leech’ as an example, “it’s so different to anything I’ve done.”. Additionally, with tracks such as ‘Clean’, Phoebe is in a nostalgic mood; “I haven’t played guitar live in so long, it will feel really weird but cool!”.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eOzdcdDWygk

But touring aside, Christmas is around the corner, and whilst Phoebe is looking forward to having “a chill (no pun intended)” with family, she is looking forward to the future already. Having toured the UK extensively, she casts her mind overseas; “I want to get a big support slot on a European tour, I would love that to happen”. She also hopes to “get a song on a movie soundtrack”, which, after having her single ‘idk’ feature on Killing Eve (something Phoebe modestly describes as “so cool! Slay of the century. Insane.”), surely a film is well within her reach. “I think I need to believe in myself more” she admits towards the end of our conversation, “because I see how much I grow whenever I remind myself I’m actually good at what I do. As long as I doubt myself, I plateau, so I need to keep telling myself I can do this!”.

Before we wrap up our chat, I seize the opportunity to grab a glimpse of Phoebe Green’s Christmas list, asking what three hypothetical items she would love in her stocking this year. “Oh God this is so hard!” she moans, describing how we all feel when we have to write what festive treats we want. She chooses a Jack Skellington Build-A-Bear (“one of my favourite films is The Nightmare Before Christmas, and I saw that and it’s an absolute need!”), a set of orange household appliances (“so they all fit together. I don’t even have a toaster, maybe just that!”), and a slot at Glastonbury next year (“because I didn’t get tickets, it’s so annoying!”). As 2023 rolls around, don’t be surprised if a certain Christmas wish is granted and Phoebe Green is storming the stage at Worthy Farm next year. Adorned with a plush Jack Skellington and an array of orange paraphernalia surrounding her. The ball is in your court, Santa.

The Mysterines Break Through Bad Kids

Vampires, Spoons + Arson - The Mysterines’ notes from the road on their huge 2022.

Words By Vicky Greer

Since The Mysterines released their striking debut album Reeling in March of this year, it’s been pretty much non-stop. The band haven’t stopped touring since the album dropped, starting out with intimate acoustic in-stores, taking festival season by storm and finally invading the States with their dark and grungy alternative rock. I catch vocalist Lia and drummer Paul over Zoom as they near the end of their American run as they wake up to a new day on the road in Los Angeles. We revisited some of the milestones they’ve hit in a relentless year, and what’s on the to-do list for 2023.

interview #3 - The Mysterines

I suggest that they maybe wait until after they play the new songs before they commit arson, but Lia is having none of it. “It’s a measurement of how much of a fan they are. Would they rather burn to death and watch the new songs or leave?” Time will tell if they pull off their plan and reduce The Forum to ash, but with or without the flames, it’s going to be a very special night.

At this point, they’ve spent the last 7 weeks touring America with AWOLNATION, but to Lia it feels more like “70,000 years”. They’ve discovered a lot of new things across the water, namely tiki bars (which resulted in some “wild times”) and hockey games, where Paul learned a valuable lesson: “I’ve discovered that back home if you go and watch the football you can get up and leave whenever you want. If you ever go to a hockey game, do not do that. Cause you will get shouted at by some angry woman”.

The band also got to experience their first classic American Halloween, which didn’t go completely according to plan, Lia tells us. “Paul wanted to go as Spider-Man, which I said isn’t scary. I said we should do serial killers, but then obviously, we said we shouldn’t do that because it’s not family-friendly. Then we were like, ‘Maybe we should do Scooby Doo.’ But none of this happened.”

“And then we just got pissed instead,” Paul clarifies. “Everyone just thought we were dressed as vampires.”

Lia and Paul explain that they tend to feel the most pressure at these homecoming shows. “There’s definitely less pressure on us when we come [to the US]. In the UK you’re playing to more people that you know, which freaks me out more.” The US has quickly earned its title as one of their favourite places to play, thanks to the enthusiasm of the audiences there. “The American audience in particular are so passionate, like they want to be your biggest fan. Whereas in the UK, I always think everyone’s a bit more reserved,” says Paul. Lia, the eternal cynic, isn’t convinced: “That might just be because they hate us”.

Our conversation takes another strange turn when we move on to talk about the European tour; “Paris is amazing. Prague was really good, which was a surprise because I didn’t know people in Prague had ears”. Every day is a school day.

As we’re chatting, The Mysterines are getting ready for another big moment in their career: their biggest show to date at the O2 Forum Kentish Town. What surprises do they have in store for fans? Once the obvious answer of “new music” is out of the way, the conversation takes a bizarre turn when they present their ideas. One is having a magician as a support act (genius), and the other is straight-up setting fire to the venue (definitely illegal).

Playing to all of these different crowds, from the acoustic sets to big festival stages has taught them a lot about Reeling, allowing their debut to evolve in ways that aren’t possible when confined to a studio. “When we did the record, we hadn’t played any of the songs live because it was lockdown,” says Lia. “So, it was all trial and error for the first couple of months. I think we’re at a good place now. We enjoyed stripping the songs back to how we started, and I suppose that brought new perspectives to us”. “We might just play all the songs on the fiddle now!” she adds.

In June, The Mysterines ticked off another bucket list moment when they made their TV debut on Later…with Jools Holland. “That was pretty surreal. We’ve all grown up watching that. We watched really seminal moments in our favourite artists’ careers by their debuts on Jools Holland. I remember

watching Bon Iver on Jools Holland when I was a kid and being captivated by that performance - I still am. It was crazy being asked to do that,” Lia enthuses. It was a significant moment for the band - joining them on the show that day were Florence + the Machine and Jamie T - “I felt like I was in 2009 again,” says Lia. Talking about the effect meeting Florence had on the band, Lia can’t help but gush about it: “She was so lovely, she was super nice to us. I spoke to her for a bit and she was like, ‘Is this your first time?’ and she just gave us all a hug, like, ‘You’ll be fine!’. And after we did the performance, I looked at her straight away and she was just super excited for us.”

interview #3 - The Mysterines

The band have kept busy while they tour the world, fitting in work for album number 2 where they can, Paul says: “When you’re touring you’ve got to adapt to that environment because you can’t really take that time off. You’ve got to figure out ways of getting ideas to the table, whether that’s a little demo on your phone or whatever. And we’ve never done that before, because the first record Lia wrote certain songs years before and then during lockdown which is obviously a very different time to where we’re at now.”

The big news kept on coming: in September, they were announced as a support act for Arctic Monkeys when they play stadiums across the UK next year. From intimate acoustic gigs in record stores to sharing a stadium with one of the UK’s biggest bands, it’s a testament to their meteoric rise. Long-time heroes of The Mysterines, Lia and Paul told us how this relationship came about.

“Matt and Alex came to the L.A. show that we did and then we went to the pub with them after in Beverly Hills. Being from Northern England, they’re the only 2 people who would find a pub in Beverly Hills and it was essentially a British pub.” Bonding in that familiar environment, “It was like a Wetherspoons,” Paul adds, the two bands became fast friends and met up again at Reading festival. One thing led to another, and they were confirmed as their UK support act.

It wasn’t all sunshine and rainbows, though, as they’d find out when they logged onto Twitter after the announcement. “We got a load of shit on Twitter because we’re not Fontaines D.C or Inhaler,” Paul explains. Quote tweeting one disappointed Fontaines fanatic, they hit back with “tbf if I was from beccles i’d probably be this bored too”, landing them in another online beef.

“We’re a bit fearful of the fans from Beccles. I think we probably upset Beccles. I didn’t mean to, I’ve never been. But I don’t think we’re allowed to now!” Sorry to anyone that was patiently waiting for a Mysterines Beccles headliner; that ship has probably sailed.

Lia has also noticed the changes between Reeling and their future releases. “The dynamic of it’s changed. Me and Paul are working together a lot now and even just the subjects of the songs have changed. A lot of the songs that were written on Reeling, I was a teenager. I’m about 70 now! It’s a big difference in terms of perspective and creative decisions.”

“We also know each other better now,” she continues. “When we were doing the record, the year that Paul and Callum joined is the year that we did the record, so that was a lot of pressure for them. To get thrown into a band and then straight in doing a debut record”

She tells us how this new writing process has changed the way the play tracks from Reeling, too. “Sometimes the sound of the new stuff creeps in and affects the way we play the songs live. It’s a good thing. I hated the record when it came out and I don’t mind playing it now because we play it a little differently. We were sat on the record for like a year and a half…” she sighs. Waiting that long to share a debut album would probably turn anyone against their own music.

As we hurtle towards 2023, The Mysterines show no signs of slowing down. The to-do list for next year? “Get this new album out of the bloody way,” says Paul, setting his sights high with Glastonbury on the list of goals for 2023. Lia chooses a more vague but infinitely intriguing resolution: “Do everything people say that we shouldn’t”.

Top Of The Shots

- live music 2022, captured

Curry

Denzel

by Adam Taylor

Phoebe Bridges by Phoebe Fox

Lorde by Adam Taylor

Katy J Pearson by Rachel Lipsitz

Los Bitchos Los Bitchos Los Bitchos

Words by Aimee Phillips / Photos by Rosie Alice Wilson

The band talk Christmas singles, passing the 100 gigs mark, meeting the president of Luxembourg and water park mishaps on tour.

Chatting with four-piece, pan-continental band Los Bitchos!, their energy is just as infectious as it is on stage. Known for their raucous, knees-up shows, they share and swig a bottle of tequila and get absolutely everyone (and I mean everyone) dancing.

Fusing a melange of global sounds, from Peruvian chica to Argentine cumbia and Turkish psych, their aptly titled debut album, Let the Festivities Begin!, is one hell of a party record. A maximalist, retro offering produced by Alex Kapranos of Franz Ferdinand, it teems with giddy grooves and psychedelic swaggering. Fan favourites ‘The Link Is About to Die’ and ‘Pista (Fresh Start)’ are hypnotic melodic celebrations of life. Altogether, I found it completely irresistible, and haven’t stopped listening since its release in February.

Serra Petale (guitar and lead composer), Agustina Ruiz (keytar), Josefine (Josie) Jonsson (bass) and Nic Crawshaw (drums) have had an incredible year. After their album dropped, the band took off on a world tour, playing over 100 shows in 25 countries, and they’re not finished yet.

A highlight of the tour was their gig at the iconic London venue Alexandra Palace, where Los Bitchos! supported Franz Ferdinand and sealed their hundredth performance. They also supported Belle & Sebastian and played with Pavement across the course of the rollercoaster year, which saw a ton of festivals as well as gigs at the likes of Scala, The Roundhouse, and SummerStage in New York’s Central Park. One show in a United States national park had puppies backstage from a local rescue centre. Personally, that would have been my favourite.

Spanning North America, the U.K. and Europe, Los Bitchos! were on the road, away from their home in London, for months at a time. It’s testament to their pure dedication, graft and passion that they pedalled through such a huge expedition and have

still remained as down-to-earth as before. Before they would even land at a destination, the band discovered that their music had already touched far flung corners of the globe. “The tour in America was really cool”, Nic recalls. “It felt very special to go that far away from home and there’s people showing up for your gig. It’s like what?! How?!”

On 2nd December, Los Bitchos! are set to play their biggest headline show yet at Heaven in London. “We sometimes can’t even believe that we’re actually getting to play Heaven. People are there to see us!” Serra remarks, still slightly incredulous. Clearly the dust has not yet settled, despite the band’s rapidly growing global fanbase.

“We’re gonna make it a Christmas party”, Serra promises. Josie adds, “We’ll take Let the Festivities Begin! to a new level”. Big claims, but having been to two Los Bitchos! shows myself, I have absolutely no doubt they’ll deliver.

On stage, Los Bitchos! appear spirited, free and unapologetically themselves. Their brand of fun is undeniably contagious. It’s a rare experience at a time when so many concerts are heavily choreographed; artists going through the motions formulaically after endless nights performing the same set list in a different city. You would think that after 100 shows, the shine might have dimmed slightly for Los Bitchos!, but in fact, that’s not the case at all.

“It just feels like you’re playing with your friends”, Serra says. “It’s just like a little party”. “We try not to overthink it too much”, Nic adds.

Their natural chemistry and ease with each other is evident throughout our conversation. The band wheeze with laughter over in-jokes from the tour and good-naturedly babble over each other when sharing memories. One such in-joke even spawned a new Christmas single, ‘Tipp Tapp’, as part of the Los Chrismos B-side of their updated album, released on 19 November.

“It’s a very drunken moment on tour…”, Josie begins. “I really wish we could show you the video”, Serra laughs. “We thought Josie had made up this thing because she was drinking. She was sculling tequila after a show in York, and she was like, ‘Tipp tapp,

tipp tapp’ and there were air bubbles in the bottle of tequila. It was very funny”. “We all started singing and everyone was like, ‘You made it up’. I’m like no, no, no, it’s a really old

Swedish Christmas song which you sing on the 13th of December. Usually kids dress up as little Santas and then they ‘tipp tapp’ through the woods. That’s the story. Growing up in Sweden everyone knows it”, Josie explains. “So then after that, we thought we should do a version of ‘Tipp Tapp’ and incorporate that for the B-side of the album”.

Surely ‘Tipp Tap’ is going to go to number one in Sweden this Christmas? “Yeah, in Sweden for sure”, Josie replies, playing along. “Christmas number one in Sweden’s charts…It’s basically gonna be us against Mariah Carey!”

‘Tipp Tapp’ is one of two new Christmas singles Los Bitchos! added to the bonus flexi disc of Let the Festivities Begin! Opening with distinctly Christmassy bells, the instrumental bop has nostalgic 80s elements and surf guitar, along with chants of “Christmas time/ Sexy time”, that I can already imagine stamping my feet along to at Heaven.

I probably should have mentioned the entire Los Bitchos! quartet are wearing Christmas jumpers adorned with the ‘Los Chrismos’ artwork. I get the impression the band are dedicated to festivities no

traumatic of situations together. “There have been a few injuries”, Nic concedes.

As soon as mishaps are mentioned, Agustina gravely states three words. “The water park”. The band immediately animate at the memory.

“Dude, it was such a disaster!” Serra starts. “I banged the back of my head on the slide. We had a great day at this waterpark. It was a hot day. We were like, ‘One last slide. Let’s go down this really massive one!’ So Josie, Agustina and our friend Ryan who plays guitar with us went down first, but me and Nic were going down together. We didn’t see them so we’re like, ‘Oh, they must have had a great time’. There were two kids in front of us who went down backwards, so me and Nic were like, ‘Oh cool, that looks fun’. It’s a fucking drop like that!”, she says, making a near vertical angle with her hand. “And meanwhile, the three of us were like, don’t go!” Agustina says, her voice pleading.

Serra turns hoarse as she tries to stifle a laugh. “We didn’t see that they were like, ‘No, no, no, no!’ On impact, my neck went CRACK. The back of my head hit the side and everyone was like -” “Tour is over!” Nic cackles.

“Nic had to take me wading in a pool”, Serra adds. “We went to the lazy river to calm down”, Nic remembers.

“We were all wearing our travel neck pillows as actual support for the rest of the tour”, Josie says, smiling. “Yeah, it was really sore the day after”, Serra tells me, brushing it off with bravado. At that, the entire band erupts into laughter again, quite the storytellers.

matter what form or focus they take, but this year they’re taking Christmas very seriously. With their new tracks swiftly added to my Christmas playlist, it was time to cast a very important vote. What are the three best Christmas songs of all time? Serra, Josie, Nic and Agustina chatter amongst themselves seriously for a moment. ‘Last Christmas’ by Wham! emerges as the immediate favourite, before usual chart dominator, Mariah Carey gets voted in for ‘All I Want For Christmas Is You’. Lastly, José Feliciano’s ‘Feliz Navidad’ nabs a well-deserved spot.

The band are full of so many good stories, and manage to laugh over even the most potentially

But the tour stories don’t end there. One day, before a show in Luxembourg, Los Bitchos! were taking a walk, killing time before their show that night, and bumped into none other than the prime minister. “We saw this camera crew, a bunch of paparazzi, and we were like, ‘Oh, I wonder what’s going on?’” Josie recounts. “I jokingly was like, ‘Ha ha, It’s the prime minister coming out’. But he came out and said, ‘Welcome to Europe’!”

Although Luxembourg’s Prime Minister Xavier Bettel did not attend Los Bitchos!’s gig that night, Nic deadpans that, “We’ll put him on the guestlist for the show in December”.

Bettel, get your dancing shoes on, I’ll see you there!

“It’s just like a little party”. “We try not to overthink it too much”

For your consideration…

Ahead of the reveal of our official Albums Of The Year list, see the records members of Team Gigwise are fighting the corner for.

1) Wet Leg - Wet Leg

Wet Leg blasted onto the scene with ‘Chaise Lounge’ and somehow managed to follow it up with an absolutely killer debut album. In an era of sampling, or just revisiting classic tracks, Wet Leg’s debut breathed fresh air into the global music scene. Their chaotic lyrics, bouncy riffs and sweet yet sultry vocals have proven a massive recipe for success, seeing tracks covered by Harry Styles and a ridiculously well-attended Glastonbury set. Plus, there’s something so charming about music by those who almost threw in the towel, and then suddenly make it happen. - David Roskin

2) Fred Again… - Actual Life 3

After a stellar year, Fred Gibson [stage name: Fred again..] ends the year with the birth of Actual Life 3 - the third, and final, instalment of his trilogy of albums under the same name. It is classic Fred. Though he has had a long run in music thus far, the artist’s notoriety came during the pandemic when he would mix voice notes into music, and this is exactly that; again. A highlight is ‘Mustafa (time to move you)’. It comes as a pleasant, calming surprise - with words from writer & singer; Mustafa The Poet.

Ultimately Actual Life 3 successfully replicates the tale of, well, actual life. Truly there is no beginning, middle and end - rather a compilation of emotions and people, all telling their own, very different, stories. - Priya Raj

3) Yeah Yeah Yeahs – Cool It Down

Nine years is a lifetime in the music industry. Having been quiet since 2013’s ‘Mosquito’, it was enough time to assume Yeah Yeah Yeahs were done for. Thankfully the New York trio returned with Cool It Down in September: eight dreamy and intense synth heavy tunes which proved their enduring relevance. It was all so easy to get lost in. Be it the emotional power of ballad ‘Spitting…’, the ‘60s soul

of ‘Burning’ or the animalistic dancefloor urges of ‘Wolf’, Karen O and co added to their legacy with their darkest and most dramatic album to date.Matthew McLister

4) Murkage Dave - The City Needs a Hero

Self described “weird kid in the ends” Murkage Dave doesn’t fit neatly into boxes. In 2022 however, his soulful genre-splicing and acute observations on modern Britain strike a chord, resulting in The City Needs A Hero being an essential listen of the year.

Traversing the millennial experience with sincerity and humour, from unconvincing posturing in photos to forgiving the friends that ghost you, it all resounds in the emergence of uniquely relatable pop figure, contrasting against a world bombarded with visions of lifestyles unattainable to most; the city has found a hero, and he’s one of us. - Ryan Bell

5) Lets Eat Grandma - Two Ribbons

Despite the journey to the album being tumultuous, with Rosa and Jenny working separately for the first time in their collaboration, each working through grief and reconsidering the state of their friendshipTwo Ribbons is their most cohesive work yet. Taking the best bits of crazy production from their earlier work, but boiling it down into a more grounded, story-telling package, it’s really the lyricism that takes centre stage. Stunning from start to finish, full of highs and lows that tackle loss, love and reconnection; in short it’s a masterpiece. - Lucy Harbron

6) Gabriels - Angels & Queens Pt 1.

It should be in the top spot because everything is so spot on, from the soulful gospel vocals to the dramatic production. When so much jazzy music is really garish and caricatured, Gabriels’ album is much more measured. It’s basically the 2022 reiteration of Gnarls Barkley – and how can that be a bad thing? - Cian Kinsella

7) Johnny Marr - Fever Dreams Pts.1-4

Though renowned for his status as a guitar icon, Fever Dreams Pts 1-4 perfectly illustrates Johnny’s versatility and talents for song writing, production and vocals. With tracks that host some of his most poignant lyrics (‘Human’) and exhilarating guitar work (‘Hideaway Girl’) to date, it’s definitely worthy of a place in End of Year Lists. - Laura Dean

8) Ethel Cain - Preacher’s Daughter

Who knew the sound of a barefoot girl’s self-re corded voice in a backwoods American church would make up one of the most universal records of 2022? Because that’s what Preacher’s Daughter is: a record evoking universal feelings of hope, dev astation, longing and obsession. A modern Ameri can epic, this is not only an album of the year in its melodic singles (‘American Teenager’, ‘Gibson Girl’) but across all 13 of its tracks, not least the mournful ‘Western Nights’ and the euphoric ‘Thoroughfare’. Made to be heard in headphones on train journeys or loudly played out of the car window, Preacher’s Daughter is as enrapturing a listen as you’ll find on any end of year list. - Jessie Atkinson

9) Jockstrap – I Love You, Jennifer B

I Love You, Jennifer B is a restless album, with duo Jockstrap picking up and putting down new genres every minute, and seeing how far they can push various tropes. The album sounds strange and un familiar at times, but is brought into focus by singer Georgia Ellery’s crystal clear voice. The musicality of the pair is obvious, from ‘Debra’’s seamless transi tion from club beats into Klezmer-inspired violins to the Joni Mitchell-esque guitars that are struck through with harps on ‘Glasgow’. Jockstrap never settle, never seem content in staying in one place. But that’s precisely what makes their music so compelling and so interesting. - Martha Storey

10) Bob Vylan - Bob Vylan Present The Price of Life

Where else are you going to find an excellent grimepunk track about the importance of healthy eating but on a Bob Vylan record? The London duo se cured their status as the brightest things in punk

today with their impeccable album this year, featur ing tracks like ‘GDP’, ‘Take That’ and ‘Pretty Songs’ that put them leaps and bounds ahead of their contemporaries. The cost of living is on everyone’s minds right now, and Bob Vylan knew exactly how to challenge that frustration and even rage that so many of us are feeling these days. - Vicky Greer

11) Walt Disco – Unlearning

In a year thick with exciting releases, very few things sounded as unique and clever as this debut album from Glasgow’s Walt Disco. Musically, its blend of electronica, New Wave, post-punk and classic rock is one of the boldest voices to emerge in recent years. Aesthetically, it has the pulse of the times while pushing the envelope in a disarmingly frank way. Thematically, it ranges from liberating to deep ly touching to tongue-in-cheek; it is emotional while also embracing the sheer fun that is music. Single ‘Weightless’ is all but a masterpiece – at the same queer anthem and heartfelt confession. - Chiara Strazzulla

12) Beyonce - Renaissance

With the title alone signifying the album’s ode to the cultural reset and rebirth of dance music post-pan demic - it has to make the list. This revival of dance music trend is not unique to Beyonce in 2022, but she is one of few to create it so authentically, flaw lessly blending the old with the new, with an exe cution of appreciation rather than appropriation, where artists too often thinly use these samples to achieve a quick and easy chart topper. On top of this, it explores SO many facets of dance music (funk, house, ballroom, disco - you name it) and scratches every itch, with the lyrical content of selflove at its core, polished transitions between each banger and of course, Beyonce’s stunning vocals throughout. The whole project is a no-skips work of art. - Millie O’brien

Words by Rishi Shah

Photos by Cara Kealy

Fast, furious and fearless would be a tame way of describing the monumental year that STONE have had. The Liverpool quartet, signed to Polydor Records, have captivated live audiences all around the UK with their unapologetic, empowering brand of punk-rock, culminating in the release of Punkadonk - a “bit of a taster” of how widespread they can take their sound, guitarist Elliott Gill tells me, subtly teasing the debut album that they will inevitably craft out that’s highly anticipated even before its conception.

Punkadonk saw Elliott and drummer Alex Smith take more of a lead on the production, bringing ideas on the road and focusing more when they’re home, transforming these “nuggets” into anthems. Ambition and eccentricity is the order of the day, showcasing the sound and style we already know and love, plus an insight into where STONE can go next.

The EP’s Prodigy-esque, chaotic, closing number ‘Disruptor’ is new territory for STONE, ensuring they are firmly placed into the conversation of the UK’s most exciting guitar acts - if they weren’t already in it. The glaring challenge of bringing these electronic elements to a live setting is something STONE are already working on. “There’s guitars in that track, but they’re processed - I kind of like weird effects on things! It’s not a guitar-based track, but I play guitar, so I’m always trying to figure that one out! But by the time people hear that one live, we’ll have it nailed down!” Crucially, the track is inherently STONE, which is a testament to the ‘STONE ethos’ that the band have carved out so effectively. “The battle lines have been drawn, and this is who we are. It takes a couple of different forms, a couple of different genres…and it’s been a really creatively engaging process.” Punkadonk is STONE putting themselves out there, breaking away from the constraints of a baseline ‘post-punk’ label that has been perhaps ascribed too easily to British indierock acts in recent years.

This vivid identity and unity is what makes STONE such an exciting live act, whether that be on a glorious outdoor festival stage in Lancashire or a sweatbox in Leeds. Establishing yourselves doesn’t always come easy to bands so early on in their careers, yet STONE are all on the same page,

without a shadow of an ego in the way, as Elliott explains. “I feel pretty comfortable. Thematically, there’s things we all care about as a band. When you speak to [vocalist] Fin, he’s a huge advocate for mental health and always wants to create art that resonates with people.” The essence of their message is a snapshot of life as four young adults growing up in Liverpool, in this ‘really weird’ time to exist. “It’s a constant barrage of information - you’re doom scrolling, you’re checking your phone, and you’re constantly locked in, tapped into things. It just gets so overwhelming, and I think the art that we make is a reflection, but almost an escape from that at the same time.” In this intense world of social media, their Instagram serves as a pure, accurate definition of what STONE means to them: @stoneliverpool, a band from Liverpool, proud to self-proclaim themselves as ‘the underground voice for the lost youth.’

On this ethos, Elliott delves a bit deeper: “I look at us as a unit. I think about when I was going to shows, and if I just walked into a room and STONE were on, I’d want to be like, ‘oh cool.’ There’s something authentic about it. We’re all serious and so committed to what we do. The message - it’s strong-minded, it celebrates the duality of things. It can get a bit sad, we get a little bit deep, but then we also stick ‘Moto’ on and have a party. You’ve got to grant yourself that, because if you don’t, you’ll just go crazy!” Indeed, ‘Moto’, a track that naturally found its way onto Punkadonk after plenty of live outings over the year, is a quintessentially British anthem that captures the sarcastic, witty side of Fin Power’s lyricism, masterfully rhyming Fiona (from Shrek) with Motorola.

‘Moto’ is safely a tried and tested fan favourite at the live shows, where the zigzag between intimate clubs and arenas doesn’t phase them, contextualised by Elliott in a beautiful way. “If you’re making a lasagne for yourself or for 500, you’re still going to want it to be the best lasagne you’ve ever made.” The unwavering intensity of the live set remains the same, whether that be winning over new fans during support slots with Inhaler or throwing a party with their nearest and dearest in Liverpool.

In a rare break from touring, Elliott is enjoying some downtime, yet the music is always on his mind. “Beyond the generic - going on walks, listening to music, I’ve been trying to get into DJing for a couple of years. I could maybe venture in, even just the odd night! Watch this space, cause I want to do a little DJ set. But time off largely revolves around music, and when it’s not that, I mostly just want to see my friends and family and give my dog a cuddle.”

The adorable Teddy, a cross between a shih tzu and a chihuahua, is just one of the home comforts that makes Liverpool so special to Elliott. STONE are a band shaped by their scouse roots, an identity they wear on their sleeve. “Every time we come back from touring, we say the same thing about Liverpool”, referencing the opening lyric from The Wombats’ anthem ‘Let’s Dance To Joy Division’, which is no doubt fresh in his mind from their October tour together. “Liverpool is a city, but it’s not a big scary city like London. Like an old pair of boots, it’s just comfortable! All the people are lovely, and I want to take that with me wherever I go. I like the idea that we could be sort of carrying the flag for Liverpool, a little bit, ‘cause it’s such a great musical city!” It’s a city centred around the very brotherhood and sisterhood that bonds STONE together. “Scousers are everywhere, you don’t even have to hear someone speak. You could be on holiday, and two scousers will look at each other perfectly straight and just know.

Something is surely in the water of the River Mersey, with STONE’s rise happening in parallel with the likes of label buddies Crawlers and the might of The Mysterines. Commenting on the local scene, Elliott tells us about Liverpool’s November Sound Music Awards, where he had a “penny-drop moment”, connecting with the importance of staying in touch with the scene he grew up with, however far and wide STONE may go, joking about a cliché move to Hollywood if he one day decided to leave Merseyside behind.

Life on the road has definitely left Elliott with a travel bug, with one of his 2023 resolutions being to see some more places in Europe, after a wholesome Christmas in Liverpool “with my family, with my brothers and with my dog!” he says with a beaming smile on his face. “I want to stay in touch with all my friends, because we don’t know what next year is going to look like with touring - I don’t take a minute of that for granted.” It will be a well-deserved winter break for the band and the impeccable team behind them, who Elliott gratefully acknowledges. With an enormous UK tour booked for April including a sold out night at London’s Omeara, Elliott gives a nod to the importance of the fundamentals - with an eye still fixated on the future.

“I just want to make sure I’m doing as much as I can to nurture my health, physically and mentally. I want to read more poems, go to the gym, go on more walks! That’s just personal goals, everything else is just STONE.

You get easily wrapped up in the STONE zone.” The chaos is just on hold for a moment while Punkadonk has its rightful place in the spotlight and Elliot, Fin, Alex and Sarah recharge ahead of what can only be an exponential 2023 for STONE. The plan of action is in place: “We’re going to brace ourselves, enjoy the moment, and keep writing.”

Punkadonk is out now and STONE will tour the UK in April 2023.

We have such a strong cultural identity and a big old chip on our shoulders, and I love it that way and want to take it around the world.”

IN THE GROOVE

Gilles Peterson’s Year In Review

The DJ and tastemaker tell us why his new album STR4TASFEAR is so prescient right now, shares his favourite music of 2022, and makes some predictions for who we’ll all be listening to in the coming year…

Words By Lou Boyd / Photos by Melissa Gardner

The inside of Brownswood Recordings’ HQ is exactly what you’d expect from a label owned by one of the best respected music gurus in the world. Walking into an unassuming terrace in North London, you are greeted by stacks upon stacks of records. Thousands of them fill every corner of the building. Not only is each wall covered in shelving bursting full of vinyl sleeves, but every surface too — you can’t put a cup of coffee down at Brownswood without fearing that you’ve left a ring mark on a potentially rare and valuable LP.

For many people, Gilles Peterson, the man behind this record label, will be recognisable more by his voice than by his appearance. A principal DJ on BBC 6music for nearly a decade, his London accent has filled many cars and homes over the years, bringing new and unknown music acts into the mainstream, as well as reminding listeners of forgotten gems.

A stalwart of the UK music scene for nearly 40 years, Peterson is one of the greatest working tastemakers in music today, playing a pivotal role in promoting genres such as jazz, hip-hop, and electronic music. Founding influential labels Acid Jazz in the 1980’s and Talkin’ Loud in the ‘90s, before starting his current label Brownswood Recordings in 2016, his credentials are beyond impressive. Awarded an honorary MBE in 2004, he also boasts the AIM Award for Indie Champion, the Mixmag Award for Outstanding Contribution to Dance Music, the PRS for Music Award for Outstanding Contribution to Music Radio, and the A&R Award from the Music Producers Guild. In short, there are few people in the world more qualified to talk about the music industry than Gilles Peterson.

There are no press managers or agents to go through on arrival today; when we ring the doorbell, it’s the legendary DJ, broadcaster, producer, and record label owner himself that swings open the door and guides us through the building. Dressed in a pull over fleece and jeans, he’s talkative and instantly likeable as he shows us into Brownswood’s kitchen space and offers teas and coffee. The Mercury Prize was the previous night and conversation is around winner Little Simz. “She’s great. I thought that it would go more in another direction though because last year was Arlo Parks and you can potentially predict which type of music

is going to win every year,” Peterson says while brewing himself an herbal tea. “I’m kind of hoping for KOKOROKO next year, but now I don’t know if they’d win, it might go more towards an indie band.”

We’re here to talk to Peterson about the release of his new album STR4TASFEAR, the sophomore record from the new wave jazz funk project STR4TA, which Peterson launched in 2021 with his long-time friend and collaborator, the iconic funk musician, Jean-Paul ‘Bluey’ Maunick. Inspired by the Brit Funk movement of the 1970s, the pair decided to create new tunes inspired by this formative era in the history of UK dance music. “The idea came from watching the Brits in 2019 when Tyler, The Creator, won his award,” explains Peterson. “In his award speech he said, ‘I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for Brit funk,’ and I was like, ‘did he really just say that?!’

I grew up on Brit funk and I love it. Plus, I’ve worked with Bluey — who is one of the key players in the Brick funk movement from back in the late 70s — for years. It was so strange that this American artist would reference it. So, I decided to do a project celebrating this little bubble and little weird period of time in UK music.”

A music genre that rose to some prominence in the late ‘70s through bands like Hi-Tension and Light of The World, Brit funk was inspired by American Jazz-soul and funk acts and is often cited as a linchpin of UK dance music history, though now widely overlooked by music historians, with genres such as Northern Soul and Rare Groove given much bigger historical prominence. “The thing about Brit funk that was brilliant, I think, was the fact that it had several layers to it. It had a live identity and a scene,” says Peterson. “It came at the same time as punk. You had the punk bands revolting on what was going on politically at the time, but then there was another

subculture of mainly young black kids, who were doing their own version of the DIY thing, but their version of it was to copy these American funk bands. They did their thing, and it was a real movement.”

While STR4TA’s debut album played around with ideas from the birth of Brit funk, the new record takes it further. “For me, being someone who was there, at the forefront of acid jazz. It kind of

made sense for this new record to be a kind of continuation,” says Peterson. “The first record was where we were in 1982 and this one moves through the gears to the present day. And so, this album has got elements of Brit funk, it’s got elements of acid jazz, and then it carries on and kind of ends up in the now, with the New Jazz movement, because, in a way, it’s all connected. That’s why I brought Emma Jean Thackeray and Theo Croker in on the record, because they are both at the frontline of what’s going on in jazz on both sides of the Atlantic.”

With the new record arriving in the final quarter of the year, on the cusp of a new year, Peterson says that, looking back at 2022, the cultural and political elements of the 1970’s are visible to him, along with a resurgence of the music. “It’s a record of parallels, not only in music but in that a lot of the issues we are experiencing today began in that Brit-Funk era. The parallels in the political landscape of that time and today are poignant and the moment of overall change we are living in is reflected,” says Peterson. “There are parallels between now and the ‘70s. For one thing, I think there’s a massive problem at the moment in a lack of venues, with costs that have gone a lot higher and a lack of support for the arts coming in.”

Peterson is often looked upon to highlight – and often shape – the frontline of music and when we ask him who he’s been most excited about in the last 12 months, he jumps into an extended list with the enthusiasm of someone just learning about the scene, rather than a person working in it for four decades. “It’s been a good year. We got things like Wu-Lu, people like Lil Silva, people like Hagan, all these different areas from dance to Afro beats. We got Alabaster DePlume, who’s remarkable and now getting massive write ups in The Guardian,” he says excitedly, pausing for a breath. “I loved the Beth Orton album, I loved The Smile’s album, with Thom Yorke and Jonny Greenwood, but with Tom Skinner on drums — that was a really wicked record. Then outside of London, you’ve got a whole heap of bands going on. Just Bristol way there’s Waldo’s Gift. Snazzback, Run Logan Run, Ishmael Ensemble… I think, from a British perspective it’s been a pretty strong year.”

And who does he predict — we ask Peterson, as he

takes a moment to think of names he’s missed — will be breaking through and getting those big write ups in the coming 12 months? “Yussef Dayes,” he says. “I think that he’s going to have a big year. He’s got a really important record coming out, which I think is going to be his moment.” He pauses again, thinking for a moment. “I think Emma Jean Thackerey is about to have a big year too. What I love about her is that she is on her own tip, you know. She can go off and make a kind of string quartet concept thing for The National Theatre, or she can go into a reimagination of some old Stereolab record, or make her own music. That’s what makes her really brilliant for me. She can do jazz in her sleep but she’s really into many other things as well you know, that’s what makes her so special.”

With a new year of artists on the horizon, is Peterson positive about the future of UK music? “There isn’t any support in the arts right now, but that has been a good thing in the past, in a way,” he says. “It means that the UK music scene has always had to do things itself. There’s that line between being supported and having to force yourself through. It’s gonna be very difficult, but I think there’s a really positive side of this as well, which is that it’s hopefully going to bring people closer together, going to create more agitation, and out of that will come new leaders and brilliant music.”

With that, the interview is over and we’re packing up our stuff and heading back to their front door of Brownswood Recordings. As we leave, a group of young musicians are carrying their gear through the hall. Just the latest artists to enter the doors of Peterson’s label and down the stairs to the studio below. If he rates them, the rest of us will surely be hearing about them very soon.

W E R O V L O V E

F L O W E R O V L O V E

After a couple of botched attempts at a phone interview and some text Q&As, you quickly realise when an artist is tired of hearing the same questions. At the end of a huge year, Flowerovlove is the definition of a one-to-watch, with everyone buzzing about the things the 17 year old will go on to do. Having just released her sophomore EP, A Mosh Pit In The Clouds, the 12-minute sprint of pop play solidifies her slot as a rising star.

Ditching the script of our initial intro piece, step into her psyche instead.

Gigwise: I just wanted to run through the same questions I texted, but, you know, hear the answers in your own words.

Flowerovlove: I’d pretty much say exactly what I texted you because I always have the same answers for the questions, to be honest.

Have people asked you these questions before?

Yeah, definitely. Someone asked me one of the exact same questions in an interview on the phone today.

Okay, well scrap that then. Let’s try and dig a bit deeper. You said over text that your role models in music are Harry Styles and Tame Impala. What do you love about them? When did you start listening to them?

Okay, great questions! I started listening to Kevin Parker in 2020. Tame Impala is the first artist where I listened to the entire discography. With everyone else, I've probably

dabbled in a couple of songs or the hits, you know? But with Tame Impala, there was something that drew me in, like, ‘I need to listen to every single album!’ I saw them online at All Points East. It was great. I’ve loved Harry Styles since One Direction were on X Factor. He had been my fav since I was 6! And I’m even more obsessed with him now as a solo artist.

Who do you think is the most left field artist you love?

I mean—Tame Impala. Sometimes I mention them and people have no idea who they are, which is crazy because they’re famous. But around my age group, not that many people listened to them until their songs started blowing up on Tik Tok. They made ‘The Less I Know The Better’, and then everyone was like, ‘Oh, yeah, the one on Tik Tok.’

I also listen to a lot of Baby Keem and Playboi Carti. Very unexpected for me and my personality but I'm a sucker for that kind of music lowkey. In the lyricism, it just seems as if they go into the studio and say whatever they want to say – but you can tell that it was very thought out.

Is it the same for you? Are your lyrics trivial sounding but actually thought through?

I wouldn't say so – the melodies reflect my feelings. Lyrically, I would never be like, ‘So and so upset me.’ I just say random stuff.

After a big, breakout year - how do you keep moving forward? How do you see your sound developing in 2023?

I’m still moving towards writing about how I’m feeling in the present moment – but expect more pop and psychedelic sounds.

What artist are you most excited about in 2023? Flowerovlove.

Words by Cian Kinsella

Having burst onto the scene with two EPs, Sad Music and More Sad Music, Jessica Winter has established herself as one of the key artists shaking up an increasingly standardised pop landscape with both her own music and her countless collaborative projects. We took some time to discuss where the many ideas populating her music come from, and – perhaps most importantly –where they are going.

Before coming to your solo career, you had loads of different experiences as an artist. How have they led you to this point?

I started on the piano, and became obsessed with the 60s, then the 70s. As I got over each obsession I started catching up with the music I really wanted to make. When you go into performance, you feel like you can make music that will make the audience respond to it, and the joy of having them react.

Which brings us to pop music. How do you feel about the ‘pop’ label?

I think pop is a really good word to get out of the box. But because it is such a broad term, pop can also feel too bound to what people expect from it. So I like to define my own pop music. I’m a big supporter of the word ‘pop’, but I’d love to challenge what people think it means.

You can really feel that on your EPs – where pop is often labelled as the happy party music, the choice to title them Sad Music and More Sad Music is an intriguing one.

so rare. This constant having to achieve, with all those ambitious people online telling us we have to be like –‘this will make you happy! No, this will make you happy! - it really made me want to say, no, actually, it’s OK to be sad”.

There’s a distinctive aesthetic to everything you do, which goes beyond just the music. Where does that come from?

I feel like I’m always channeling Funny Girl, the film with Barbra Streisand. What she stood for – being not ‘commercially’ attractive, socially awkward – challenged the pop image, and the songs that came out of that are something I will always carry in my heart. Then punk – my uncle was in a punk band in Portsmouth, so I grew up with that. And then Kylie Minogue, Madonna, all the 80s icons. And synth. I really love synth.

Do you think it’s this blend of different things that translates to the many atmospheres of your songs?

There are different moods in different bodies of work I’ve put out, because that’s just what life is. It’s guided by the atmosphere of what the song needs, rather than ‘I have to fit this song into this genre’. The songs come when you have something to say.

With all this in mind, what’s 2023 looking like for you?

I have an EP coming out, and then I’m going to be working on the album. I’ve never stuck to themes, so it’s both exciting and daunting to be working on a body of work that has a theme to it.

It’s Sad Music mostly because I was fed up with that feeling, like happiness has to be a constant, while it’s a fleeting feeling, and I feel lucky when I get it, cause it’s

Words by Chiara Strazzulla

Photos by Rachel Lipsitz

BLONDSHELL

It’s been a big year for Manhattan-raised, LA-based Grunge-pop songwriter Sabrine Teitelbaum, more widely known as Blondshell. In June of this year, she released her irrepressible debut single ‘Olympus’, detailing the rise and inevitable fall of a relationship she knew was doomed to fail. It was one of a collection of tracks she had ready at the time, but upon release she started an industry bidding war, as labels such as Atlantic, Sub Pop, Capitol and True Panther courted her for her signature before she announced she had signed with Partisan Records.

Since then, life has been a blur as she’s released four singles in as many months, including her most recent track ‘Cartoon Earthquake’, released exclusively as a Spotify Single, alongside tracks by artists such as Harry Styles, Lewis Capaldi, Avril Lavigne and Wet Leg. Ahead of a huge 2023, Blondshell sat down with Gigwise to discuss all things music, the start of a new musical project, and what’s to come in the future

You only started releasing music as Blondshell in June, what’s it been like getting used to this new project? You’ve pretty much released a track a month….

I’ve been sitting on this music for a while so I really wanted to get it out and for people to hear it. It made sense to put it out once a month, to keep the flow of material going.

You’d been holding back on material for over a year before bursting through with ‘Olympus’, what’s that been like?

If it was up to me I would have started releasing music as soon as I finished them. Once you finish a song you just sort of want to get it off your chest, so I would have chosen to put it out instantly but there’s so much you need to do beforehand nowadays. For example, I wrote ‘Olympus’ in 2020 right before Covid started, that was the first one I ever wrote for Blondshell, and it took almost two years for the song to see the light of day.

What about 'Olympus' made you pick it as the perfect introduction to the Blondshell project and what inspired the track?

‘Olympus’ feels like a good intro because it has a lot of the elements of the album in it. It has a lot of the themes and the instrumentation that are on the album. The themes in the lyrics, the instrumentation etc gives you a pretty accurate preview of what the album is like.

Were you surprised by how quickly things happened once you released it?

I was very surprised. I was nervous to put the music out because it maybe wasn’t as accessible as the old stuff; it’s heavier and darker and I was sort of worried that people would be freaked out by it from my oversharing. There was some musician that I was following, I think Beabadobee, and she posted on Instagram that “Here’s my EP and I really like so I hope you guys like it but if you don’t that’s fine because I like it” and that was kind of my thinking, I liked what I was making and I really hoped others would too.

With three singles in a little over four months, what do you feel tracks such as 'Kiss City' and 'Sepsis' tell us about future releases and projects?

Just that there’s a lot of emotional intensity in the songs. I don’t want to hold back in the music or water anything down. I’m going to try to just be as honest as I can be.

What should listeners expect from Blondshell going forward?

The scariest thing for me about putting this music out is that I put the whole range of my emotions on it, the intensity of my feelings. I think what I want people to take away from it is that it’s alright to have really intense emotions and not have to water them down; you can have raw, difficult and intense feelings and you shouldn't feel the need to hide them.

Words by Cailean Coffey

If what you’ve been waiting for is an electronic punk band delivering a devastating nine minutes of autotuned rock about falling in love with a CGI model, we’ve got just the band for you. With influences that bounce from Playboi Carti to Pulp before whirling off towards 100 Gecs and Charli XCX, Liverpool’s weirdest and wittiest pop group are here to turn the rock world on its head:

Can you tell us a bit about what you’re all about?

Our goal is to strike the balance between being challenging and interesting, and accessible and fun.

Your debut album Guitar Music feels like a JG Ballard dystopian novel - was that intentional?

We refer to it a lot as the story building of a video game, with loads of different side quests that you can go down and explore. We wanted to make an album where you can kind of discover the narrative if you want to. A lot of the songwriting came from an exercise in worldbuilding - we wanted to go for the imperfections of a utopian world and how you couldn’t exist there. The point to me is it’s not so far futuristic that it’s completely sci-fi, but just in grasp enough to make the listener slightly uncomfortable. Like, the whole Lil Miqueala arc on Uncanny Valley Forever…although that’s so weird, it feels like something that could happen. If people can marry trees or whatever, at what point will we start to see people deciding to marry a fake CGI influencer? And how far away is that from marrying a painting in a museum?

At the moment, you seem ahead of the curve - what do you think the musical landscape will be like in two, three years time?

I’d like to hope it’ll be more bands trying to do what we’ve just done and everyone saying they’ve ripped us

off! Experimental artists from 15 years ago - like Late of the Pier, or Peaches - were pulling from dance music and garage rock that was popular at the time they were making their music, so it seems like an obvious leap. The rock world likes to revisit stuff, so a lot of people are gonna try and use electronic influences but from 15 years ago…whereas what we’re trying to do is be inspired by whatever dance or electronic is actually doing now.

You’ve just finished an insanely long tour - have you seen a difference in fans since the jump from your EP to your album?

Most people have stuck with it, but we got at least five people who came up to me and said they were confused that I was using autotune live and suggested that I turn it off. I think just because of the labels we put on art of being like, high brow or low brow, if we experiment with something that’s modern, something a pop artist is doing, it kinda gets brushed away as if it’s just a weird choice. I think it’s interesting, the fact that people can’t see new experimentation as artistically viable until it’s like 50 years old and nearly exclusively done by like, white men.

With Christmas around the corner, what are you planning on getting your CGI Instagram influencer girlfriend?

Some ridiculous collaboration scheme…I’d get my Instagram influencer CGI girlfriend a modelling contract with Balenciaga.

And any new year’s resolutions?

Finish the next album, get it recorded, release it… Widespread general and critical acclaim…Be much closer to headlining Glastonbury.

Words by Tilly Foulkes

Nell Mescal has had quite the 2022 – a new single, her first headline shows, joining Phoebe Bridgers onstage, and support slots with Cate and Phoebe Green (whose album she has sat in her record player as we speak). Catching up over Zoom, we find out how this whirlwind year has been for Nell, and what she hopes is on the horizon in 2023.

You played some of your first headline shows and festival sets this year. How have you found the response from the crowds?

I’ve been met with the nicest responses. I shared a moment with this sweet person up on the front row of one of my gigs in Dublin, and they were sobbing to this song that they had never heard before. It was really special and really, really cool. It was something that I’ve always dreamt of - connecting with people.

What’s your process like in terms of writing?

When I write, when I’m going through it and I’m really emotional, I’ll write the same song like ten times because I’m just like how do I get the words out? It’s all a mess. Then, I think it takes a lot of that being really raw, and really sad or being really emotional about something to get to a point where I’m like, okay I’ve gotten through the dirt of it, how do I make this less sad and more like this is actually what happened and this is how I feel. So it isn’t just overwhelming whoever’s listening with like, oh this person was going through it. There’s room for growth in sadness.

Having worked with Steph Marziano on ‘Graduating’, is it important for you to work with other young creatives and share this experience with others who are rising at the same time as you?

My main goal recently has just been to keep the nicest

people around me as possible and make sure that everyone I’m working with feels comfortable with each other. It’s so nice to work with a young female producer that’s just killing it and she’s such a good friend – it’s been such a lovely experience working with Steph. You got your start in groups and choirs.

How have you found that has compared to going solo?

It’s so much more daunting. Having a band now behind me allows me to have more fun. When you’re on your own, you’re hyper aware that everyone knows when something’s gone wrong. As much as you’re told, if something goes wrong, keep a poker face, it’s so much more difficult when you’ve got no one to laugh about it with. It is more daunting, but I think all the times that I spent in choirs and groups gave me the confidence to own my face on a stage. When you’re in a choir and you want to be heard, you have to own who you are and what you’re doing – I think that helped me to be able to be like: I actually have a place on this stage and I’m supposed to be here.

The pandemic seemed to really give you the push to pursue music as your career – did that time and space allow you to realise this was where your heart lies?

I had been recording music before the pandemic, but I just don’t think I thought it was an actual job. You see Hannah Montana growing up, and you’re like I want to be Hannah Montana, but no because that’s Disney Channel, that’s not real. But with all the space and time to really think about what you want to do, it became so clear to me so quickly.

Words by Neive McCarthy Photos by Briony Graham Rudd

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