Following the release of my first EP, Not Stupid Anymore, in June 2016, I thought it was time for a change in my music. Since the time that I wrote and recorded that music, I have been through many changes in my life and in myself, which made me feel like this music wasn’t completely true to the person I had become. So I’m going to give a little insight into the reasons behind my new music and image and, also, what to expect from the new musical offerings!
Recap! Who am I and what do I do?
I’m a 23 year old pop artist from Manchester who has been writing songs since I was 15 and releasing music for the past year.
How would I describe the EPs and singles I have already released?
The singles and the EP, Not Stupid Anymore, featured the original mixes of the tracks, which were very poppy and girly, along with house, dub house and garage mixes. The lyrics were all inspired by personal experiences and my emotions, making them very honest and easy to relate to, in my opinion. There was also a running theme of relationships, love and heartbreak.
Why the change?
Although I was proud of the music I had created, I felt it wasn’t entirely the right direction for me as an artist. As the original mixes and the remixes covered so many individual genres, I thought it seemed a little unfocused. When I wrote the songs for ‘Not Stupid Anymore’ I was in a relationship, that I had been in for four years, so this influenced a lot of my ideas for song concepts. However, I am now single, so my perspective on a lot of things has changed, and I wanted to put that into my music. In addition I am a bit older now, so I felt like a more mature sound and image would suit me better and be more true to my personality.
I became very influenced by producers such as Chase and Status, The Chainsmokers and Cheat Codes and wanted to draw some inspiration from the electronic genres those artists were rooted in. I started working with Division Productions in early summer and immediately the creative juices were flowing.
I then travelled down the East Coast of America for 5 weeks with my best friend, hitting 12 different destinations on the way and visiting 10 states. Included in our stops were some very musical places such as New York, Nashville, Miami and New Orleans, which gave me a lot of appreciation for different genres, new directions and sounds to include in my songwriting.
What has stayed the same?
The main reason I write songs is because I like to share my feelings and stories with other people, in the hope they can empathise. I believe music has the power to unite and inspire when it is truly heartfelt, and this is what I aim to achieve as an artist, so this underlying philosophy remains intact in my material. The emphasis I put on the vocal line within my compositions is also very similar to my previous work, as is the pop feel to my melodies.
What to expect from my new music?
The music itself is rooted within the genre of pop, but takes influences on the production side from many other genres, giving it a bit more of an edge. The focus has been on bringing the other genres I am influenced by, such as tropical house and drum and bass, into the actual pop songs themselves, rather than using remixes as with my previous EPs and singles. I think this has helped to push my music to a new level and made for a selection of songs that are varied whilst remaining connected by my songwriting style. The music has quite a commercial feel to it because I have the intention that people will want to sing along and dance to it, however, my lyrics are still heartfelt. I want people to be able to empathise with the emotion behind my music but also have fun listening to it.
When to expect a new release…
The first single off the EP I have been working on is called Take It All and will be released on November 17th on all major retailers and available to preorder on iTunes on October 20th. The music video to Take It All, which was shot at the start of my America trip in New York, will also premiere on October 20th. Following that, the EP should hopefully be released around Easter 2017 and the title will be Experiments. I am currently writing new songs for my debut album and hope to have news on the progress of that very soon! I shall be performing live as much as possible to promote my new sound, so check out when you can see me next!
sally caitlin 