<strong>1: What were your earliest musical tastes and how did you discover the world of blues?</strong><br /> Like most children, I was brought up on a mix of what my parents listened to, and it was usually guitar based music that was floating around our house, bands like Zeppelin, Free, Hendrix and Fleetwood Mac etc, in fact one of my earliest memories of music is Rumours by Fleetwood Mac – Stevie Nicks has been my idol since I was a toddler!!!
2: Who were the artists that you listened to that made you want to play this music? When did you realize you had the talent to do it?
It’s strange really because I never really listened to people and thought ‘I want to play like that’, that still never happens. A lot of young players hear a guitarist and want to become that guitarist, so they sit in their bedroom learning someone else’s riffs, style and tone. I never did that, I always liked doing my own thing, improvising to things in my own style and creating my own sound. To part 2 of the question, I don’t think you ever realize your own talent, you should always be critical of yourself, there’s always something you can improve on.
<strong>3: Your first recordings - do you still listen to them? How do you rate them now? Are there any that you won‘t listen to?</strong><br /> I don’t actually know where my first recordings are, I know there are tapes of me singing nursery rhymes from when I was about 2 years old somewhere, but anything actually musical is lost. I remember getting a 4 track tape recorder when I was about 10, which I used to throw ideas down on and record my own pretend radio shows, but I’m not sure what happened to both the tapes or the recorder!
4: What other jobs have you done to be able to support your music career?
I’ve never actually done anything else. I did my A-Levels, left school, did a BTEC and then a degree at Leeds College of Music, and whilst I was doing my degree, put my band together and gigged. When when I left university, I had my career all ready to walk into and started touring professionally.
<strong>5: How hard is it to make a living in music? Is there anything that would make it easier for all artists?</strong><br /> It is a very hard industry to be involved in, both from the amount of work you have to put in, the amount of money you have to invest, and the lack of rewards both financially and professionally that you get back. But if you get it right, work 24 hours a day and put your all into it, it can be very rewarding. You just have to be prepared to sacrifice a lot.
<strong>6: Which song of your own are you most proud of? Can you tell us the story behind that song?</strong><br /> I think I’m most proud of ‘Fabulous’. It’s a rock-pop song that I wrote for my first album, it came very quickly. I was thinking about writing a song about partying on a weekend, and within a couple of hours, ‘Fabulous’ was written. It’s a good fun song to dance to!
<strong>7: When you sit down to write, what comes first - the lyrics, the tune or an idea for a whole song?</strong><br /> I don’t really have a method for writing, it happens differently every time. Sometimes I try to write lyrics on my phone, other times I’ll pick up a guitar and come up with the harmony, sometimes both of those magically fit together, and sometimes nothing comes at all, songwriting is one of those elusive things.
8: Tell us about your favourite instrument in your collection? Is there any other instrument that you would like to own or want to learn how to play?
I’ve three favourite guitars, a PRS Custom 24, a Music Man Petrucci, and a Fender Stratocaster which my dad modified. They’re all different but they just feel perfect to me, depending on the song, whenever I play them they are so natural in my hands, not many other guitars feel like. I’d love to have and to be able to play a grand piano, although it would be a bit of a waste, my piano talents are limited to ‘Chopsticks’!
9: Where do you like to see your career heading to in the future? What are your main ambitions?
My next ambition is to finish writing the second album, get it recorded and released, and then later this year I have a European tour lined up, including Germany, which will be great fun. I think my future will include touring further afield. My main ambition is to be happy and successful in whatever I’m doing, as long as it’s all going well and I’m enjoying it, what more can a girl want!!!
<strong>10: What do you like to do outside of music?</strong><br /> I like to travel, explore different places, shopping, and trying different food and drinks.
<strong>BONUS QUESTIONS:</strong><br /> <em>1: What is the greatest guitar riff you ever heard? The one you would most likely play just for fun?!</em><br /> I’m massively into Prince at the moment, so probably ‘Lets Go Crazy’, the live version. I’ve been jamming it at sound checks since I went to see him play in May.
2: Do you ever get strange looks from an audience who don‘t expect a female to be able to play that well?
I get that at most shows, it is really funny to see. I enjoy watching the realization that girls can play guitar, its really good fun!
3: What is your favourite food treat – chocolate, biscuit or sweets??
I’d have to say chocolate, it’s my weakness!!!!!!!
