Every Monday we will be bringing you interviews with unsigned UK or Ireland artists for Independent Music Monday. Recently we caught up with unsigned singer Becca James to find out more…
Where are you from and how did you first get into music?
I am based between Newcastle and Leeds. I loved music when I was younger, but talked myself out of a music career early on, due to all the barriers I perceived to ‘making it’ especially in terms of class. Later at 21 I decided to give myself a chance and I haven’t looked back!
Who were your musical influences when you were growing up and who are your influences now?
My music taste growing up was very inspired by my mum. We had loads of Pop, Rnb and soul playing through the house – think classics like Prince, Luther Vandross and all the divas, like Whitney Houston. It’s only later that I realised my mum looses bands like Deacon Blue and Thin Lizzy.
I listen to a lot of electronic singer-songwriters now such as Oh Wonder and Nao, alongside many lush American Neo-soul artists, like Emily King and YEBBA. I feel inspired by artists who I would never emulate as well – and I love music for different reasons, sometimes it’s for lyrics, sometimes for tone and sometimes just for joy!
How would you describe your sound?
Organic, Soulful, Raw and Atmospheric.
What is your latest release called and what was the influence behind it?
My latest release is called Perfect Girl and was released on April 14th. It’s is a piano led, electronic track, layered with harmonies and textures. Oh Wonder, Nao and Bruno Major were big reference tracks for the production on this one. I wrote Perfect Girl because I was frustrated about the things I felt I had to be and had to change to “make it” in the music industry – much of which I didn’t have access to as a working class woman, and an image I didn’t want to portray anyway. It reverberated into expectations across relationships in my life, both platonic and romantic, with the expectations placed upon me and pressures I placed upon myself to live up to some kind of ideal.
What’s your local music scene like?:
My experience of the North East music scene has been a dream, everyone as a rule wants to lift each other up and help! This doesn’t mean it’s perfect by any means, I’ve had difficult collaborations and relationships too, but overall I’m grateful for my experiences and the support I’ve had there. It is quite dominated by indie music, though there’s lots of alternative genres and artists creating their own momentum there too!
What do you have planned for the next 12 months?
I had been planning three more releases up to autumn 2021 and performances to go alongside them, but this pandemic has left me with a lot of grief and pain, so rather than stick to my plan I’m just going to be very kind to myself and release things when I can. I’m going to gig when I feel ready too. Slow and steady output is my plan for now and probably forever. I’ve realised that feeling good about my plan is better than doing it for the sake of ‘what you are supposed to’.
Is there anyone you’d love to collaborate with?
Oh my goodness, yes! I hope to one day get into the songwriting scene and collaborate with pop artists and writers such as Violet Skies and Labrinth.
Any funny stories surrounding your live performances?
Oh goodness! I don’t think so… how boring!
What is the one thing that you want readers to know about you?
I make music from a spiritual place and I hope to use it to connect and to bring healing! That’s my grand plan anyway!
You can find out more about Becca on her website or via Bandcamp, Facebook, Instagram, SoundCloud, Spotify, Twitter or YouTube, and you find all of the places to listen to Perfect Girl here.
UPDATE: In 2021, Becca moved to London to start a music masters at Tileyard Education, congratulations Becca!
HOME 