Vocalist, Songwriter, Actor

Q: Tell us about a project you worked on you are especially proud of and why. What was your role?

A: I have self-produced two albums of my songs. The first was a live record but the second was more complex - several studios, many sessions, overdubs, backing vocals. I found my band, arranged the songs (including BVs and a horn section), ran the sessions whilst playing and singing, mixed the tracks with my engineer, oversaw the artwork...and off it went to the printers! I realise there are no grammy nominations in there but I guess what I am saying is I am hardworking, committed, have boundless positive energy to drive a project to a positive conclusion!

Q: What are you working on at the moment?

A: I have just finished a body of work for my one woman show The Wardrobe of Love and I regularly collaborate to pitch for commercial briefs and sync opportunities.

Q: Is there anyone on SoundBetter you know and would recommend to your clients?

A: Arthur Pingrey, Patrick Wörner, Alex Acheson, Dan Konopka, Stephen Thomas Sims, Michael Badal, Idan Altman, Luxxury, Try Vittetoe, Kimera Morrell, Hakan Mavruk.

Q: Analog or digital and why?

A: Both. Because we can.

Q: What's your 'promise' to your clients?

A: I will listen and work with you, I may question, challenge even, but the end result will be something of which we are both proud.

Q: What do you like most about your job?

A: Sharing my passion, enjoying the collaborative journey and realising someone's vision. Happy customers!

Q: What's the biggest misconception about what you do?

A: Songwriters lack value and are happy to give away their songs for the joy of writing them:)

Q: If you were on a desert island and could take just 5 pieces of gear, what would they be?

A: Piano, Mandolin (spare strings!), flute, mic, recording device.

Q: What was your career path? How long have you been doing this?

A: An actress by trade I started writing songs on the road in 2000 and then when I stopped touring as an actress, I started performing and recording my own music. You don't have to wait for the phone to ring to write songs! I formed a band (The Easy Tigers). My experience as an actress definitely colours my songwriting and my ability to inhabit the protagonist. I started focussing on commercial songwriting (alongside my artist project) in 2019, writing and pitching to commercial briefs.

Q: How would you describe your style?

A: Herculean! Strong storytelling and hooks.

Q: What type of music do you usually work on?

A: Anything from and not limited to pop, alt pop, electropop, folk, singer-songwriter, EDM, rock.

Q: What's your strongest skill?

A: Listening and helping people share and express themselves.

Q: What do you bring to a song?

A: Hooks, honesty, strong story-telling, imagery, weight, character, an English accent (if you want!)

Q: What's your typical work process?

A: Topline: If you have some strong ideas for your track, that's great. I would find out from you what you would like to say to the listener, how you would like them to feel and I would use your input to shape the song you would like to create. Of course, your track is the foundation to the story we tell... Songwriting: If I write a song from scratch, it most commonly starts with a lyrical idea, developed in my mind over days, often whilst cycling. Mostly, I say what I want to say then I sit at the piano to write the music. Both lyrics and music are then developed together - the top line melody is honed once the song format is nailed. If it's a groove song, I may pull up a loop, lay down a bass line and then write to that. Song commissions: To help with lyrical content, I have a list of questions which I would like you to answer, which will inform the story we tell.

Q: Tell us about your studio setup.

A: Simple home studio - Nord Stage 3 keyboard, Logic X Pro, Aston Spirit Mic

Q: What other musicians or music production professionals inspire you?

A: Apart from all my early influences (anyone from Ella, Nina Simone, Otis Redding to Kate Bush, Yazoo, Peter Gabriel) Recently, I've been enjoying Lola Young, Asaf Avidan, Alessia Cara, Chappell Roan, Sofi Tukker, Purple Disco Machine, Kenya Grace

Q: Which artist would you like to work with and why?

A: Peter Gabriel, Nial Rodgers, Vince Clarke - Masters in the field of sound

Q: What advice do you have for a customer looking to hire a provider like you?

A: Browse around and chat to a few providers before making a decision. No question is too daft and you can't ask too many; ensure you get a good feel for the potential working relationship before committing.

Q: What questions do you ask prospective clients?

A: What is your hope for the finished track? Do you have a deadline? What attracted you to my profile? Why do you feel I may be the right collaborator for your project?

Q: Can you share one music production tip?

A: Leave space

Q: Describe the most common type of work you do for your clients.

A: To date, writing and performing (and sometimes recording) complete songs but as I am new to Soundbetter, that's going to change...