We were fortunate enough to catch up with musician BETH OLIVE following her stunning release ‘This World You’re Living In‘. Enjoy the full interview below!
Hi Beth, how did you first get into music?
Hi, thanks for having me! I was always told since I was young that I could sing; it just so happened that music has always been the love of my life and has always been the most obvious and only choice for me to pursue this as a career.
The importance of making my own music was when I first heard the album ‘The Defamation of Strickland Banks’ by Plan B – the high standard of songwriting and production paired with the storytelling is what opened my eyes to the importance of being an artist and not just a singer.
Who influenced your brilliant latest release, ‘This World You’re Living In’?
Thank you for saying that! Specifically, the song was written about someone I really fell for quite quickly, but it wasn’t reciprocated in the same way. They went off to travel the world and used that as an excuse which is where the concept of the song came from.
The sound was influenced by the track ‘Somebody Else’ by The 1975. I’d written so many sad-sounding songs I wanted this to be different, and I loved the idea that a song with sad lyrics could also be something you can dance to.
What draws you to the indie-pop genre?
Pop music has always been the main source of the music I have listened to and the common denominator in my favourite subgenres like Alt-Pop and Pop-Punk.
I love the simplicity Pop can bring, and the versatility of Indie Pop means I can explore different sounds without throwing anyone off who would listen to my music consistently.
You’re based in Liverpool; what’s the live music scene like there in 2023?
The music scene in Liverpool is really amazing at the moment. There are so many diverse movements happening all over the city; you could pick any live music venue at the moment and find gems!
I love that a few years ago, it was a nightmare to find open mic nights to perform at as a new artist, but I have seen so many brilliant venues championing independent artists recently; it’s great to see!
What motivates you to make music?
The way music has always made me feel has been my number one motivation; I have always wanted to pass on that baton to someone else, even if it was just one person who liked what I was making.
It has always been an outlet for me to listen to and to make. It helped me process life events and feelings, and as I started making music that I was proud of, I knew I wanted to pursue it.
If you could open for any artist/band, who would it be?
100% ‘The 1975’. I went to see their show at the start of this year, and it really did relight the fire I had to make music. The artistry made me want to create music that stood out and also set me free from the thinking that every single lyric I write needs to be profound and sonically perfect to make an impact. I’m a really big fan of everything they do and would love the be a part of that.
What is your biggest mistake in the music industry so far?
Allowing my own insecurities and perfectionism to delay me from releasing my own music and hiding behind them.
Getting past your own personal insecurities is one battle, but then looking at the enormous uphill climb to be successful on your own in this industry is not for the faint-heartened, and I took too long overthinking that.
What are your other passions aside from music?
I love designing, from clothing to album artwork, I recently wrote a children’s book about my dog that I would love to self-publish, but at the moment, I wanted to give music my full attention while weaving in the design element to my artwork.
I love the concept of musicians having separate eras for albums or singles and looking at the interlocking visual elements they use to create a whole world for their work.
If you could change one thing about the music industry, what would it be?
The fact that I am in my mid-late twenties and have this impending doom-like feeling of being too old is one that springs to mind, and the pressures, especially as a female, to look a certain way. Adele said in an interview, ‘I make music for the ears, not the eyes,’ and I wish that all the other stuff didn’t matter, especially when starting out as an independent artist.
What sets you apart from other artists?
At the level I am at, I would say my rounded vision of how things should look and sound. Working with the incredible Claudia Mills (BITTERS) on this track gave me so much more confidence in my ability to articulate how I wanted the song to sound and be arranged while tying in with how I wanted the artwork to look and the promotional content I put out.
What is the best music advice you have ever been given?
Comparison is your worst enemy. I never really acknowledged the gravity of this until I started looking to release. There is so much to compare to; streams/followers/engagement. But in the end, there is no head-to-head competition, people listen to music all the time, and no one listens to one artist. There is room for everyone, and everyone is on their own journey.
What new music are you listening to at the moment?
The Japanese House has just released an amazing new album that I have been obsessed with; it just feels really fresh and different while being catchy as hell.
What musical plans do you have for the next two years?
I’m in the process of planning my next release; I have four songs that I definitely want to release and hope to write more to queue up following those.
I am desperate to start playing live a lot more and find the joy in that again; now I have my own music out; it’s a new experience to be able to tell people they have something they can go away and listen to. I would love to get a band together so I can play the music as it was intended rather than acoustically and see where everything takes me from there.
FVMusicBlog August 2023
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