Each week we feature a different Scottish artist on the blog including premieres and Q&A’s. Please check out some of the amazing Scottish talent we have discovered over the years.
If you would like to submit a track please get in touch 4 weeks in advance of the release - resonatescot@gmail.com
Check out our Resonate Artist of the Week Spotify Playlist here
Q&A: Becca Starr
This week we interviewed hip-hop artist, Becca Starr who has a new album on the horizon out on In Black Records this August 19th ahead of her album launch show at Mono on 20th August. Becca has produced, recorded, mixed and mastered the album herself and is also the Hip-Hop lecturer at Academy of Music & Sound.
“Overall, Speak No Evil is an exploration through the peaks and troughs of what makes me tick, makes me think and makes me suffer. It's groovy for a reason, no matter how crazy the world gets, it's still beautiful. It's still groovy. And the same should be said for every human life. Accepting the beauty and growth to be gained through adversity and pain, sometimes makes you a happier, healthier and stronger individual and ultimately, of more use and resource to others who may be suffering. Or struggling.”
You can pre-save it here.
"..reminds us to be true to oneself despite all the madness around. She blends deep lyricism and melodic runs on this one showcasing her versatility." - Earmilk
"This track sounds like it's a love song and in a way it is, but it is a love song to the parts of Becca's ego she knows are toxic, selfish and immature. In order to grow, sometimes you have to shed skin and traits that do not reflect your growth, Sometimes, you even have to relieve yourself of people who diminish or stunt that personal growth. It is a dramatic and orchestral led track, with emotion and genuine self-critique." - Becca Starr on 'Fear Of Death'
Read our Q&A below
Your new album 'Speak No Evil' comes out this August 19th, what was the main inspiration behind this project?
It's a bit of a study of the 5 main pieces of my psyche who have some toxic traits, made into characters if you will! Ego, Romantic, Fear, Wrath and Child. Each plays a role in inspiring tracks, subjects lyrically and the overall tone and recurring sounds throughout the album. They serve as ways to identify characters. I hope this album helps other folks to connect with themselves and the voices inside themselves that aren't so kind, perhaps more critical or pessimistic. Finding balance is what this album is about at its core.
Your track 'I'm Still Breathing' is an expression of your frustration to your local hip hop scene. How would you describe the current Scottish Hip Hop scene?
Honestly, the Scottish Hip Hop scene is vibrant and healthy. There's many artists making big waves outwith our tight knit community and I'm always happy to see it.
That song aint about the people making big moves though... its about the lazy-arse rappers who wanna hate all over the folks making big moves.
It happens in every genre of music though. Haters have a habit of hating, haha! So, I gave their lense on life a try, while writing that track and commenting on it.
Your album touches on topics such as trauma, ego, community & relationships... did writing the album help you process some of your own feelings connected with these topics?
Absolutely. In particular the track 'Speak No Evil' which also became the albums title! Its reflective, almost at points using language that you might have heard if you've ever had a friend try to help pull you out of a dark place.
I was trying to pull myself out a dark place, with that song.
Writing music is how I process every thought and feeling I have, resolved or otherwise. It was an uncomfortable album to make at points, but its the realest and most unfiltered project in every aspect of myself I have ever shared. The beats are HARD too. Dont think it's alllll about feelings!
What is your favourite venue in Scotland?
Probably Saint Lukes in Glasgow. I've played some career-defining shows there. It holds a special place in my heart.
You are signed to In Black Records, Can you let us in on some of your future plans?
I'm delighted to share that myself and In Black Records are mutually enthusiastic to continue our relationship and In Black will be releasing my next album too! No title yet!
I have so much respect for the people at In Black Records. I got signed in June 2020, right in the thick of a pandemic while the music industry was failing. They are superheroes to me. And I want to grow in success with them. They're a great support to me not just as an artist, but as a human being. Cannot thank them enough.
You will be at PITCH music conference this year teaching 16-21 year old how to rap with The Academy of Music & Sound. How did this come about?
I'm very much looking forward to it! I am the Hip Hop teacher at The Academy of Music and Sound in Glasgow and the nice folks at pitch reached out to the Academy! Was delighted to be asked to participate in such a cool event but also to represent the Academy!
It turns out that Pitch is run by a few people I know through the Scottish Hip Hop community, who do amazing work, so its bound to be a great success. Another in a long list of things I'm very grateful to be a small part of! And getting to connect with the young up-and-coming next generation of talent is often extremely interesting. There's so much variety in influences and sounds. Music is so easy to access these days, so its fascinating to see how the genre continues to evolve with the people at the start of their career.
It inspires me a lot, it really does.
Album Launch / 20/08/22 / Glasgow
Venue: Mono Mono (monocafebar.com)
Support: Solareye & Sev Ka
Tickets: Becca Starr 'Speak No Evil' album launch | Facebook
Resonate Artist Of The Week: Sweet Dreamer
We had the pleasure this week, of catching up with Innes of Glasgow indie poppers Sweet Dreamer. A group who amalgamate infectiously catchy melodies & riffs with charismatic performances. We caught up with them following the release their debut single ‘Playing Along With Bad Guys’ .
Tell us about the birth of Sweet Dreamer
Sweet Dreamer's birth has been a long process, and I wouldn't really say the band had a definitive starting point. Adam (the drummer) and I have been playing music together since we were in our early teens, Kira (keys) joined us a few years ago, and last year during the lockdown George (bass and guitar) joined us to form the lineup we have now. We were under a different name back then, and George only played one show with us before we decided to go for a fresh start. The old name and image didn't suit the music that we were making by that point, so we left it behind, and it was definitely the right choice. I suppose that was the birth of Sweet Dreamer, but in reality we'd been working on stuff long before that.
You recently opened the famous King Tuts Summer Nights series, how was that experience?
Headlining King Tut's was great, we have a good relationship with the crew over at DF, so we've played Tut's more times than we can count, and been given some really fun slots, but headlining is always different. The show went really well, we played a couple new tunes, and it was the first time we'd played since we released our single, so it was fun to play something that people had actually had a chance to hear. It's always a good time at Tut's, something about that venue feels very special, so it was good to tick a headline show off the list.
Your music pulls on a lot of influences, 80s inspired electronica and modern pop greats. Who are the artists that have most inspired the Sweet Dreamer sonics?
I wouldn't say we sound particularly similar to any of these artists, but some of the artists that have had the biggest influence over my writing, and how the band arranges the music, would be in no particular order: LCD Soundsystem, Daft Punk, Bleachers, Hot Chip, St Vincent, and the Beach Boys. I know that list might not make a lot of sense, but it's the best I can do. Ask me tomorrow and you'd get a different answer.
We can’t wait to hear the follow up to your debut single ‘Play Along With The Bad Guys’, can you give us a sneak peak into what’s next for SD?
We have an EP coming out on the 6th of August, it's called Universal Truths, and it's back-to-back bangers. I'm especially excited about the tune Video Games, I think that song really captures what I am trying to communicate with our music.
Tell us Sweet Dreamer, if you had the live on ONE sweet for eternity, what would it be?
If I had to live off of one sweet for the rest of time, it would be jelly beans. They're beans after all, so they're definitely good for you.