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: Zerrin
“There’s so much you can learn from your peers, and I’ve found that most other artists are really happy to help each other out in demystifying the industry. I think it just takes away some of that self-imposed pressure of trying to figure it all out alone, especially when you realise so many people experience the same challenges as you.“
Zerrin is an Australian singer-songwriter and producer based in Glasgow, Scotland. Fascinated by people and their inner lives, and the textures of the natural/unnatural world around her - she makes intricate and experimental chamber pop and draws inspiration from a wide landscape of music and other influences ~ folk, cinema, psychedelic rock, alternative 70s and 80s, among others.
Your latest track is indie-pop infused “Spring Cleaning”, can you tell us how came together and the inspiration for the song?
I first started writing 'Spring Cleaning' last spring (in 2023) - I'd had some difficult family news to process, and I found myself compulsively turning to everyday tasks like cleaning and sorting, I think to stay busy and grounded while my mind was whirring. It was really a strange experience to be feeling all this grief and confusion while the season around me was so fresh and joyful, and that got me thinking about the contrasts and complexities of time passing - how it brings both renewal and endings. And so the song became a reflection on managing this cycle of change as an adult - trying to be organised and productive, looking to the future, but also mourning the past.
Bringing it together, I’d worked on a demo for the song a bit at home, and then I brought that to my drummer Liam. Then we developed a part which we then recorded in studio. The rest of the production was this fairly private mix of slow exploration and then flurries of fast recording, production, and mixing at home. Then once I had the final mix together I sent it off for mastering. I like to dwell in the songs as I'm working on them, and to spend lots of time subtly weaving the different sounds and textures together until I'm happy with the balance.
A big part of thinking about the song as I was finishing the mixing, was working on the video and the visual storytelling of the song with my brilliant filmmaker friend Debora. We shot the whole thing on 16mm out in the Ayrshire countryside, and I can't wait to share the final result (coming soon...)
I also want to mention the incredible funding support from UNESCO Glasgow City of Music, as it funded significant parts of both the recording and music video filming, and so was instrumental in helping 'Spring Cleaning' come to life.
Which Scottish acts are you enjoying listening to at the moment? And who do you think could become the next big thing in Scotland/the UK/internationally?
Ahh, lots of great acts to choose from!
I've been enjoying the new debut tracks from Peach Crumb a lot ~ also been loving listening to Cloth, Saint Sappho, Juan Laforet, C Duncan, Bikini Body, Gelatine, Sacred Paws, and Walt Disco. And more honestly, but I should stop somewhere...
I can see Walt Disco becoming the next big thing in the UK and beyond - I think they're just going from strength to strength, and riding all this momentum with their recent brilliant album release and ongoing touring. They also just have such a clear, unique voice and vision as a band, which I find really exciting to see.
Do you have any advice for upcoming artists in Scotland, what would you tell your younger self to help her navigate the industry?
I'd encourage any upcoming artists to try and meet other artists and people in the scene (in whatever way works for you! Whether for example that’s in person at gigs and events, or through online groups) and to not be afraid to ask questions if you don’t know how something works. There’s so much you can learn from your peers, and I’ve found that most other artists are really happy to help each other out in demystifying the industry. I think it just takes away some of that self-imposed pressure of trying to figure it all out alone, especially when you realise so many people experience the same challenges as you. It can also open up unexpected connections and opportunities! Which is a wonderful thing too.
And to my younger self, I think I would tell her that she’s doing ok and to trust her instincts! That she should take her time, breathe, and not worry so much about what other people are doing and how quickly they seem to be doing it. It’s so easy (and common) to compare yourself, and I spent a lot of time early on second-guessing myself and feeling like I was behind. But there are so many other rich parts of life to understand and experience, and I think I truly started finding my feet once I stopped rushing and started just trying to enjoy myself - both in life and music.
Tell us your three desert island albums.
Oh that's so so hard. There are way too many albums from so many categories to say definitively! So with that said - here are 3 more contemporary artists/albums that I not only love a lot, but have also had a big creative impact on me recently:
- Weyes Blood 'Titanic Rising'
- Nabihah Iqbal 'Dreamer'
- Aoife Nessa Frances 'Protector'You should see how long my list was! I found it very hard to choose, and kept going back and forth between recent finds and early formative albums. I feel like the answer could be so different depending on the day or the framework, but I guess the abundance of choice is kind of beautiful.
If you could collaborate with anyone on future music, who would it be?
Hmm, again many answers ~ but I think it would be amazing to collaborate with Laetitia Sadier (from Stereolab)! She’s so prolific, and I’m consistently surprised and delighted by everything she makes.
And finally, what can we expect to see from Zerrin throughout the rest of 2024
Definitely more music and live gigs. I'm releasing an EP late this August! And I'm very excited to be putting it out into the world - both the singles from earlier this year will be on it, plus a couple of new songs. I'm also playing my first headline with a band on August 2nd at The Hug and Pint for Endless Summer. There'll be some other shows to look out for, but particularly buzzing to play that one and share what I've been working on with my wonderful band :)
Join us at Resonate 2024 on the 28th November at Platform, Glasgow. Final Early Bird tickets are still available and close to selling out! Click here for tickets.
Q&A: Katya Mansell
“Not every song will be perfect and that’s ok! Just keep writing the songs you love and people will hear them when the time is right!”
Katya Mansell (she/they) is a Glasgow based singer/songwriter, an exciting indie pop artist playing catchy melodies entwined with bright chords and experimental rhythms. Influenced by Phoebe Bridgers, Bon Iver and Death Cab for Cutie, Katya creates heart-wrenchingly beautiful songs with clever musicality.
Katya spent a year and a half studying the craft with songwriters such as Rob Wells (Arianna Grande/Justin Bieber), Charlie Grant (Ed Sheeran/Melanie C) and Luc Floreani (Sam Smith/Amy Winehouse) and is releasing new music in 2024 starting with single ‘Promised You Love’, after being announced as a semi-finalist for the prestigious International Songwriting Competition and winner of the Paolo Nutini Scholarship.
Your latest release 'Promised You Love' is a queer love song, can you tell us how the track came together and the inspiration for the love song?
Sure! I wanted to write a cute wee queer love song that speaks to some of the nuances of relationships. This one talks about the stage of dating someone who’s a bit more guarded. I think there’s this heteronormative idea that we’re supposed to give people these ultimatums, like “it’s now or never”. Actually, that was some of the feedback I got when I first wrote it, that I should make it a more like “I’m not going to wait forever.”! But that kind of cemented the message of my song for me because I just thought I would give someone all the space in the world if they needed it, and that’s the point of the song! So yeah, I don’t believe it’s very consensual to push people into something they’re not ready for, and I wanted the lyrics to be really grounded in consent, to highlight the beauty of creating a safe space and building trust with a partner. After it was written, I reached out to an artist/producer called Peter Hatch, who was up for producing it for me. I really loved what he did, and we’ve been collaborating ever since!
Which Scottish acts are you enjoying listening to at the moment? And who do you think could become the next big thing in Scotland/the UK/internationally?
Oh, I’m enjoying the music coming out of Scotland so much right now! I’m a big fan of Becky Sikasa. She released a song called ‘Hard to Love’ which is absolutely stunning. I’m also loving Zoe Graham’s new stuff - her song ‘Evelin’ is so, so good! And everything The Joy Hotel are doing is class! They all have the potential to go global, I think! And that’s just skimming the surface, there are so many incredible artists and musicians in Scotland right now.
Do you have any advice for upcoming artists in Scotland, what would you tell your younger self to help her navigate the industry?
I would tell younger artists and my younger self to make the music that you want to hear. The music industry runs on songs, so write the best songs you can! And collaborate. It’s a really beautiful way to connect with other creatives, and it feels really magical when you truly connect with others in the writing room and make something you wouldn’t have made on your own. You don’t have to be great at everything either – if you’re a great lyricist, why not work with a really great producer and another songwriter who can write a beautiful melody? You’re going to learn and develop more working this way, and build really close friendships along the way. And finish your songs! Not every song will be perfect and that’s ok! Just keep writing the songs you love and people will hear them when the time is right!
Tell us your three desert island albums.
OK, my first choice would be boygenius’ self titled EP! I love that record and honestly admire Phoebe Bridgers, Lucy Dacus, and Julien Baker so much. To have a spotlight on women making such gorgeous music, and also being unashamedly queer, is just awesome. I grew up in a time (showing my age!) where it really wasn’t the norm to hear experiences of LGBTQI community in music, much less the sapphic experience. I think for young people, this doesn’t seem so out of the ordinary, but it really does feel amazing to see, and to feel like my music also has a place in the industry. Back to your question though, another album I would take are Threads by Now, Now, as well as Collapse List by Novo Amor!
If you could collaborate with anyone on future music, who would it be?
I really love what Victoria Canal is making, it feels so vulnerable and sweet! I think we’d write something really lovely together. But yeah, I’m always up for collaborating, whether that’s for something I’ll release as a solo artist, or for other artists’ own projects - give me a shout if you fancy writing together!
And finally, what can we expect to see from Katya Mansell throughout the rest of 2024?
Well, I’ve got a couple more singles that I’ll be releasing this year, and I’m currently writing and producing my debut album! I just went over to Berlin to write with one of my collaborators, Charlie Grant. We also wrote a song with producer Ivo Vollering, which was just so special. That’s maybe one of the most vulnerable songs I’ve ever written. Looking forward to you hearing that one when it’s released next year! And I’ve got some gigs coming – I’m playing Broadcast in Glasgow on June 29th, an Endless Summer gig at the Hug and Pint on July 17th then Leith Depot in Edinburgh on 25th July!
Follow Katya here.
Join us at Resonate 2024 on the 28th November at Platform, Glasgow. Final Early Bird tickets are still available and close to selling out! Click here for tickets.