1- Where did you grow up?
I grew up in a small village in North Wales, UK. My family lived on a farm next to the woods, where I would spend a lot of my childhood climbing trees, making up songs and singing my favourite ones. I started college at 17 and joined my first band, an indie group, our lead singer looked like Robert Smith - I still have those early jam tapes. In my twenties I moved to Liverpool to study music and have been living here ever since. The city is so vibrant with music and the arts it instantly felt like home.
2- What is one of the first songs you remember liking as a kid?
Listening to mostly chart music at the time, when I was 11, I stumbled across a live Cocteau Twins bootleg from my eldest brother, and 'In our Angelhood' by Cocteau Twins was my absolute favourite on it. I would play it endlessly for hours, mesmerized by the guitar sounds, Elizabeth Frazer's beautiful ethereal voice, the drum machines so powerful with their pounding energy. I knew this song and band contained a magic and mystery that I wanted to discover.
3- What influenced you to get into music?
Listening to all my favourite artists, such as Kate Bush, how did she deliver such complicated vocal acrobatics I wondered. I would sing along to all her songs and learn so much from her vocal style. I wasn't really interested in television, always in my bedroom instead listening to albums or the latest radio shows, John Peel being my favourite DJ at the time who introduced me to so much indie music, like PJ Harvey another of my absolute biggest musical influences.
4- At what age did you start playing/singing?
I just always loved to sing, and when I first heard 'Andy Warhol' by David Bowie, the clean, driving sound of the acoustic guitar, I think that that had everything to do with me getting my first acoustic at 16 and learning how to play. Looking back, the action on the guitar was terrible, however I fondly named it 'chapter of light' and began writing my own songs on it as I gained more confidence. 'There is a light that never goes out' by The Smiths was the first bassline I remember learning, I was quite obsessed with the indie Manchester scene, the mood of the music that totally captured the bleakness yet creativity of the time.
5- If you could go back in time, what advice would you give to yourself after finishing school?
Always trust your instincts, your intuition. Be careful who you trust in life, some people take advantage of a person's good nature. Never give up on your dreams and the things that make you feel most alive.
6- What are some of your favorite songs at the moment?
'Drag Me into the woods' by Holy Fawn, I've been waiting to see them live now for 2 years with gigs being postponed, but that band has really got into my heart. Recently I discovered local band Double Echo and am obsessed with their track 'The Wake'. Another local band, Nul Telexes I adore their track 'Menhir' and album of the same title. I think the album Bedroom by Bdrmm is also a current masterpiece which was then totally confirmed when I saw them play it through live recently. 'On the Inside' by Soft Kill, a track that is currently on repeat, what a gorgeous powerful song it is.
7- Do you listen to your own music?
Yes, I do as I try to create music that I would enjoy listening to myself, but also not often as I'm busy in my mind creating new songs and there is always so much great new (and old) music by artists to discover and listen to.
8- Which musician would you like to collaborate with next?
I would very much like to collaborate again with Valerio Rivieccio, very talented Producer of my current album 'Illusion States'. There are so many awesome artists on the Swiss Dark Nights label, I would love to collaborate with any of them actually.
9- What is one of your favorite memories so far in your music career?
Definitely my recent signing to Swiss Dark Nights, a moment that made all other moments make sense. I am very fortunate to remember times such as singing a two-hour improvised vocal set on stage with Damo Suzuki from Can, meeting Paul McCartney or singing onstage with The Real Thing, but this recent step in my music career is for sure the most exciting and dearest to me, I'm so excited for what this year holds.
10- What advice would you give to someone that is just starting to get into music?
'Claim your space' was very important advice given to me when I started to perform solo acoustic gigs. In other words, be absolutely true to who you are and deliver that honestly, no comparison to others. Get a good network of musicians around you, collaborate with others, listen and share advice. Most importantly enjoy! You are very lucky to have these musical skills and ultimately, they are for enjoying, it will lead you to where you need to go if you approach it with an honest and inquisitive heart.
Anne Marie just released her album 'Illusion States' album on 4th December 2021 through Swiss Dark Nights.
We also have an album review which you can read here:
Listen to some of her music through Bandcamp below and check her out on Twitter and Instagram:
Comments