INTERVIEW:
Matilda Eyre
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I am starting my Friday…
PHOTO CREDIT: Lindsay Melbourne
introducing you to Matilda Eyre. She has been telling me about her debut single, FYA, and what its story is. I ask how songs come together and whether we will see new material coming later this year – Eyre discusses moving from Germany to London and what gigs are coming up.
I was eager to know which albums are important to her and which artists she responds to her; what advice she would give to new artists – she ends the interview by selecting an amazing song.
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Hi, Matilda. How are you? How has your week been?
Great, thank you! Lots of writing and recording.
For those new to your music; can you introduce yourself, please?
Hi, I'm Matilda Eyre. I'm into Indie-Pop, Electronica and eerie vocals. I love intricate stories of fall and rise.
FYA is your debut song. What is the story behind it?
FYA is a really personal song. It's about self-worth and, with the title, FYA - For Your Approval - it is sharing my own story and reflecting on the deceiving illusion of external validation. It's an intimate song about childhood and the stories we make up about ourselves early on.
Do you think there will be other material coming later in the year?
FYA is leading as the debut because it's about my heritage and about where I started out from. There are more singles coming up.
How do songs come together for you? Do they sort of layer themselves or will you attack a track all at once?
Mostly, they come when it's just me and the piano; playing chords and humming melodies. But, sometimes, a beat really grabs me and the song unfolds from there. At any given time, I work on a few different songs on rotation.
You work with soundscapes and create drama and atmosphere. Is music, to you, an extension of yourself and a way of conveying your inner emotions?
Music and stories have always been an outlet for me - feeling an emotion or working through a challenging situation and turning that into an atmosphere framed by lyrics and hooks. It started early on at school where I would sneak into our empty auditorium to play songs on the grand piano.
You started life in Germany but are based in London. Is London somewhere you feel settled and inspired by?
I love London. It has given me so much; pulling me from being a singer-songwriter into the eerie Electronica spectrum. It all started out because of a conversation I had with Daughter after a concert in Frankfurt (she was supporting Ben Howard) which inspired me to fly out to London the following week. That was 2012.
Which artists are most important to you? Who do you recognise as idols?
Ben Howard, Florence Welch; Sylvan Esso - but also poets and writers such as Kahlil Gibran, Paulo Coelho and Elizabeth Gilbert.
Can we see you tour this year? What gigs do you have coming along?
Absolutely. There will be a couple of shows announced soon.
Do you have any ambitions to fulfil before the end of the year?
Finishing my first E.P. I’m in the process spending as much time as possible by the ocean.
Have you got a favourite memory from your time in music – the one that sticks in the mind?
My favourite memory so far was being out in L.A.; constantly writing, filming; making music with friends and playing a show out there with everyone dancing to my beats.
Which three albums mean the most to you, would you say?
Ben Howard – Every Kingdom
Just because I love his music more than anything I'll add I Forget Where We Were, too.
Florence and the Machine - Lungs
Sylvan Esso – Sylvan Esso
What advice would you give to new artists coming through?
Go, make your music. Don't hold out for perfection, especially not other people's perception of perfection. Don't let it delay you.
IN THIS PHOTO: sir Was
Are there any new artists you recommend we check out?
I'm obsessed with sir Was; especially his debut E.P., Says Hi. It caught me completely off guard. I haven't been able to stop listening to it: in the shower, in the car; any place, you name it.
Do you get much time to chill away from music? How do you unwind?
Time seems to be running so fast these days. Any moment I get I'm in the studio. Right now, I love crafting and embroidery though; it keeps me calm.
Finally, and for being a good sport; you can choose a song and I’ll play it here (not any of your music - I will do that).
sir Was – Falcon
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