FEATURE:
Spotlight
Bessie Turner
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THERE are a lot of great artists out there…
whose lives are being affected dramatically. Whilst artists can record and release music, many are unable to perform, and there is a financial strain on all musicians’ shoulders. I think it will be a really tough time, and we need to go and support artists now more than ever. Bessie Turner is someone who I have been aware of for a long time now. She released her single, Donkey, last month, and she is a name to watch closely! Music has been in Turner’s life for a very long time, but she released her debut single in 2017. Big Sleep was released on Don’t Try Records, and it is a fantastic introduction from a unique artist. That track got picked up by BBC Introducing in Suffolk – Turner was born in Suffolk -, and soon enough stations like BBC Radio 1 were standing to attention. By the time her second single, Words You Say, was released in September of 2017, she was getting airplay from Jo Whiley on BBC Radio 2; festival appearances followed, and Turner was an artist few could ignore. I encountered her music when she released her third single, In My Room. I interviewed her in 2018 to promote her E.P., 22:22, and it has been up and up since then. Turner has performed her own headline shows, and she has performed at some of the biggest festivals around. BBC Radio 6 Music have supported Turner for years, and her latest track has got big backing from the station.
Many artists do not get to a position where they have the biggest BBC stations behind them. Turner is a rare talent, and someone who has a long future ahead. I am not sure whether there are album plans for this year but, what with everything considered, it might be 2021 when we see an L.P. Regardless, follow her on social media – the links are at the bottom -, and support her music as much as possible. I want to quote from an interview of last year, where The Line of Best Fit spotlighted this rising artist:
“This year has been super transitional; I didn’t have any of these foundations around me at the start of the year. The plan was to go with another song, but I think that I’m really one for going for the vibe that you think is right and what you’re feeling, rather than what you think you’re supposed to do.” The track was written with Justin Young of The Vaccines – but also with her friend, Will. Though Bessie Turner’s music grows in its sophistication with every new release, it’s by no means reared under the industry’s hothouse lights and is still reminiscent of a girl making music in her bedroom”.
Make no mistake, though: Bessie Turner is not the kind of woman to wait for things to fall in her lap. Since the beginning, she has been an independent DIY artist. Her debut single, “Big Sleep”, was entirely self-funded and released through her own record label, Don’t Try Records – a name that well-reflects Turner’s particular brand of humour, but is also something of a riposte to the challenges of being an independent creative.
“I don't know anyone that's not an independent artist,” she says. “Even people that are doing really, really well and excelling in music kind of still have this battle.” She toys with the idea, for a moment: “The highs and the lows… The highs are when people appreciate what you do – that’s mental. I started the record label and this kind of musical journey with a now ex-boyfriend. He was quite… paramount, in kind of pushing me and allowing me to kind of see that side of myself. I had… you know,” she hesitates, “I still don’t have tonnes of confidence at all, but I think that’s one of the highs: realising people want to listen to it, too”.
It is an exciting time for Bessie Turner, as so many new people are picking up her music spreading the words. Health problems, obviously, have been a drawback and something Turner has had to battle. Once we are back to normal and artists are back gigging, Turner will be thrilling the crowds. I am not sure how her plans have changed, and whether the gigs confirmed will go ahead. Keep an eye out for updates, as I am sure things will change. I will source from one more interview before wrapping this up. Turner recently spoke with the guys at BN1 Magazine about Donkey, and this year’s Great Escape Festival:
“You have just released your great new single Donkey, has it been well received?
Yes, it’s getting some radioplay, Steve Lamacq has been really good to me and given loads of support.
You were very ill early last year, are you fully recovered now?
I had pneumonia and sepsis and was in hospital for several weeks and was truly ill. I am better but I have a more healthy lifestyle now, I have been vegan for 2 years .I played Iceland Airways festival last Autumn and spent most of the time in bed, apart from playing the gig and didn’t see many bands or Iceland, but I feel ok now.
You are playing The Great Escape in May Are you looking forward to it?
Yes it’s a festival I haven’t been to before, and at the moment I don’t know what day or time I will be on but it should be fun, I love meeting people, I don’t really know anyone in Brighton so it will be a good chance to hang out in the city”.
I wonder whether we will get to enjoy The Great Escape Festival this year, or whether we will have to wait until next year. Regardless, Turner is a fantastic artist who deserves a lot of acclaim. Check out her music and, when gigs are cemented, get a ticket and go and see her. I will do all I can to highlight as many great artists worth following over the coming weeks. The remarkable Bessie Turner is…
A real treasure.
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Follow Bessie Turner
