United Kingdom’s Indie artist Zemmy is refreshing to the ears with her amazing vocals, catchy hooks, and indie pop sensational sound. Zemmy recently spoke to our Webzine about her music and why she loves signing and performing. Here is what developed from my online conversation with the lovely and talented Zemmy.
Isaac: Let’s get started with this interview. When and how did you first become interested in music? How long have you been playing music?
Zemmy: I’ve been extremely interested as far back as I can remember. I loved to sing and dance when I was little and always did so in school productions. My first musical obsession was Michael Jackson. I used to watch the ‘Making of Thriller’ video almost every night before bed when I was about six. I completely immersed myself in music and famous musicians when I was young. I actually didn’t seriously consider it as a career until the last year of my undergraduate degree when I wrote some songs which I thought were pretty good (even though looking back they’re actually awful!). I absolutely loved singing but didn’t ever want to sing for singing’s sake. It was the songwriting that got me and I wanted to sing the songs I wrote. I got the biggest buzz and the most intense jealousy pangs when watching famous people performing. I love performing. I fantasized about it constantly growing up and incessantly watched musicians’ performances on TV and online. I still do.
(I’ve been playing piano since the age of about 5. I took classical singing to grade 5 and I now play a little bit of guitar).
Isaac: Who would you say are your biggest musical influences and why?
Zemmy: I tend to get influenced by individual songs, performers and the qualities and characteristics of those performers rather than by any act’s musical style. My main ones are:
Beyonce – for her captivating performances and the passion and pizzazz she puts into them.
Imogen Heap – for the passion which comes through when she sings, for her originality and for the complexity in her vocal melodies.
Maroon 5 – for the intelligence in their pop writing – I want that kind of respect for my type of pop.
Dido – also for the intelligence in her pop writing and the ability to write catchy but meaningful pop songs.
Sia – for her original songs and her one-of-a-kind-ness.
Mariah Carey – for her ridiculously amazing vocals – she was the first artist who made me want to be a performer.
Isaac: What has been the greatest highpoint in your career so far?
Zemmy: I haven’t been doing this all that so it’s only a minor thing but my highpoint so far has to be when I played at a particular venue in London to a large and an incredibly attentive audience. There was just something special about that show and it was personal turning point. I felt like that I’d always wanted to be on stage.
Isaac: What has been the greatest disappointment in your career so far? What did you learn from that experience?
Zemmy: The lowest point has to be when we played to an audience who couldn’t care less whether we were there or not. After one particular song, we got about two people’s sympathy claps. That was horrendous. But you learn to take the punches and understand that you win some, you lose some. It felt like I had no clothes on and everyone was staring. The nice guy who booked us tried to explain that that particular crowd could be a bit funny and we actually went down well but it was a depressing night. I had to learn not to be so sensitive. There’ll most definitely be many more times where a particular audience will hate you or be indifferent. (Hopefully not too many)!
Isaac: What draws you to want to play the type of music that you do?
Zemmy: I have a soft spot for the style I make and have always enjoyed listening to similar artists. I love a good melody and I naturally write melody driven songs. I’m not so much drawn to my style as much as it’s just what comes out when I write. It’s kind of like ‘this is the face I was born with’ – this is just the music I make.
Isaac: What do you feel it takes to play this type of music that you play?
Zemmy: It takes real passion – anything less and it will sound false. I think you have to have a knack for original melodies and lyrics – it’s very easy to get standard lyrical clichés and come across as insincere when doing pop music. And if melodies can be described as cliché then it’s also very easy to get cliché melodies. There are many, many perfectly nice and okay pop songs but I think it will take something extra to stand out and really make it.
Isaac: What do you think you will create that will make your performances and who you are stand out in the music industry?
Zemmy: I hope to create intelligent, catchy songs which will appeal to a broad range of people. I want to be known for my live performances as well as songwriting capabilities so I’m trying to hone my performance skills and really perform my head off at every gig I do. I want to have the energy of upbeat pop acts (Beyonce (my performance hero), Lady Gaga, Justin Timberlake) but tailored to my style – to basically be a fireball onstage. My favourite ever compliment was when someone told me that everything about me onstage was just mesmerizing. I’m aiming to make everyone think that. Also, my vocals are very important to me – I want them near perfect as possible every show as it’s the real test of a singer/songwriter to deliver great vocals live.
Isaac: If you had the opportunity to do one cover, what cover would you do and why? How would you put your own spin on this cover?
Zemmy: I absolutely love a song called ‘Counterpoint’ by the band Delphic. The whole song is done with electronic instruments but I’d probably play it just me and piano.
Isaac: What does it take to be a good songwriter?
Zemmy: I think it takes honesty – being honest with yourself about the strength of your songs and whether it’s just you who thinks a particular song is that good; passion – it’s a brutal industry and you have to be borderline obsessed with it to keep going despite countless rejections; openness – in terms of feelings and letting moods and emotions take you somewhere a good song can come out of; a good gut feeling about your songs – sometimes the wrong people will hear your song first and dislike it, which may put you off; you have to trust yourself if you really feel deep down that the song actually has real potential.
Isaac: How difficult is it to juggle music, family and work obligation, and life in general? Explain.
Zemmy: I’ve found that can be a selfish existence if you don’t watch it – not intentionally, you can just get very into your own head, especially during the low points. For instance, on a bad day you’ll be thinking, ‘I’m crap’, ‘I’ll never make it’, ‘No one likes my stuff’, and it can get you very depressed and only thinking of your own issues and not interacting as much with family and friends. Even when you’re feeling positive about it all it’s a career choice that demands all of you so you have to watch that it doesn’t squeeze everything else that’s important out of your life.
I’ve been studying until very recently and it’s been hard to juggle college work with a budding career. What is challenging right now is knowing that I can’t get a job that will demand too much of me – late hours in the office, taking work home, being called in at weekends etc – as I have to reserve evenings and all my free time to pushing the music. It’s a very scary notion that you’ll be relying on sheer determination alone – thinking ‘I’m definitely going to make it in this business’ – and working hard for uncertain rewards in the future rather than accepting a job which will reward you for your work now.
Isaac: What is your definition of being an Indie artist/band?
Zemmy: Doing all your heavy lifting – I’m constantly online for hours and hours looking for ways to get my stuff out there, looking for venues to contact, promoters to hound, blogs to badger for reviews, staking out the latest competition in my genre, keeping on top of music trends etc.
Indie bands need to have a nose for networking (I’m not so good at that myself!), and be in the skills trade – using skills of friends/acquaintances and letting them use yours (e.g. doing backing vocals for your producer friend who’ll cut you a free demo) so everyone helps each other out and saves money.
Having humility – you are at the mercy of your fans – the mystique of the illusive famous star is no longer there for most of us – you have to engage listeners and show your gratitude and you have to be available to the people who support you. All this is extremely time consuming but extremely worth it.
Isaac: Where can fans access your music online?
Zemmy: Everywhere! It’s a must these days! These are my main sites:
Zemmy: I want to have toured worldwide, played major festivals, have a dedicated fan following, be a recognisable name (at least among avid music lovers), be completely living off making music, have songs placed in major films and TV, be writing for other artists, collaborated with artists I admire, walk into a shop and hear my song playing, have the clout to be able to rally people to do some good, be an inspiration to other people... basically be living my dream. Wouldn’t that be nice!
