At just 19, flora has been creating music and writing songs for many years and – with acclaim from the likes of BBC Introducing already under her belt – she’s now excited to be releasing her debut EP later this year. Latest single ‘Easy’ offers a taster into her glitchy alt-pop soundscapes and rich, soulful vocals; showcasing the impassioned drive and glistening allure behind each heartfelt offering.
We caught up with flora to find out about her inspirations, nerves around live shows, being a new artist in the industry today, and more. Have a read, and listen to ‘Easy‘ now!
Hi Flora! Welcome to Get In Her Ears! Can you tell us a bit about yourself?
Hey! Thank you so much for having me! So yeah, I’m flora – I’m 19 and I’m a singer-songwriter with a love for all creative things!
Are you able to tell us a bit about how you initially started creating music?
Music is something I’ve been around constantly, but it wasn’t until I was 12 that I realised I could be writing my own songs. For me, the thing that sparked that love was the idea that I could take all these feelings I was struggling to process and write a song about them. It started off as an outlet for me, and from that I realised that maybe they could help others that feel the way I do.
I really love your soulful emotion-strewn pop sounds, but who would you consider to be your main musical influences?
My musical influences have changed drastically over my time creating music! When I first got started, Lily Allen and Amy Winehouse were at the top of my list, but since then I’ve found myself drawn to artists like Dodie, Billie Marten and TV Girl.
Having been performing and playing instruments such as the ukulele from such a young age, what would you say you’ve learnt about songwriting and the industry over the years?
It’s hard to say because from my time making music, I’ve only really recently been around the industry. But, from my experience so far, I’d say I’ve learnt to stay true to yourself with your writing; it’s easy to change your message for the sake of catering to what’s popular at the time, but if you want to build up a fan base that really connects to you, you have to mean what you say. And, in an industry with as many competitors as there are, you have to establish yourself and build up, not be constantly fluctuating to find a gap.
You’re set to release your upcoming new EP later this year, which is very exciting – congratulations! Are you able to tell us a bit about it? Are there any particular themes running throughout it?
I’m super excited about the upcoming EP (although I will say I’m not set on the name yet!). It’s so cool to finally be releasing a body of music for people to hear, and hopefully relate to. I can’t say much for now, but what I can say is it’s raw and honest about how I’ve been feeling over the recent past, and I’m really looking forward to its release!
You’ve played a lot of live shows at esteemed London venues such as Union Chapel and The Victoria recently, but is there a particular gig you’ve played that stands out as a highlight?
Honestly my most memorable gig is one from around four years ago. It was my first time at London Pride and I had the privilege to perform on the main stage at Trafalgar Square with a dear friend from the time. I’m appreciative of all the gigs I’ve been able to play, but there’s something to be said about singing a song for people, and knowing that a lot of them feel it’s meaning as deeply as you do – it’s a feeling I won’t soon forget.
What can fans expect from your live shows? And do you have any tips for anyone who may experience pre-gig nerves?
If you come and see one of my shows, expect to see someone who can’t cover up every blip! There’s a reason I write songs, and I’m not a public speaker… But I can promise a performance where you’ll see the real me, and that me is someone who wants to share their work, and talk about their journey through music and creation. If I could say one thing to people who’ve just started gigging and have nerves about it: use those nerves. Don’t shut them out, embrace them and turn them into something. Because those nerves don’t really go away, you just get better at identifying them and getting through.
How do you feel the industry is for new artists at the moment? And do you feel much has changed over the last few years in its treatment of female/gender non-conforming and queer artists?
Being in the industry is hard, there’s no other way to say it. When you don’t have a consistent fan base built up already, you have to constantly push to be heard, and it can often be disheartening. But, like most things, if it’s something you want to achieve, you have to keep positive and keep pushing. I think recently it’s been easier for female and gender non-conforming artists to push through than in the past, and I think that’s amazing. But I do worry that a certain amount is because it’s being spoken about at this minute. I hope that, even as the conversation drifts to the next topic, the door will continue to stay open to those who want to make music and be heard!
As we’re a new music focused site, are there any other upcoming artists you’re loving right now that you’d recommend we check out?
Through my journey so far I’ve met a lot of talented upcoming artists, and I highly recommend you give them a listen, honestly there’s too many to name! But a few that come to mind right now are: Frances Mistry (@francesmistrymusic), Jack David (@jackdavidmusic), LENNY (@lennyoxz), Cutflowers (@cutflowersband) and Pippa (@pippa.burnett)
Finally, what does the rest of 2023 have in store for you?
The rest of 2023 will see the completion of my EP recording, and a couple of cool collaborations, as well as gigs, gigs and more gigs! The plan is to keep going with my music, put in the work and see where I end up.
Massive thanks to flora for answering our questions, listen to ‘Easy‘ now and keep your eyes peeled for news on her upcoming debut EP!
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