INTERVIEW: Eilis Frawley

Having been big fans of all Berlin-based musician and songwriter Eilis Frawley does for a number of years now, we were excited to welcome the release of her debut album Fall Forward earlier this year. An eclectic collection of striking compositions focused on topics ranging from sexism and feelings of displacement, to personal reflections on self care and nostalgia, it showcases Frawley’s resonant lyricism and immense percussion skills, with a sparkling, empowering energy.

Following the album release, and ahead of Frawley’s UK tour which starts tonight at Brighton’s Rossi Bar and ends on Sunday 1st June here in London at Shacklewell Arms, we caught up with her about her inspirations behind the album, her thoughts on the music industry and her top tour tips. Have a read below, and make sure you catch her live over the next few days!

Hi Eilis! Welcome to Get In Her Ears! Are you able to tell us a bit about what initially inspired you to start creating music? 
Hey Mari! It’s always a pleasure to connect with GIHE! I started playing violin at a very young age, and towards the end of high school I turned to percussion and got very involved with the music department; it was like a family for weirdos and I loved it, it was such a supportive place to practice and learn and develop musicality. I started out in classical music and was always drawn to the row of people standing at the back of the orchestra, often not doing so much, but when they played, it felt like those few people could change an entire mood in seconds – I was totally mesmerised. I didn’t start playing drum kit properly until I moved to South Korea after my university studies – there I met the most impressive absolutely no-bullshit female musicians, we formed a band and quickly I became obsessed with song writing, playing drum kit and creating original music. 

We love your beautifully striking, genre-defying sounds and the empowering energy that shines through in your unique songs and percussion-focused musicality, but who would you consider to be your main musical influences?
Aw, thank you! Someone who has stuck with me for a long time is Tune-Yards – I love the upbeat, very energetic chaos they create whilst diving into some heavy topics. Otherwise, I’m a big fan of Ghostpoet, and lately the Moor Mother/Sumac album, and also the Julien Baker/Torres album have been on regular repeat. 

I’ve been really enjoying listening to your recently released incredible and poignant new album, Fall Forward! The album reflects on themes ranging from misogyny and inequality, to personal feelings of grief and mental health struggles – are you able to tell us a bit more about this and what inspired your songwriting?
I wrote a lot of these lyrics during the pandemic; I’m originally from Australia (currently living in Berlin), and the borders were closed – for the first time in my life it wasn’t possible to go home, and this was very alienating. I spent a lot of time thinking about the past, and how I want the future to look. It’s personal, but I think the feeling of being misplaced is not uncommon to most people. Living in a big metropol it can be lonely, it can be exhausting, it can be misogynistic daily; these songs were a chance to build my own world to get some of these feelings out. 

You’ve described your sound as a “translation of my life into music” – can you explain this and tell us more about your songwriting and recording process? 
I write lyrics one sentence at a time, often in the notes on my phone whilst on the bus or train or having a coffee, then after some time I combine lyrics of similar themes and see where to go from there – it’s a collage of my experiences and thoughts. Musically, I often have an idea – maybe a drum beat or bass line that the song grows from – and maybe a rough idea of how I want the vocals to fit, and from there its trial and error, building different layers to support the vocals and vice versa. 

Having been involved in the industry for a number of years – both as an artist, and as a teacher and facilitator – how would you say your attitude towards creating music has changed? 
The one thing that’s remained the same throughout all these years is that there is never enough time to actually create music – for me it doesn’t just happen, time needs to really be carved out and dedicated to writing. The more I’ve gotten involved in the music scene, the more I think it sucks! I think as an artist you’re expected to do so much more now, create new music constantly – be a content creator, pay for PR, tour constantly, pay up front for your own records/merch, it’s rough. But I’m very much looking forward to spending a summer in Berlin, swimming in the mornings and writing songs in the afternoons – this feels like a reward to myself after the release of Fall Forward and three months of pretty much constant touring.  

We’re really excited to see your live show at The Shacklewell Arms on 1st June, with your new full band! What can we expect from the show, and what do you like most about performing live? 
I’m so happy to be taking this album to The UK, especially as I’ll be joined with my new live band – I think you’ll agree they are incredible! You can expect a slightly heavier version from the record, but still with these moments of sensitivity and pop throughout. Both my bandmates sing like angels, so thats a pretty fantastic new addition, and there will also be live projections. I really enjoy the moments the songs transform to a live version, moments where structures get stretched; where we are really playing together, giving the songs a new life. No night is the same, and that feels exiting. 

Is there a specific gig you’ve played over the years that stands out as a particular highlight for you? 
Ohhh, thats a hard question! The first one that comes to mind was in March we played in Giessen, a small Germany city. It wasn’t too crowded, maybe forty people, but every single person was really there for it – dancing, cheering – and we had some great after show chats. 

And, when you’re out on tour, are there any particular essentials that you take with you to keep you going? These are my Top three tour tips: I always pack lavender perfume pouches in my luggage so my clothes always smell like lavender, not tour bag. I try and run every second morning, to get some alone time and stretch out after sitting in a van so much. I pack a t-shirt to wear only on the very last day so I return home feeling fresh.

As we’re an organisation with a focus on supporting new and marginalised artists, I just wondered how you feel the industry is for them at the moment? And do you feel much has changed over the years in its treatment of female and queer artists? 
Personally, I feel like we’ve taken a step back. I feel like in the DIY communities and collectives there’s a lot of space for Female* and LGBTQIA* artists, however as soon as there’s money involved, it feels like it’s still very much male dominated. I’m working in a venue and there’s still significantly more men on stage, as well as promoters and concert goers – I find it exhausting. As a queer female musician, however, I do think the interactions I have at gigs have improved – there’s a lot less comments like “Oh wow, you play the drums” than I received ten years ago. That’s some progress!

And are there any other artists that you’re enjoying listening to at the moment that you’d recommend that we check out? 
Two collaboration albums I’ve been loving are The Film by Sumac and Moor Mother and Send a Prayer My Way by Julien Baker & Torres. From Berlin check out Anti-Corpos, Lucy Kruger & The Lost Boys, Plattenbau, 13YC, LawnChair, Matching Outfits, Crowbaby, Okra.

Finally, aside from the very exciting upcoming UK shows, what does the rest of 2025 have in store for you? 
We’re playing a few festivals over the summer, and then I’d like to spend the rest of the year writing new music. After almost three months of touring I’m excited to be home, cook my own food, sleep in my own bed and get some of these song ideas out of head and into reality.

Huge thanks to Eilis for answering our questions! Make sure you check out Fall Forward now, and catch Eilis Frawley live in a town near you this week – we’re excited to have her play at the Shacklewell Arms this Sunday 1st June, along with lo-fi faves all cats are beautiful. Free entry, but RSVP on Dice now to avoid disappointment!

INTERVIEW: Eska

ESKA’s been such an innovative creator for the last decade, having wowed listeners with her incredible eponymous debut album back in 2015, collaborated with legends such as Grace Jones and Baxter Dury and been a key part of a number of exciting projects including a Royal Opera House commission and Meltdown Festival. Now, she’s showcasing her exquisite musical prowess and songwriting ability with the release of her brand new album, The Ordinary Life Of A Magic Woman. Propelled by an uplifting power, it showcases ESKA’s empowering, glistening energy and a captivating majestic splendour as she offers poignant reflections on motherhood, creativity and life as an African-British middle-aged woman.

We were lucky enough to catch up with Eska to find out more about the album, her creative journey and the process of getting to know herself. Have a read, and make sure you check the album out now – it’s out today!

Hi Eska, welcome to Get In Her Ears! Hope you’re doing well today. Are you able to tell us a bit about what initially inspired you to start creating music?
The initial kick would have been my dad’s eclectic vinyl collection, which would have included Oscar Peterson and Duke Ellington, alongside Phil Collins, old Madonna. He’d buy us vinyl as well – he’d ask us what we wanted to listen to, so we’d have the likes of Japan and Kate Bush in our collection. That love for diverse styles of music was echoed by my incredible music teachers in secondary school who also showed us that all kinds of music was for us, whether that was Vivaldi’s ‘Gloria’, Handel’s ‘Messiah’ or Purcell’s ‘Dido’s Lament’. We were given all that alongside Bob Marley. So, that also just made me retain an openness. In terms of instrument, I’ve got a lot to thank the recorder for because that was the instrument that I initially learnt to read music with, so it holds a very special place in my heart!

I love your soulful, gritty genre-defying sounds and the empowering energy that shines through in your songs, but who would you consider to be your main musical influences?
This is always a really difficult question to answer, just because I listen to A LOT of music, and as I evolve, my listening tastes evolve. And it also depends on whatever project I might be doing at the time; whatever I’m writing for, I’ll be listening to music for inspiration. At any given moment in time, it really can change drastically, and I remain open to that. The interesting thing is that, over time, you can educate your ears to get into the groove of music that maybe – years before – you would have never listened to. I find that really interesting – one has to train one’s ears to listen to music. There are some things that we might naturally gravitate to, and there are a host of reasons as to why that is, but I find that I have to – for my work, if I’m to be true to being as creative as I can be – try and keep that childlike openness and curiosity. For this new record specifically, there are probably a host of people that I was listening to at the time, but it was a heck of a lot of different music!

You’ve just released your new album The Ordinary Life Of A Magic Woman, which is super exciting! Are you able to tell me a bit about the writing of the album and the themes running throughout it?
I wanted to bring in my ordinary, everyday life. That woman, the magic woman. The woman who enables me to be Eska the artist. It’s an ode to her. Her triumph against the resistances that she has to work against in order to be an artist; living in South East London, seeing the gentrification of her neighbourhood, the cost of living crisis, all the global narratives that we’re all familiar with. All of those things. Raising a ten year old as a single parent. Yet still having this compulsion to make art, feeling that it’s an important legacy for myself, as well as for my daughter. In making this record, I felt that is was important to acknowledge that; to make these statements about this woman who has lived her life as a first generation African Brit, and the way that she’s lived it. All of these experiences, and this is what she sounds like. I thought that was really interesting. I sound like this because of all of my history – how else would I sound, growing up in South East London, a kid of the ‘80s and ‘90s? To me, this is how a woman with my story, my background, sounds. And I think that’s interesting as an offering to others in terms of personal artistic expression, and how we put all of our history into what we make; all of our identity. To see what comes up when we’re just being honest, being true to ourselves; to see what it sounds like for Eska to be alive today with all of that history and all the things that she’s experienced. All of those influences, from her dad, from school, from friends, from being in bands; what does that woman sound like today? 

You’ve mentioned that, in part, the album reflects on your experience as a mother – how do you find balancing motherhood with a career in music, especially as by day you home educate your daughter?
The key is getting enough sleep! That is really about it. The key is wellbeing. As I get older, I want to ensure that wellbeing becomes a focus because I want to be around to see my daughter grow into a woman. I want to be around to enjoy that phase of my motherhood. So, wellbeing is key to all of it. If mother is well, then Eska is well – it has to be in that order. 

As someone who’s been involved in the industry for over two decades now, how did the writing and recording of this album differ from your previous releases? Did you incorporate any new ideas or processes into the creating of it?
There was a huge focus on the production side of the record, for me developing my own production skills. This album isn’t as acoustic as my debut solo album, so there’s a lot more going on. From a technical point of view, I really challenged myself to sit with the music and get with a load of YouTube tutorials! I just wanted to hone my craft really. I also really wanted to learn to enjoy what Eska enjoys; this is Eska getting to collaborate with Eska. I was able to learn what I enjoy about my voice, learn what I enjoy about sound. Learning myself has been so much fun. That’s not to say that there haven’t been other artistic contributors and co-writers or co-producers, but it has been such a delight to find myself at this juncture thinking, “Hey Eska, you’re a lot of fun to work with!” The realisation that you’re worth investing in; your ideas are worth something. I’m just really enjoying myself and my ideas, honouring myself and my ideas. It’s a really powerful thing! 

You’ve performed live at a number of really special events – including a beautiful evening celebrating Joni Mitchell at The Roundhouse last year, which I was lucky enough to attend! But is there a particular time you’ve performed that stands out as a highlight for you throughout your career?
Well, to me, the most immediate highlight is the London Rough Trade East in-store recently, marking my return to live performance in my home town – that was such a thrill! I was with my new band, and it really felt like such a huge highlight for me. Other highlights include opportunities to collaborate with different emerging artists, and work with ‘normal’ everyday people in the creative process; I got to do this with the lyric piece for the song ‘Human’ on this record, where we had six people contribute movement pieces towards the montage of movers that we put together for the piece. That was an extraordinary moment. I love it when I get to be part of a journey of making. My work is about community and connection, about making artistic social commentary through my work and involving others in the process at a particular level, which can in turn enable them to go on a journey, with me, that might be foreign to them. Work like that, participatory work, always excites me. And that component of my work has been a huge highlight of my career.

How do you feel the industry is for female and queer artists at the moment? And do you feel much has changed over the years?
It’s hard to say, as I’ve had a ten year hiatus from solo work, as a solo artist. So, it will be interesting to see what the industry reception will be like towards an artist like me, to music like this. In this digital age, when there’s been so many changes in terms of the infrastructure. I don’t know, I guess I can be my main case study – hit me up in twelve months, and I can give you an update!

And are there any other artists that you’re enjoying listening to at the moment that you’d recommend that we check out?
I know I’m biased, but go check out Wonder Hackett! She’s my daughter. She’s only ten, but she’s been featured on a couple of records with her dad, Jesse HackettMetal Prayers and Teeth Agency – and there’s something extraordinary about her child voice. Something really other worldly and captivating. Check her out!

Finally, what does the rest of 2025 have in store for you?
The live manifestation of this record! As well as the further development and completion of the writing of my debut opera, Woman And Machine, commissioned by the Royal Opera House. I hope that will be debuting in 2027! 

Huge thanks to Eska for answering our questions!

The Ordinary Life Of A Magic Woman, the new album from Eska, is out today. Listen / buy here. Catch Eska live – details here.

Five Favourites: Roller Derby

Kicking off their UK tour tonight in Manchester at The Peer Hat (there will some tickets left on the door), Hamburg dream-pop duo Roller Derby have been charming our ears with their sparkling heartfelt anthems for some time now, and delivered such a wonderful performance for us at their sold out show at Shacklewell Arms last time they were over in London in 2024. Having recently released their exquisite debut album, When The Night Comes, they’ve showcased their ability to meticulously interweave the luscious celestial vocals of Philine Meyer with glistening multi-layered soundscapes and raw textures to create something truly captivating. 

To celebrate their first proper tour of the UK, Roller Derby have reflected on their five favourite albums by British bands and artists, sharing a few words about how much they love them and the different ways they feel influenced by them. So, have a read of their choices below, make sure you check out their stunning album, and pick up a ticket for their UK gigs now!

Dry Cleaning – New Long Leg
When we heard ‘Scratchcard Lanyard’ by Dry Cleaning on the radio for the first time, we were immediately blown away. We love the band’s sound, especially Florence Shaw’s vocal performance. The music video for the song is also one of the best we’ve ever seen. Their long-awaited debut album New Long Leg was released in 2021, and album track ‘Strong Feelings’ is also a really wonderful and hypnotic song.


The Cure – Disintegration
The Cure and Robert Smith are probably our biggest musical inspiration. The way they blend sadness with joy – melancholy with playfulness – is something that never stops inspiring us. Disintegration feels like one cohesive piece, yet it’s incredibly diverse – something we deeply admire and keep coming back to. ‘Plainsong’ is our favourite album opener of all time – maybe even Manu’s favourite song ever. We were lucky to see The Cure live at their 40th anniversary show in Hyde Park in 2018. It was an incredibly hot day, and pretty much everyone in the crowd was dressed in black – which made the whole thing kind of funny, in the most Cure way possible.

Temples – Sun Structures
Manu discovered Temples’ debut album Sun Structures back in 2014 and listened to it non-stop at the time. Alongside Tame Impala, it had a big influence on his taste in music and really pulled him deeper into psychedelic sounds. He has seen the band live twice in Hamburg, and the record is proudly displayed on our living room wall. Maybe the intro of ‘Shelter Song’ even had a little influence on our own track ‘Always on My Mind’!

Rolling Stones – Flowers
This list should also include what is probably the biggest and best-known band from England. Philine came into contact with the music of the Rolling Stones at a very early age, as a cassette of the album Flowers was always played in the family car on long car journeys. ‘Ruby Tuesday’ remained as a favourite song, but ‘Out Of Time’ and ‘Sitting On A Fence’ are also great songs. The recording of ‘Let’s Spend The Night Together’ is also amazing.

The Last Dinner Party – Prelude to Ecstasy
I don’t think anyone has quite been able to get over the band The Last Dinner Party over the past year. They released such an impressive debut album – it’s really exciting musically and we really like the baroque-pop approach, which is reflected in their whole outward appearance. Philine particularly loves the songs ‘On Your Side’, ‘The Feminine Urge’ and of course ‘Nothing Matters’.

Huge thanks to Philine and Manu for sharing their Five Favourites with us! Make sure you check out the full When The Night Comes album and then nab a ticket to their special London headline show at The Lexington this Friday, 9th May!
Get a taste of what to expect in this gorgeous video for recent single ‘In Spring’:



Introducing Interview: Rosina Buck

Having performed at festivals such as Glastonbury and Shamabala, innovative artist Rosina Buck‘s captivating ethereal soundscapes reflect on her own life’s journey, including her experiences of drug and alcohol addiction; intricately layering a folk-strewn musicality with a raw emotion and majestic splendour. With latest single ‘WITCH’ she channels a mystical feminine energy alongside lilting, sparkling melodies, creating something truly empowering and immersive.

We caught up with Rosina to find out more about her journey as an artist, the writing and recording of ‘WITCH’ and her experiences as a bisexual, neurodivergent woman in the music industry today. Have a read, and make sure you watch the beautiful video for ‘WITCH‘ at the end of this article.

Hi Rosina, welcome to Get In Her Ears! How are you doing today?

Thank you so much for having me! I’m feeling a little sleepy and at ease in my heart, I’ll be honest – I’m also experiencing a bit of ADHD / autistic burnout from the release. It’s such a whirlwind of energy and emotions, and I’ve been constantly reminding myself to slow down, rest, and lean back into the tiredness and post-release swirl without resistance.Rest hasn’t always come naturally to me, but I’ve been on a real journey with slowing down and honouring my need for it. Lately, I’ve been finding so much nourishment and peace in my little city garden – tending to the soil and just letting myself be. It’s the best medicine. Often, I’ll make a little bed out there, close my eyes, and just sink into my breath – it’s such a simple but powerful practice and the perfect way to catch myself when I’m experiencing overwhelm. 

It seems like you’ve been involved with music for a long while now, but would you be able to tell us a bit about what initially inspired you to start creating and become a musician? 

Creativity has always felt essential to my soul’s survival. I’ve always been motivated by my lived experiences of grief, hope, love, despair, beauty, by the entire messy spectrum of what it is to be human. Music and poetry have always been my way of processing, of making sense of the world when nothing else could. I guess you could say that there was always an urgent pull for me to express myself through art that I didn’t really have any control over. As a child, I was completely immersed in words and sound – writing poetry, filling notebooks with lyrics, creating radio shows on cassette tapes, choreographing dances, putting on plays, and weaving elaborate make-believe stories into everything I did. My imagination was always wild, always switched on, constantly pulling me toward creating something. I have always been in touch with worlds beyond this one, I receive a lot of information from dreams. 

Life hasn’t always been easy, and there were times I lost touch with that creativity. There were periods when my world felt too heavy, when my music and poetry was buried under addiction, survival, and heartbreak. A friend recently said to me, “It’s like being played by the strings of existence”, and I really felt that. The most pivotal moment in my journey as a musician was when I finally picked up a guitar at 28. After breaking free from an abusive relationship, I bought a guitar and spent every single day teaching myself basic chords. Almost instantly, songs started pouring out of me – I couldn’t stop. It felt like suddenly the floodgates opened and all this creative energy began to flow again… I was alive. With time, I built up the courage to start performing live. Then, in 2014, I made the leap – I quit my job as a teaching assistant to fully pursue my dream of being a songwriter. At 30, I began studying for a degree in songwriting at BIMM Bristol, determined to give my music the space it deserved.

Creativity has always been my refuge, but also my fire. It’s held me in my most fragile moments and given me the strength to keep going when I thought I had none left. Every time I write, it feels like I’m answering that same call – the call to share, to heal, to pour out love, to express who I am, and to weave the threads of collective healing that come with it.

And are there any artists or musicians that particularly influence you?

Musically, I was raised on Queen and The Carpenters – their harmonies and storytelling left a deep imprint on me. The first cassette tape I ever owned was The Bangles, and as a child, I was completely obsessed with them. I went to a tiny primary school where there were only 6 other children in my class, and I would spend hours making up dance routines and performing them in school assemblies. Then The Spice Girls came along, and I was immediately all in – not just in a casual way, but in a full, all-consuming, deep-dive kind of way. When they burst onto Top of the Pops one Friday night, I can still remember the feeling: “I think I’ve been waiting my entire life for this“. It was everything I had been craving – girl power, big personalities, the unapologetic energy of it all. They weren’t just a band; they were a movement, and I felt that so deeply in all my soul. They made me believe in the power of being bold, taking up space, and celebrating who you are. Alongside them, artists like Erykah Badu, Jill Scott, Alanis Morissette, No Doubt, Tracy Chapman and a whole lot of ‘90s R&B played a huge role in shaping my younger years. Then, when I hit 16, my world became all about Drum & Bass and Jungle. That music was everything and it took me on a deep journey of self-discovery. We’d go to mad free parties in the woods, dancing all night and staying up all weekend, completely lost in the energy of it all. If I had to name one of the most influential albums of my life, it would have to be the soundtrack from Baz Luhrmann’s Romeo and Juliet. That album felt like a world within itself – so cinematic, so emotional. It hit me in a way that still lingers and I still blame Leonardo DiCaprio for me starting smoking (though I’ve been smoke-free for five years now!). Then there’s Amy Winehouse. Her music got me through so many heartbreaks, she’s one of those artists where it felt like she was speaking directly to me. The rawness, the pain, the truth in her voice – she didn’t just sing songs; she bled them. She made heartbreak feel poetic, and there was something so real and unfiltered about her that I’ll always hold close.

Some of the artists who deeply inspire me aren’t necessarily the ones I listen to every day, but it’s their authenticity, creativity, and energy that move me the most. Björk, Madonna, Lady Gaga, Sinead O’Connor – they are all fearless women in their artistry, constantly reinventing themselves while staying true to who they are. More recently, I’ve been drawn to Amyl and The Sniffers and Doechii – the sheer force of energy, that unapologetic presence, it’s electrifying. What I love about these artists is their ability to take up space so fully, to express themselves without hesitation. It’s not just about the music – it’s about the way they embody their art, the way they channel something real and unfiltered. That kind of creative freedom is what inspires me the most.

You’ve just released your new single ‘WITCH’ – I love its lilting folk musicality and ethereal splendour! Are you able to explain a bit about the meaning and themes running throughout the song?

Thank you! ‘WITCH’ is a song that came from a really deep place when I was moving through a lot of my own pattern disruptions and conditioning. At its heart, it’s about reclaiming power – particularly the power that has been feared, shamed, and silenced for centuries. The word ‘witch’ itself is loaded with history; it wasn’t just about women practicing herbal medicine or following the cycles of nature, it became a way to demonise and punish those who existed outside the control of patriarchal systems. Women who were independent, who didn’t conform, who loved freely, who trusted their intuition, who trusted nature and the wildness of existence – they were seen as dangerous. And that threat had to be erased. For me, ‘WITCH’ is about taking that power back. It’s about the ways women, and the way they love, have been disregarded, punished, and controlled and how much has been lost because of that. The idea that love should be soft, self-sacrificing, and endlessly giving, that women should take up less space, quiet their instincts, and ignore their hunger – that conditioning runs deep. But the truth is, love is wild. Love is powerful. Love burns things down when needed. And for so long, that kind of love, the untamed, unapologetic, fully embodied love, has been feared.

Musically, I knew I wanted ‘WITCH’ to feel hypnotic, like a spell – something that lingers in your bones, but I never intended it to sound like a lilting folk track. I love that the song weaves in the elements and is rooted in something ancient, like a story passed down through generations, while the ethereal layers create this dreamlike, otherworldly atmosphere. It’s a song of remembrance, rebellion, and return. This song is for anyone who has ever been told they were ‘too much’ – too emotional, too wild, too powerful. It’s a call to step into that power fully, to own every part of who we are, and to refuse to be silenced any longer. 

It sounds like the songwriting and recording process were quite unconventional! Can you tell us a bit about this and what techniques you used to create the track’s unique sound? 

Yes! The creation of ‘WITCH’ was deeply unconventional and truly an organic process that unfolded over time. The song was born out of a transformative period in my life, where I was working with an incredible womb healer, Rhia Pratsis, who also plays violin on the track. Rhia guided me toward the teachings of poet, healer, and teacher Maya Luna, and I began immersing myself in her online journeys like Sacred Rage and Holy Fire. Around the same time, I was reading WITCH by Lisa Lister, and all of these influences began to weave themselves into the spirit of the song. The song emerged naturally and at the speed of light! Almost as if it had been waiting for me to listen. I didn’t set out to write a song about this theme, it just unfolded. I wrote it sitting on the floor, in a very ceremonial way – incense burning, cushions around me, candles lit. It was just me and my guitar. Looking back, that feels so fitting for the essence of the song. It carried a sense of ritual and reverence from the very beginning. When the line, “Oh, they could’ve learnt love from her,” came to me, and I knew something powerful was happening underneath my creative process. It felt like the song was revealing itself to me rather than me writing it. During the summer of last year, I went deeper into this process while doing Maya Luna’s Inner Oracle course. It was at this time that the song and the video truly began to take shape, almost in a shamanic way. Everything felt raw, sacred, and intuitive – something much bigger than just me and even as I was going through some really uncomfortable months with my mental and physical health, this song and its spirit was determined to be in the world. 

The recording process was also incredibly unconventional and felt like such a wild unfurling. Produced by the phenomenal Annie Gardiner, we set out to create a sound that went beyond the sterile confines of a studio. We embraced real-world sounds and environments, weaving them together with analogue and digital textures. It wasn’t just about creating music – it was about creating an experience, a world that felt tangible and alive.

The essence of ‘WITCH’ was birthed in my kitchen, where we created a cauldron of magic on a four-track cassette player. From there, we moved between spaces, from an old quarry at Troopers Hill to recording a choir in St. Anne’s Church, and back to the kitchen. Each place brought its own unique resonance, adding depth and texture to the sound. Annie calls it a “deliberate patchwork,” and it became clear that this was a perfect mirror to the song’s story and the many layers of the witch archetype. It’s a song about timeless love, unbreakable strength, and the spirit that transcends time and space, I’m still in awe that Annie captured this in the recording. The final mix includes everything from ASMR elements to raw recordings from Zoom, phone, and cassette, making the track feel more than just something you hear – it’s something you feel. Annie says, “Once I’d cracked the mix, it created such an unusual world.” Through this intricate layering, storytelling lyrics, and choosing to record in these nuanced spaces, the track doesn’t just play – it breathes, like an ancient story that’s been brought back to life. 

The song also has this deep connection to England. So many ‘medicine songs’ borrow from other cultures, but we wanted to create something authentic to our own land and roots. The winds, the woods, the ancient stories – they all weave through and influence the sound and the spirit of the track. We wanted the song to feel connected to the land, to the soil, to the cycles of nature that are present in our natural environment, honouring that and making it our own was important to us. 

You’ve described the track as not only a song, but as ‘a spirit, a ritual’ – what do you mean by this?

When I refer to ‘WITCH’ as “a spirit, a ritual”, it’s because I believe art itself is a deeply sacred process. In today’s world, especially in Western culture, we’ve lost touch with the idea of sacredness and ritual in our everyday lives. We live in a culture that often separates the spiritual from the mundane, but I see everything I create as sacred. Art, to me, is not just about the final product; it’s about the process of becoming, of transforming, and of tapping into something larger than yourself. Art is a ritual. My body is the altar, my voice is the song, and the creative process is the prayer. Every step of the journey, from the first note to the final mix, holds meaning for me. I feel like in creating ‘WITCH’, I wasn’t just writing a song – I was engaging in a spiritual act, one that connects me to something ancient, raw, and in this case deeply feminine. This is where the idea of ritual comes in. It’s about the energy, the intention, and the sacredness of the act itself, not just the end result.

In many ways, I think we’ve lost this connection to the sacred in our daily lives. We’ve become disconnected from the rituals and practices that once helped us tune into something greater than ourselves. But when I create, whether it’s music, poetry, or anything else, I try to bring that sense of sacredness back. I’m not just making something for the sake of making, it’s a way of reconnecting to my soul and my heart to the earth, to the aliveness that flows through us all. So, when I say that ‘WITCH’ is a spirit and a ritual, I’m speaking to the essence of the creative process itself as well as the ritual of receiving and listening to the song. When I tap into the sacred act of creating, of connecting, and of transforming both myself and the world around me something profound can happen.

Oh my goodness! The spirit of this song literally took me, and everyone involved on a journey. It wasn’t just something we were creating – it felt as though the song itself had a force, an energy that pulled us into an entirely different realm. As we worked on it, we were completely swallowed up by this otherworldly space where the boundaries between the music, the process, and ourselves began to dissolve. It was like we were all taken to a place where illusions were shattered, and the identities we had clung to were stripped away. In many ways, the song guided us, rather than us controlling it. It became a living being that transcended the individual and connected all of us. There was this sense of collective surrender to something bigger than any of us, and it was both humbling and empowering. We were all in this together, swept up in the ritual, letting go of the need for control and trusting in the unfolding process.

Creating ‘WITCH’ wasn’t just a collaboration – it was a spiritual journey. Every person who worked on it, from the musicians to the women in the video, felt that. It was as if we were all being called into this sacred space, stripped of the superficial layers, and drawn into a deeper understanding of ourselves and the power of the feminine energy we were channelling. That’s how powerful this song became – like an ancient force that reshapes everything it touches! 

The single’s accompanied by a beautiful video, are you able to tell us a bit about it and how this was made? 

The video for ‘WITCH’ is more than just a visual accompaniment to the song, it’s an extension of the song’s spirit, a spell. It’s a celebration of feminine power, woven with truth, reverence, and mystery of the natural world. This video is for all women, all bodies, all ages, all stories – standing in their fullness, stripped of expectation, moving as one with the earth beneath them. In a world where content is consumed so quickly, where thirty second reels have taken place of living breathing pieces of art, I wanted to create something that could endure beyond fleeting moments. Something tangible, something that could be felt in the bones, that could hold space for deeper meaning and exist forever. I have always loved visual art, and I knew that ‘WITCH’ needed to be something that wasn’t disposable, something that could cross borders, a piece that would live and breathe. The idea was never to create something just for the algorithm, but to allow it to stand on its own, to echo far and wide.

The film is set against the raw beauty of nature in my hometown of Bristol, invoking a dreamscape where time folds in on itself, where past, present, and future merge into one. You can see this strength in the faces, the hands, the movement of the women and girls in the video. Their presence speaks volumes, and I still cry every time I watch it! There is so much power in their softness, their strength, their vulnerability. This is a power that doesn’t seek to conquer, but to remember. It’s about shattering the veils of patriarchal conditioning and stepping into something wilder, truer, and unapologetically celebrated.

I collaborated with Amie Nowlan, also known as Cut Film, on the video for ‘WITCH’, and from the start, we knew we wanted something raw – something that spoke of resilience, connection, and reverence for nature. Amie’s unique style brought the vision to life in such an evocative way. She was inspired by archival footage of Vietnamese female soldiers standing strong during the war, capturing that quiet, unshakable power. Drawing from Michael’s footage, Amie wove that energy into the visual language of ‘WITCH’, creating something truly potent. Michael Sides, who I’ve known for a long time, played a huge role in creating an environment where everyone felt comfortable and confident in front of the camera, especially since many of the women and girls involved weren’t experienced with acting or filming. He made sure it didn’t feel stressful or rushed, which was key to capturing the authenticity and warmth of the moments. Michael’s use of vintage Russian KMZ lenses and his careful attention to lighting and focus gave the video its dreamlike, ethereal quality. The collaboration between Michael, Amie, and everyone involved really brought the spirit of ‘WITCH’ to life, creating something that feels both beautiful and timeless.

The visual language of the video pulls heavily from the natural world. We used time-lapse archive footage of mushrooms unfurling, pea tendrils dancing, and roots creeping – these living elements pulse with the same rhythm as the song. It mirrors the organic nature of the music and the raw, interconnected energy of the video’s contributors. The plants, the earth, the very landscape of the land itself, is alive in the video, just as it is in the song. The twisting, reaching, and expanding of these natural forms reflect the unseen forces at play in the track: the magic of growth, the quiet persistence of life, and the unstoppable emergence of power. Every frame is alive: wind catching in loose hair, skin pressing into tree bark, firelit eyes brimming with knowing. The video feels like a return to the source, a deep reverence for the wisdom carried in our bones, blood, and connection to the earth. It’s a moment of gathering, of becoming.

One of the most special things about the video is that my mum is in it – something I hold very dear. It’s a beautiful full-circle moment, having her involved in this project. Along with my mum, some of my son’s teenage friends also joined in, adding even more layers of personal significance. And, of course, my dearest friends were there too, all coming together to embody the essence of the song. This sense of connection and community is woven into every frame.

You’ve previously played at festivals such as Glastonbury and Shambala – that must have been really exciting! What do you like most about the experience of performing live? 

Performing live is honestly the only place in the world where I feel completely, undeniably myself. It’s where I feel most connected, to my heart, to the spirits around me, to god, to something far beyond words. In that moment, nothing else matters. All my worries seem to dissipate, as if they never existed. The weight I carry, the overthinking, the overstimulation – it all dissolves into the music and the stories and my expression. I feel my heart open. It’s funny because I’m such an introvert. I don’t like being in big crowds, and as an autistic person, I get overstimulated so easily. The noise, the chaos, the small talk – it can all be too much for me. But when I’m on stage, I feel free. It’s the one place where I’m in my truest essence, stripped of everything that binds me in day-to-day life. It’s my happy place.

And it’s not just about me, it’s the energy of the audience too. When I see them feeling the music, when it moves them, it moves me. It’s like an unspoken language, a sacred exchange. We become one and it’s so beautiful and can feel deeply spiritual. The moment I start playing, it’s as if time bends, and we’re all just there, in the purest state of being. I miss it so much. I haven’t been performing live that much since I went to rehab and then lockdown happened, and it aches in me. I love it, all of it. The energy, the movement, the surrender, the connection. I crave it deeply. 

I’m not going to lie, having to talk to people afterward and connect after I’ve played can feel incredibly uncomfortable! But in that moment, when I’m lost on the stage, I am exactly where I’m meant to be. I do believe it’s my gift to the world. It’s how I can give back something, how I can share all that I am with others in the hope that they meet parts of themselves there too. The stage is where I feel like I belong. Standing there, nervous and scared, it’s also the only place that feels right, the only place where everything aligns. It’s where I feel most alive.

And has there been a particular performance that stands out as a highlight for you over the years? 

One performance that stands out as a highlight for me was my first time playing sober, at my friend Tom Fortes Mayer’s sober festival in Essex. It was such a wild experience, and it completely broke my heart open in ways I never knew were possible. It’s crazy because I had never performed sober before, and that experience changed my life. I remember I kept asking Tom what time I could play and the moment the heavens opened and torrential rain began to fall, Tom smiled and said, “You can play now if you would like to?” The space smelled like a farmyard, with the remnants of a feast, ten different cheeses, still laid out, and the smell of straw bales lingering in the air. I already felt completely broken open from the past forty eight hours; I had been surrounded by friendship and love, by other human beings fearlessly and joyfully sharing their souls in celebration. It felt so big. So, there I was, sitting in front of the most beautiful, warm, welcoming faces. My hair was soaking wet, mascara down my face, and the aroma of my unwashed armpits made me smile… We must have danced like wild things the night before!

I played my songs with my heart on my sleeve. I shared stories of love, and the tears started rolling down my cheeks like the rain falling from the sky moments before. It was as if I had arrived. No hiding, no pretences, and nowhere else I’d rather be. I had no agenda or expectation of what was going to happen. Then, as each moment unfolded, I felt pure medicine in the air. Everybody was crying, we cried and laughed together, our hearts overflowing into one deep ocean of togetherness, and I was shining from the inside out. It really was the most profound live performance I’ve ever had, and it’s also where I met Mike, who is now producing my album. He loved that moment so much that he knew he wanted to work with me.

Generally, when you’re out on tour, or playing shows, are there any particular essentials that you like to take with you to keep you going?

I haven’t been on tour since getting sober, so I can only tell you what I think I would take with me now… Before, things would’ve looked a little different! I’d bring a whole little sanctuary with me. I’d have plenty of snacks and fruit, mineral water, redbush tea, proper coffee, my moka pot, and dark chocolate with orange to keep me going. I have an alter at home in my bedroom, so I’d make sure I had all the little touches of beauty I need to create a traveling alter – my crystals, incense, of course, but I’d also love to pick up little treasures along the way to add to my altar. I’m all about the details. Each stop would be an opportunity to gather something special, perhaps a stone, a feather, or a piece of bark to keep that connection alive. I’d bring my tarot cards and my big teddy to bring me comfort and remind me of home. I’d also have my notebook, pencil case, poetry books, and a bag full of all my favourite toiletries – even though I often forget to shower for days I really do enjoy toiletries! I’d also bring my Minirig and my ear pods for long journeys and meditation, and plenty of comfortable clothes, big socks, hot water bottle, and soft blankets for maximum comfort. My laptop is essential as I do most of my poetry writing on there, as is the chance to watch movies and TV when I’m burned out. Oh, I’d also bring my yoga mat and my swimming costume, as any chance I can get to swim in the sea I’ll be jumping in! 

As we’re an organisation with a focus on supporting new and marginalised artists, I just wondered how you feel the industry is for them at the moment? And do you feel much has changed over the years in its treatment of female and queer artists?

This is definitely a complex and layered question, and I’ll approach it from my own perspective as a bisexual woman in recovery from addiction, living with a low income; perimenopausal, and neurodivergent. Ha ha! 

The modern music industry has always been a challenging space for marginalised artists, and while there has been progress, it’s been slow and far from enough. When it comes to female and queer artists, things have shifted in some ways, but I wouldn’t call it a radical transformation yet. There are certainly more conversations about inclusivity, diversity, and representation – but many times, these conversations feel more performative than substantive. The structures of power, the biases, and the gatekeeping remain firmly in place, and they often leave marginalised voices to fight for space at the table. For me, it’s been about carving out a space where my art feels safe to breathe, where I can stand in my truth unapologetically. But the industry tends to try and place women and queer artists into neat little boxes, diminishing the complexity of our voices and pigeonholing us into roles that limit our creative freedom. The truth is, the industry still favours a very narrow, commercialised vision of femininity and queerness. There’s a pressure to conform to certain expectations about what we should look like, how we should sound, and what stories we should be allowed to tell. This is incredibly frustrating, but it also fuels me to push back and continue creating art that feels true to who I am and what I believe in.

I think what has changed is that more and more artists are refusing to fit into those boxes, and we’re seeing an explosion of raw, authentic work that isn’t afraid to dive deep into lived experiences and collective conditioning – art that reflects the messy, complex realities of our identities. It’s about reclaiming our power and owning our narrative. The beauty of art in this moment is that it’s not about fitting in – it’s about standing out, speaking to the truth of who we are, and creating with authenticity. We’re seeing more women and queer artists creating work that pushes boundaries, and that’s inspiring. These artists aren’t shrinking; they’re expanding, they’re creating space where there was none, and they’re showing the industry that we exist in all our messy, beautiful complexity. As a culture, we really need artists who speak the truth, and we must invest in marginalised artists, as their voices are courageous enough to push necessary boundaries to disrupt the system – go to their live gigs, support them online, and buy their work!

Has the treatment of female and queer artists changed? Yes, in some ways, but we still have a long way to go. The dance is far from over, and the need for inclusive, open spaces has never been more urgent and also more available. There’s still a lot of work to do to dismantle the outdated systems that continue to shape the industry and ensure that artists of all backgrounds can thrive without being stifled by narrow standards. I believe that as artists, we firstly have to get out of our own way. We have to be willing to be “cringe”, to embrace the raw, vulnerable parts of ourselves that feel uncomfortable. To be authentic and true, we must stop worrying about being popular or validated by a fake world that thrives on surface-level approval. The real magic happens when we trust the current flowing through us and allow it to move us without trying to control it. It’s about surrendering, letting go, and getting out of the way so the art can come through in its purest, most powerful form. That’s the antidote. 

But I think what’s also true is that the rise of these unfiltered voices, the artists who are unapologetically standing in their power and creating beyond the limits placed on them – is exactly what the industry and the world needs. Artists have always been the one’s showing the world that the way forward is through bold authenticity, rejecting the conventional, and embracing the beauty of creative freedom. And that’s the kind of world I want to be part of: one where all voices, especially those that have been marginalised, are heard and celebrated.

And are there any other exciting new artists that you’d recommend we check out?

One million percent, most definitely check out Annie Gardiner, who produced ‘WITCH’ – she’s got so much incredible music out and new albums coming up, and she’s an absolute powerhouse of talent! Also, my dear friend Shannon Major, who’s just started recording her music, is one to watch – her voice and message are deeply healing, and I can’t wait for the world to hear more from her. And of course, I must mention Katey Brooks, she’s a phenomenal queer songwriter, and we’re planning to record together soon, which is beyond exciting! I also had the privilege of seeing Bristol artist Cestra perform at a Gaza fundraiser I did a few weeks ago, and she absolutely blew my mind! Her energy, presence, and music are something else! Another artist I adore is Aisha Vaughan, her electronic nature soundscapes are like a blanket wrapping around your heart. She creates these incredibly immersive, soothing pieces that feel deeply nurturing and emotional. 

Is there anything else you’d like to add about upcoming plans or particular thoughts you’d like to mention? 

I think for the first time in a long time, the future really feels like it holds so much magic for me, and I’m alive with excitement! I’m in the thick of writing my first poetry pamphlet, which is incredibly close to my heart. It’s a raw, honest exploration of my journey, touching on themes of self-love, relationships, recovery, magic, and spirituality. This project feels like such a beautiful invitation to share my story, to be vulnerable, and to create something that speaks to the messy, beautiful, and deeply human parts of life. On top of that, I am over the moon to be releasing my full studio album! After so much work, it’s finally coming to life. Mike Trin, my incredible friend, producer, and musical director, and I have crafted a twelve track album that reflects everything I’ve experienced and learned this past decade. It’s been such a wild journey – an exploration of the energy that flows through me and the world around me. There’s a raw beauty and playfulness that I absolutely adore, with moments that feel light, mischievous, and full of joy, but also a depth of heartbreak and tenderness that comes from the hard-earned wisdom of navigating life’s ups and downs. The energy is wild and free, yet deeply grounded and rooted in truth. It’s a celebration of everything that makes us human – the struggle, the joy, the liberation, and the vulnerability of being a big human mess! The album follows the release of ‘WITCH’ later this year, and it feels like the perfect next step. It’s truly a piece of my soul, and I can’t wait to share it with the world.

And then, there’s the next chapter as I’m planning a transformative trip to South Africa to work with my creative mentor, Yana Fay Dzedze. I have this incredible vision of turning my songs and poems into a theatre show, and I’m so excited to see where that takes me. After that, my dream is to tour the world, bringing my music and poetry to as many places as I can. There’s so much ahead, and I feel like I’m just scratching the surface of what’s possible. The future is alive with possibility, and I’m ready to step into it with an open heart. Trembling and alive!

Huge thanks to Rosina for such in-depth answers to our questions! Watch the beautiful new video for ‘WITCH’ here:


Mari Lane
@marimindles