Amaroun released her debut single ‘Bed Bugs’ this month, a beautiful shimmering song, that dissolves into a total husky delight.
We caught up with Amaroun to talk about her roots, 2018 and her upcoming gig supporting Benedict Benjamin where she will deliver “genre-mashing alternative pop songs, true love stories and a little swearing”. Can’t wait.
Welcome to Get In Her Ears! Can you tell us a bit about Amaroun and how it all started?
The name Amaroun comes from my ancestors – escaped slaves who became ‘maroons’ in the Caribbean. The name relates to my roots and on a deeper level it also relates to myself. I came out last year and escaped to Paris, where all the songs we’re playing and recording now flooded out of me. Amaroun songs are a mix of all that: my emotions, echoes from my past and ideas of the reflective future. That’s the heart of Amaroun.
You’ve been described by Chris Hawkins (BBC 6 Music) as “A new artist with a bright future – one of my Ones To Watch for 2018”. It must be great to receive this sort of support from the music community?
Oh yes definitely! It feels so good to get some positive feedback for my music. It feels good to see the music growing.
We’re loving the new single ‘Bed Bugs’ at Get In Her Ears HQ, which we’ve played on the radio show. Can you tell us a bit about the song and what inspired it?
Thanks so much for playing it! ‘Bed Bugs’ was written at a time in my life when I was learning a lot about myself. I was heartbroken, introverted and confused. Definitely in a transitional period. I was writing song after song trying to release this feeling. ‘Bed Bugs’ are the digital noise in your head. The doubt and the dirt. But it’s a song for lifting and inspiring.
Your music has been likened to Erykah Badu, PJ Harvey and Feist, all amazing female artists. Who would you say influences you musically?
All three of those artists have definitely had an influence on the subconscious choices I make when I’m creating music. I grew up on a big mix of genres. People like Eels, Damon Albarn, Serge Gainsbourg, Stromae, Julian Casablancas, Bjork, Bob Dylan, Bob Marley and many others. They’re all artists I admire and it’s a great feeling to be compared to some of them. I take it as a massive compliment.
How are you finding being a solo female artist in the male dominated music industry?
I stay strong and proud as a woman in every aspect of my life, whether I’m in music mode or not. I try to only give out love and respect, and to call people out on it if I don’t get the same back in return.
So you’re playing at the Sebright Arms on the 29th November, what can people expect from your live shows?
Genre-mashing alternative pop songs, true love stories and a little swearing.
What’s 2018 got in store for Amaroun?
I’ve got two more singles to come on LGM Records. The next one is called ‘Made A Fire’ and is a narrative sequel to ‘Bed Bugs’. I’m also working with some incredible artists on a top secret recording project, and am about to announce my first ever London headline show. That’ll be in March and I can’t wait!
Finally as we’re a new music focused site, are there any other new/upcoming bands or artists you’d suggest we check out?
Sure! Francobollo, Nervous Conditions, Charles Watson, Oh Sister, Athlete Whipet, Jo Goes Hunting.
Huge thanks to Amaroun for answering our questions!
The debut single ‘Bed Bugs’ is out now via LGM Records and you can catch Amaroun live at The Sebright Arms on the 29th November.
Tash Walker
@maudeandtrevor
Photo credit: Anna Michell
Video Premiere: Hero Fisher – ‘I Let Love’
Born in Britain and raised in France, London-based artist Hero Fisher is indeed heroic in more ways than one; having previously collaborated with Alison Mosshart and Boy George, opened for The Rolling Stones and Neil Young at Hyde Park, been shortlisted for the 2014 Glastonbury Emerging Talent Prize, and received acclaim from the likes of Blur’s Dave Rowntree, it seems there is no limit to what she is capable of achieving. Following her debut album back in 2015, she is now set to release her sophomore album Glue Moon.
Taken from the album is new single ‘I Let Love’. An impassioned slice or raw alt-rock, it’s filled with Fisher’s soulful vocals alongside twinkling melodies and an alluring gritty edge. Oozing a subtle power and a sweeping emotive splendour in the vein of the likes of Alison Mosshart or Beth Orton, it showcases all that there is to love about this promising artist, and is proof of why Fisher should be everyone’s new musical hero.
Watch the quirky new video for ‘I Let Love’ here, for the the first time:
Mari Lane
@marimindles
WATCH: Gaptooth (feat. Sisters Uncut) – ‘They Cut We Bleed’
Following last year’s Pillow Fort EP and an Everett True endorsed debut back in 2013, East London artist Gaptooth (aka Hannah Lucy) is now back with the second single to be taken from her upcoming second album.
A tribute to Feminist direct action group Sisters Uncut – a charity who protest the life-threatening cuts to services for domestic violence – ‘They Cut We Bleed’ rages against the government with a frenzied, impassioned energy and empowering force. With shades of the likes of Le Tigre or MEN, it oozes whirring beats, glitchy electronic melodies and colourful uplifting vibes; the perfect call to arms that we need now more than ever. As Gaptooth says: “All these sexist, racist cuts, we don’t need ’em”. Enough said.
Of the track, Hannah explains:
“In the UK, two women a week are killed by a partner or ex-partner, but the government is cutting funding for refuges, legal aid, social housing – all services that survivors rely on… Across the country, the first services to shut down have been those set up for women of colour and LGTBQ+ survivors, while many migrant survivors are denied the right to access refuges at all. This is a matter of life or death. Theresa May has made a show of being tough on domestic violence, but is taking away lifelines for people trying to escape it.”
Filled with powerful footage of Sisters Uncut in action at protests, the new video for ‘They Cut We Bleed’ premiered on Loud Women and is now available to watch here:
Buy ‘They Cut We Bleed’ from Gaptooth’s Bandcamp page now, and all proceeds will go to Sisters Uncut.
Mari Lane
@marimindles
Introducing Interview: Melissa Bel
With four recorded albums and numerous performances around the globe – including a BBC Introducing session – already under her belt, Toronto-born artist Melissa Bel has now shared her utterly infectious and gloriously uplifting new single, ‘Big Boys Don’t Cry’.
We caught up with Melissa to find out more…
Hi Melissa Bel, welcome to Get In Her Ears! Can you tell us a bit about yourself?
Hello! I’m a singer/songwriter originally from Toronto, but have been living in Devon since February 2016. I’ve been pursuing a music career for about ten years now and have released four albums over that time. My latest record, In the Light, was released in Nov. 2016.
How did you start creating music?
I started singing almost as soon as I could talk, and then I wrote my first song (which was actually more of a rap called ‘Believe In Yourself’…) when I was eight after seeing a TV show about songwriting. I basically wrote a bunch of words on pieces of paper, put them on the floor and rearranged them until I was happy with my lyrics. I started learning guitar when I was fourteen because I wanted to write more songs and be able to play along. My Dad is a bass player so I’d asked him to teach me the bass, but he suggested I learn guitar so that I could better accompany myself.
Your new video for ‘Big Boys Don’t Cry’ is out now – can you tell us what it’s all about?
‘Big Boys Don’t Cry’ is a break-up song with a sense of humour. It’s about the kind of break-up that sucks at the time, but you know is for the best. I wanted the video to have a light-hearted, upbeat vibe like the song, which is why we gave the ex-boyfriend character a very small role and focused on themes of positivity and self-confidence. We filmed it on a teeny tiny budget right in Exeter, and almost everyone you see in the video is one of my friends and/or bandmates!
You’ve been compared to the likes of Meghan Trainor and Taylor Swift, but who would you say are your main musical influences?
My influences range from The Beatles to John Mayer, to Joss Stone to Patsy Cline, and I think that’s why my music has never been one specific genre that’s easy to classify. I love pop and soul, which is the main direction we had in mind when making In the Light, but you still get bits of blues, like in the song ‘Sobered Up’, and a real singer/songwriter vibe in the the title track.
How is your local music scene? Do you go to see lots of live music?
Exeter is relatively small but has lots of gigs to offer, and like most music scenes it’s very close-knit and most of the musicians know each other. There really is a ton of talent here and I love the fact that I’ve met so many people who are making amazing, original music. It’s been very welcoming to me coming in as an outsider, and a great place to get my start in the UK. I probably don’t go see as much live music as I should (despite being a musician, I’m not much of a night owl), but I go to my friends’ gigs whenever I can.
And what can fans expect from your live shows?
I usually perform solo, so depending on the gig you’ll get just me and my guitar playing acoustic versions of my originals, covers, or a mix of both. Solo gigs are where my singer/songwriter side really comes out. I love shows where I get to tell the audience the stories behind the songs because I feel like sometimes you can connect as well in those moments as you can while singing. When I’m lucky, I get to play with a full band, which means a more upbeat show in general, and we can play the songs like they sound on the album.
As we’re a new music focused site, are there any new/upcoming bands or artists you’d recommend we check out?
Yes! Check out Brooke Palsson and Mike Todd – both Toronto-based – and Clara Bond who is also based here in Devon. All incredible singer/songwriters.
And how do you feel the music industry is for new artists at the moment – would you say it’s difficult to get noticed?
In my experience it has definitely been difficult to get noticed on a large scale. I think independent artists have a lot of useful resources at their disposal these days, but social media is a bit of a double-edged sword. It’s great because there is the potential to be seen and heard by tons of people, but there’s also so much content out there that’s it’s really hard to cut through the noise.
Finally, what does the rest of 2017 have in store for Melissa Bel?
The rest of the year will be spent playing live as well as getting the ball rolling for a small UK tour in early 2018. And I’m going back to Toronto for two sweet weeks off over Christmas! But I’ll be back in England for New Years Eve to perform at Lime Wood Hotel in Lyndhurst.
Huge thanks to Melissa for answering our questions!
Get In Her Ears 