After originally breaking through with her mesmerising cover of the classic 'Wicked Game' earlier this year, emerging artist Beth Roars now returns to deliver her first piece of original material, the sweeping new single 'Power Of The Wolf'.
Lifted from her forthcoming debut album 'Fable', which is set to land soon, 'Power Of The Wolf' makes for a vibrant and impactful introduction to her sound. With its bold and euphoric production perfectly reflecting her shimmering vocals throughout, we already can't wait to hear what this new full-length has in store for us as well.
So with the new single available to stream now, we sat down with her to find out more about her origins and what has been inspiring her lately.
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What was the first instrument you fell in love with?
I’m primarily a vocalist, I learned saxophone when I was young, however, I always wanted to learn the cello but my school didn’t have the facilities. When I was older, I found that the cello is the closest instrument to the human voice in range and tone, so that definitely makes sense! I’ve filled my new album (Fable) with lush orchestral strings and it’s been amazing to connect with artists across the world who played remotely. Assembling the various strings was one of the highlights of the album for me, playing around with them in studio. One of my favourite parts Power Of The Wolf is in the intro, where I modified string tones into something that sounds like a wolves howl.
What kind of music did you love when you were younger?
I’ve always had a very eclectic taste. I loved film scores especially though, anything from Yann Tierson and Olafur Arnolds to Hans Zimmer and John Williams. I also love a lot of quirky singer-songwriters like Imogen Heap, Kate Bush and Regina Spektor.
What was the first album you remember owning?
I think my first album was Sum 41! Which is very different from the music I just mentioned, or my own music now! After that, I remember buying a few of my favourite albums, Muse “Absolution”, Alanis Morrisette “Jagged Little Pill” and Evanescence’s “Fallen”. However, I definitely remember having a secret love for Carole King’s “Tapestry”, which my Mum owned.
What is the one song you wished you could have written yourself?
Joni Mitchell’s Both Sides Now. It’s so timeless and beautiful but also incredibly wise.
Do you have any habits or rituals you go through when trying to write new music?
Connecting with nature really helps me write. A lot of this album was borne from moving back to my hometown in Scotland with a big window overlooking the river and mountains. The landscape definitely shaped the writing, I think it carries through with natural feel and Celtic elements.
I follow my instincts a lot. Sometimes lyrics come to me first, sometimes I’ll sit at the piano and improvise a melody, but my favourite way to create is to build a soundscape. Often I just play around with sounds until I have created an atmospheric palate that I love. Then I use that to inform instrumentation and build the piece out from there.
Who are your favourite artists you have found yourself listening to at the moment?
I have really enjoyed Nothing But Thieves work. It’s both nostalgic and completely fresh with great vocals.
If you could open a show for anyone in the world, who would it be?
Aurora! She seems like a very positive, joyful and empathetic human and it seems like it would be great fun to work alongside her.
What do you find is the most rewarding part about being a musician?
I’m a bit of an introvert, so I actually love the time alone building out each layer of every song. It’s so amazing to watch the seed of an idea turn into a fully-fledged song. There is so much calm in the sculpting of each piece.
And what is the most frustrating part?
When you have an idea and a sound that you want to create but don’t know how to do it yet. Sometimes you hit roads blocks and have to a bit of trial and error to find what’s right, and start to doubt whether it’ll ever come to you. Sometimes you need to put the song aside and come back to it with fresh ears. It also creates some of the most rewarding moments though, because the feeling of everything falling into place is amazing after that frustrating period.
And what is the best piece of advice you have received as a musician?
Relax, it doesn’t matter. We can get so wound up with the correct way of doing things or worried about being good enough. But at the end of the day, it’s music. It’s not surgery or something life threatening, your mistakes are often risk free. Better to enjoy each one and learn as much as possible from them!
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Beth Roars' new single 'Power Of The Wolf' is available to stream now. Watch the new video for it in the player below.