With a sound that looks to combine the distinctive avenues of jazz, Celtic and folk, London-based outfit Seafarers now continue their diverse and captivating sound as they share their latest single 'And Maybe I'm Scared'.
Lifted from their forthcoming debut album 'Orlando', which is set to be released later this year, 'And Maybe I'm Scared' is a bright and whimsical offering from a group that looks to do no wrong. With its rich and atmospheric direction, layered between some truly soaring vocals, their newest delight is a bright and uplifting dream of a record.
So with their new single doing the rounds right now, we sat down with them to find out more about their background and what has inspired them most over the years.
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What was the first instrument you fell in love with?
Definitely the piano. It’s astounding, you have the world at the end of your hands.
What has been the most prominent inspiration behind your music so far?
People. Imparting a sense of empathy and understanding is the most important thing for me. I find it so moving when a piece of art seems to reach out to say “I get you”. I find that most of my ideas come from active relationships with others, or just quietly watching situations unfold. Being human is the one thread that unites us, it’s the single thing we can all relate to.
What kind of music did you love as a teenager?
Gosh, so much. Death Cab for Cutie, Eels, Elliott Smith, Regina Spector, Scissor Sisters, Arcade Fire. I was also beginning to delve further into jazz, so there was a lot of Miles Davis and Stan Getz. I remember being 17 and on holiday with my friends in Croatia. I was listening to a Charles Lloyd album called “Rabo de Nube” and he plays this one melody that made my heart soar in a way that I thought only the songs I listened to at parties could. I could’ve wept. The realisation that all music is connected tore down so many walls.
Can you remember the first song that made you want to pursue a life in music?
Music has this peculiar way of choosing you, so I think my mind was already made up. However, something changed the first time I heard Joni Mitchell’s “A Case of You”, and nothing’s quite been the same since.
When you wake up in the morning, what kind of music do you like to listen to?
The only music I might listen to in the morning will be a jingle from a podcast. I’m a serial devourer of podcasts. There’s something so comforting about hearing other people just talking around you first thing in the morning. There’s a pleasing sense of voyeurism, a bit like eavesdropping.
How many of your songs have you written about people in your life?
I find it incredibly difficult to write one song about one thing, so all of the songs end up having many faces woven through them. The different characters, or voices are usually bound by a certain theme or commonality. It’s a bit like making a scrapbook of little instances around a central subject. The one exception is our forthcoming single, “Virgin Soil”. That song was written about my grandfather.
What has been the most memorable moment in your career so far?
I’ve been so lucky to play with such a diverse and colourful array of artists over the years, and I love playing gigs and recording, but I think the most memorable moments have all come from working with young musicians in schools. I’ve found that teaching can offer me the greatest challenges but also the most sustaining rewards. It certainly nourishes my curiosity for people, and it fascinates me to see how my students grow and change over some of the most turbulent and expressive years of their lives. So much of school life trickles into my songwriting. They sit alongside each other beautifully.
Outside of music, what is your biggest passion?
Reading. I love books to pieces. Mainly fiction, sometimes poetry. At the moment I’m halfway through Carmen Maria Machado’s short stories ,“Her Body and Other Parties”. It’s glorious, and gruesome, and full of wonder. She’s cast me under her radiant trance.
If you weren’t a musician, what other path do you think you might have taken?
There’s never really been any other option, I can’t remember ever thinking about another path. Perhaps writing of some kind? Sometimes I fantasise about living other lives, like being a carpenter, or a florist, or a master baker. But they’re just charming little mental flings.
And what advice would you give to other musicians looking to start a career in music?
Follow your gut. Your head can’t help. Nothing makes sense.
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Seafarer's new single 'And Maybe I'm Scared' is available to stream and download now. Have a listen to it in the player below.