There’s a song that will change everything in the life of every artist and for this young and independent musician, it’s Underneath My Shadow. The song was written in 2019 at a time of uncertainty for me, before the world changed because of the pandemic, and reflects my honest emotions, self-discovery and search for purpose. It is inspired by real life and not a story, and combines dreamy indie rock with some nifty electronic elements for a nostalgic yet fresh sound. The song is inspired by bands such as Oasis, Coldplay, Blossoms, Travis and Stereophonics, and the inclusion of the organic instruments and the freedom to use and experiment with current production styles.
Underneath My Shadow is more than just another release, it’s the artist’s second official single. It is the beginning of a songwriting approach that is grounded in authenticity, emotionality and embracing new musical directions. From local shows to open mic nights to writing by themselves at home, it’s all about making music that resonates with people in a real way.
We discuss the inspiration behind the song, the need for authentic storytelling, the creative process that it involved and how to develop a voice that is your own.
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“Underneath My Shadow” has a really cinematic and hypnotic feel, blending dreamy melodies with indie rock rhythms. What was the inspiration behind the track, and how did it become part of the story you wanted to tell?
So I actually wrote this song way back in 2019, before the whole world went on lockdown because of Covid-19. Back then, I was a completely different person to who I am now. I wasn’t in the best mindset and was still trying to figure my life out and find my purpose. While this was happening, there were all these different things going on in the world – political tension, social issues, people feeling slightly disillusioned and wondering where to go in life.
I deeply felt that at the time and even though I was fairly inexperienced as a songwriter at the time, I remembered sitting down at my desk one day and just started writing. I didn’t stop. I think I had the lyrics done within half an hour of sitting down to write it. I already had the music already written before this point, so it was simply a case of adapting it to fit the feel of the song.
In terms of influences, I’ve always loved bands like Oasis, Coldplay, Blossoms, stuff like that. I think my love for Blossoms and older 80s music is where the song gets its smooth dreamy 80s vibe to it whilst also maintaining that modern indie sound.
One of the ideas behind the song is bringing deeper emotions and even melancholic feelings to indie music. What drew you to that concept, and why is it important to you as an artist?
To be honest, there wasn’t really any kind of concept behind it, certainly not at the time that I wrote it. Like I said before, I was just trying to write a good song and one that was honest, authentic and true to myself as an artist.
Over the past few years as I’ve written more and more songs, I have come to realise that I can’t write songs that aren’t honest or fake in anyway. I only write about things that are true to me and things that I have experience in a very real way. I guess that’s what makes me unique with my own style. People have already told me that I have a very unique sound. The funny thing is that I find that the more songs I write, the more emotional depth they seam to have. And you know what… I think this is a good thing! I have always enjoyed writing songs, but whenever I do, I always wanna make sure that I tell it how it truly is. So far, it seams to connect with people more!
Your music often brings together different genres, cultures, and sonic textures. How did you approach finding the balance between organic influences and electronic elements on “Underneath My Shadow?
If I had to answer that question with just one word, I think that word would be… “experimenting”
I had always intended the song to have an organic, real-live-band sound to it. This is because I grew up listening to bands and artists that played real instruments, recorded live in the studio to achieve the sound that they were looking for. Of course, for many of these bands, this was during a time before everyone had a means to record at home and share things on the internet, so this was the only way they could do it. I especially loved the sound of an electric guitar when I was a teenager. So much so in fact that I got my very first guitar when I was 15 and basically never stopped playing it since! Haha
Every song I’ve ever played or written has to have real instruments in it (guitars, keyboards, drums etc.) because the foundation of my sound is rooted in that organic indie rock band sound.
I think I added electronic elements when I started producing my own songs on recording software. There are endless possibilities when producing music at home on your own computer. Its a lot of fun, but naturally you can end up with some very interesting sounds and some of which you might not expect. As far as I’m concerned, experimenting with different sounds and allowing the creativity to just flow is one of the best ways to find your own unique songwriting style and develop as an artist.
What were your influences as an artist and what inspired you to write this song?
I grew up listening to a lot of indie and alternative rock music from around the 90s and early 2000s period. I love bands like Oasis, Travis, Stereophonics, Colplay, Blossoms and whole array of similar artists. I particularly identify with songwriters like Noel Gallagher, Fran Healy, Kellie Jones and Chris Martin. All of these guys have shaped who I am as a person as well as an artist. They all have something different to bring to the table in the world of alt rock.
What inspired me to write this particular song “Underneath My Shadow”
well… I guess it was kinda two things. Firstly, I had a need to express all the feelings, the emotional trauma I was going through back in the late 2010s. It felt important to me that I had some kind of outlet for my personal feelings about what was going on in the world around me. That I would say, still holds true to this day. The other thing I would say it was a deep burning desire that prove to myself (as much as anyone else) that I was capable of writing a song during a time when I wasn’t sure I was capable of doing it simply because I never tried all that much before. I’m so glad I did do it now, because it set the tone for what was to come over the following years.
What motivates you to keep exploring new musical territories with each release?
I think a really big part in what motivates me to writing songs and exploring new fresh ideas is simply the pure joy and excitement I get from just sitting down and crafting something new. I can’t even describe it to you, but… it is truly an amazing thing. Sometimes I feel blessed to be able to express through the wonderful thing that is music. Its one of very few things I can think of where you can pour your heart and soul into something and in return, you have the potential to not only connect emotionally with other people, but also bring people, strangers, different cultures and even countries together. I think that is a beautiful thing and one we should all appreciate a little more than we do!
What have you learned from your musical influences approach to blending different styles and creating music with emotional depth?
I would say they’ve taught me that the best way to find your own unique voice and signature style as an artist is to experiment with different ideas, genres and song arrangements. I’ve also learned that it is ok to allow yourself to let your creative imagination run wild and learn to enjoy the process of creating. It’s actually quite liberating! If you just stay in your comfort zone or stay within the realms of one genre or even a certain way of working, your songs and ideas won’t truly come to life.
I used to think that I would only write songs like Noel Gallagher when I first started writing songs. However, ever since I came across Blossoms and really dived into their catalogue, I realised that genres don’t have to live in their own vacuum sealed rooms. You can add a cool 80s synths to a guitar-driven band sound and suddenly it sounds very different. Quite often, I find it sounds even better than before!
So to any emerging artist like me who is still trying to find their own unique style, don’t be afraid to try new things and blending genres. Instead, learn to embrace it.
What makes this song a special chapter in your journey compared to your previous projects?
Aside from it being my second ever single release as an artist, its special to me because its a perfect example of a song that comes from a true place. It marks of moment for me where I can now safely say that my songwriting style is starting to take form.
Most importantly though, it feels very me and that’s important to me as an artist. After all, isn’t making original music just what we’re all trying to do here? I mean, who wants to sound exactly like the Artic Monkeys or the Killers or anyone really? I would never want to write and release a song that I feel doesn’t fully reflect what I am all about.
The best part for me is that this is only just the beginning! As I said before, this is only my second ever single release. I have plenty more songs in the bag and have plans to release them and potentially an album hopefully in the near future! This is only a small step towards a long-lasting musical journey for me and my fans.
Is collaboration a big part of your musical journey and creativity?
I’ll be honest… no! Apart from a few collaborations with some dancers and other social media content creators, I haven’t really done much yet as far as musical collaborations go. That’s not to say that I wouldn’t do any though. I love the idea of finding other like-minded musicians, songwriters, producers etc to work with on some cool projects. Right now, my focus is to build a fanbase for my own music and continue to write songs to further develop my signature sound. I’m sure over time, I will find other people to collaborate with. Honestly, that would be great! I’m really looking forward to that!
Have you done any live performances yet, and what is it like to perform “Underneath My Shadow”?
Yes… I have. Though admittedly nothing big yet. I mainly perform local shows around the Fife area where I live. I also play a lot of open mics in Fife, Edinburgh and go busking whenever I can. I have plans to start doing regular live streams on YouTube and other platforms like Instagram and TikTok. As for playing at bigger venues and festivals, well… that hasn’t happened yet, but… I’m sure it will come in good time and you better believe that I will be telling people about it when I do.
When I do perform live, I nearly always play “Underneath My Shadow” as well as my other single “Forgotten Son” and each time, it feels very personal and liberating. It can honestly be quite scary playing your own songs live. It feels like your revealing a part of you to the world. Its quite vulnerable actually, but in a good way. The best part is that people always respond well to my original songs, especially “Underneath My Shadow” so performing it live is always a great experience for me.
When people listen to “Underneath My Shadow,” what do you hope they feel or take away from the experience?
With Underneath My Shadow, I hope that anyone who takes the time to go and listen to it, will come out the other side feeling emotionally moved in some way. How they may feel exactly is hard to say for sure. After all, everyone responds to music differently. That’s one of the reasons why art is so awesome! But… what I can say is that when I was writing Underneath My Shadow,
I instinctively knew somewhere deep inside me that this was going to be a song that would move people. It’s a song about personal struggle, about trying to find purpose in life and a song about living in a chaotic world with no escape from it. I think its safe to say that someone is bound to connect with it. I just hope that they will enjoy the song and all it has to offer. And do you know why? ‘Cos one of the best things about being a songwriter, is that you have tth power to touch the hearts of millions through word and song.
