After recently featuring her new single ‘Velvet Heart’, Beth was lucky enough to catch up with Rothwell, who is determined to make her unique sound heard in 2018. We wanted to know more about this Bristol beauty and what fuels her music, so when we the opportunity arose to speak to her, we at Essentially Pop jumped at the chance.
EP: From a young age you’ve been playing music and writing songs but did you always know you wanted to be a singer songwriter?
R: As cliché as it sounds, absolutely! I grew up doing all the drama/music/dance things I could and always knew I wanted to have something to do with music and performing.
EP: Who inspires you when you’re writing your music?
R: People around me are my biggest inspirations, I love telling stories based on the real lives were all living! I’m of course inspired by other songwriters and musicians too. At the moment I think Billie Eilish’s lyric writing is absolute magic.
EP: Which would you say comes more naturally, the music or the lyrics?
R: I think it depends. When I have a story I want to tell, I tend to start with lyrics and a song subject but other times it starts with a chord progression or a random melody I’ve had in my head.
EP: How would you describe your unique sound to those listening?
R: It’s Alt Pop. Big vocals with synth driven pop. Woooooooo
EP: Recently, Dua Lipa created a super group for the Radio One Live Lounge. If you could ask any four artists to join your super group, who would they be and why?
R: Ooooo I’d ask Billie Eilish, Rihanna, Dua Lipa, Matt Healy from the 1975 and Harry Styles.
EP: Where is your favourite place to write? Is there anywhere special you go to for inspiration?
R: I’m actually not that fussy about where I write. I love being in the studio because most of the time you’re surrounded by loads of amazing instruments and talented people. That being said, my bedroom has been the starting place for many of my songs.
EP: You’ve been quoted explaining that ‘Velvet Heart’ is about people who fall in love too quickly. Is this a song that has been created from personal experience?
R: Absolutely, this time was about seeing friends and people close to me going through it. You can shake them by the shoulders and tell them they’re being dumb but they have to live and learn their own way and you’ve got to be there when they come running back.
EP: If you could break the music industry in any other country, which would it be and why?
R: I’d LOVE to break in America! I also think places like China and Japan would be wicked, it would be crazy to think people on the other side of the world would know the lyrics to my songs.
EP: What TV show and music artist are your guilty pleasures?
R: I’m an absolute sucker for Modern Family, Scrubs, Friends and Sex in the City so all the classics. Little Mix are my not so guilty pleasure, I’m a little mixer and proud! I saw them at the O2 and they’re show was absolutely incredible.
EP: If someone took your guitar away and banned you from using it forever, what would be your next instrument of choice?
R: Definitely the Kazoo…Haha kidding, Piano for sure. I’m trying to teach myself at the moment but its definitely slow and steady wins the race with that one.
Find out more about Rothwell here.
