What is your name?
Lydia Evangeline
What is your genre of music?
I’d say some kind of amalgamation of pop/folk/sing-songwriter vibe..
Give us a little bio about you.
I live in Brighton, but spend a lot of my time elsewhere travelling and doing bits and bobs which is great. I love coffee, and taking photos on my film camera. I am you’re ultimate hipster. I also love walking in the countryside, and fixing things (proudest moment of my life was changing the bottom entry fill valve of my toilet).
What made you go in to music?
I was once held at gun point and told “YOU MUST GO INTO MUSIC”. Jk. No I guess it’s just always what I’ve wanted to do, there’s never been anything else on my radar – other than my ultimate dream of working in a garden centre.
Are you a signed?
Yeah I’ve been releasing my stuff through a small indie label based in Brighton
Your set to release your new single ‘Holly’, tell us more about the single.
It’s a little different to anything I’ve written or released before, it’s very floaty and doesn’t have a very predictable structure – I recon it’ll be a grower rather than a first time you hear it you love it kinda hit…
I’m really proud of it.
What is the meaning behind the single.
‘Holly’ was written with a particular friend in mind, who’s name is probably easily decipherable, through conversations about going through a hard time but it being really difficult to pin point or describe where the sadness may be coming from, where the pain is coming from. And I just thought that that’s something really relatable that we all probably go through, especially if we experience things like anxiety where often these intrusive feelings are inexplicable, and just lodge in our chest with no clear reason for how they got there. So I just kind of wrote ‘Holly’ as a song of support and encouragement for my friend, but also I hope anyone going through a time of anxiety, worry, fear, grief etc would take away from the song that often they’re pain and the bad things they experience can often lead to so much good. “What gives light must endure the burning” is one of the lines, and I really felt this for my friend, and believe it for so many others – that they bring so much light to the people around them, and even though they burn and feel pain sometimes, if they cling on to hope and persevere then their stories will become stories of inspiration for those a few steps behind them that need that hope. Also something I hope people take from the song is being given the space to take deep breaths. The song moves from 4/4 in the first half to 6/8 in the second, and for me that change of pace and rhythm feels like a deep breathe in through the nose and out through the mouth, a well known calming technique. I’d love for people to breathe in the line “Take time, slow down, you don’t need all the answers right now, just know that you’ll be fin
Describe the track in two words.
Heavy-hearted (yet) hopeful
What was the writing process like?
Pretty easy to be honest, my friend Will and I just started it from scratch, with him building the track and me writing the lyrics and melody as we went along.
What was the recording process like?
Same as above! Ha! I love writing with a producer because you build the whole thing together as you write the song
Who did you work with on the single.
Willie Weeks, man myth legend?
Willie Weeks, man myth legend?
You are also set to release a new EP, tell us more about it.
Yes I am! Last year a released 5 singles that now sit alone in their own little sections on my Spotify, but with this project I really want to release more of a body of work, I just think it allows you to be more creative with the journey between songs and you can weave in and out of each story – rather than stand alone tracks. The tracks are still all being released as singles but each one that gets released gets added into the EP on Spotify.
Describe each track in two words.
oh that’s so hard!! The first words that spring to mind are;
24 – Vulnerable and honest
Crashing Down – Reflective and self-evaluating
Holly – Supportive and encouraging
Still Love You – Fun and free
Perfect Once – Reluctant and in-denial? haha
What is message you are trying to tell with your EP?
‘Twenty Four’ is from start to finish all things I’ve felt and experienced whilst being twenty-four, a lot of the lyrics are pulled directly from journal entries. In the past, most of my song writing has been reflective, I’ve written in hindsight, whereas with this project/body of songs I’m really excited because it was all written completely in the midst of the story it tells, it’s just the raw truth. The EP on a whole (bar one feel good track ‘Still Love You’), could sound pretty hopeless when listened to at face value, no light at the end of the tunnel – but I think no matter how downbeat and sad the story you’re telling may be, honesty and vulnerability is ALWAYS hopeful because it connects people. When you share your thoughts and your feelings, what you’ve been through and what you’re going through with other people, you no longer carry the full weight of your burden. That’s something I really want to encourage through my music and when I play live. I want people to step into a place of vulnerability that can seem terrifying, but opens you up to being supported, and not feeling so alone.
Who did you work with on the EP? It was pretty much entirely me and Willie Weeks, but I wrote Still Love You with my friend Fez, and finished off the writing of Perfect Once in Nashville with Tommy Sjöström.
Do you have any shows coming up or a tour in planning?
Yep a couple of shows and festivals – the main show I’d love people to come to is my EP launch at The Islington in London on June 3rd!
If so where will you be heading?
Yeah my EP is a headline, which is so fuuuuun!
What else can we expect in 2019?
ooh that’s a humzinger! I really hope more gigs, maybe a tour, more music, just more more more!
Do you have any collaborations coming up with any upcoming artists? My friend Rory is starting to out music as Pleasure Trap and it is AMAZING!! and I’m super excited to be featuring on some of that. Follow @pleasuretrap on Instagram to stay in the loop.
Would you be up for collaborations if other musicians wanted one with you? and who would they have to contact?
Oh yeah for sure! Sorting stuff like that via Instagram is always super easy – or they can email the contact on my Facebook page.
Do you play any instruments?
Guitar and keys
Who are your influences?
It’s hard to say as I’m influenced and inspired by so much and artists are added to my list of influences daily! I have a Spotify playlist called ‘Inspiration Station’ (pls follow) which is a collection of songs and artists that excite, so I’ll list you a few of those; Lisa Hannigan, Mumford And Sons, Billie Eilish, MUNA, YEBBA, Sigrid, Julien Baker, Lord Huron, Gregory Alan Isakov etc etc etc…
How do you get inspiration to write songs?
It’s mainly just an outpouring of my inner-turmoil. HA. But yeah, mainly feelings and experiences – both happy and sad, but mainly sad. I also get suuuuuper inspired to write when I hear stuff from other musicians that I love.
Where do you see yourself now in 5 Years?
Ooooh I’ll be just about to turn thirty so that’s fun! Thirty, flirty, and thriving (I really hope you know the reference!)
When you’re not doing music, what do you do?
Hang out in coffee shops, see my friends, go on little trips with my boyfriend, babysit my sweet sweet niece and nephew, watch too much Netflix, read. I also work part time in a co-working office space which is awesome, you just spend your day surrounded by inspiring people.
What was the song you listened to most that influenced you to go more in to the music scene? Look What They’ve Done To My Song – Melanie Safka That song got me hooked on song-writing, and gave me such a strong female role model to look up to. Her voice is soooo full of character and you can just tell she’s herself completely and no one could change her.
What’s the best advice you have ever been given?
I can’t really call to mind the very best advice, I’ve been given so much over my 25 years – but I guess a good practical one is to NEVER stop practising, ever. You can always always always improve.
What advice would you give to aspiring musicians not about the industry and just as an artist?
As an artist I’d say, as cliche as it sounds, to really stick to being the most authentic version of yourself – it’s so attractive. People can sniff out inauthenticity a mile off. There is only one you, don’t rob the world of your unique voice by trying to impersonate another.
What quote or saying do you always stick by?
I’m a procrastinator, a “putter-offer” if you will.. so I probably unintentionally live by “Mañana mañana”, which means “tomorrow tomorrow” in Spanish – the sentiment being that I will get round to doing it tomorrow. Probably not the best saying to live by, maybe I should switch to Carpe Diem (Seize the day!).
Where in your hometown is a must go to visit?
South Downs National Park, just outside Brighton, East Sussex.
Your coming off tour;
1/ Where do you go first? Brighton
2/ Who do you see first?My boyfriend *eye roll*
3/What do you eat first? Thai takeaway baby!
When you are at a gig, what are 5 things you cannot forget?
Underwear, sense of humour, lyrics, vocal warm-up, wicked dance moves.
Do you have social media accounts so your fans can follow you? I do!
Facebook
Twitter
Instagram
Listen to Lydia here
