Caswell

London-born, Suffolk-based electropop musician Caswell has her first headline show coming up later this month. She talks to us about how Buffy The Vampire Slayer set her off down a musical path, the track that’s been her surprise hit and why she favours playing with a band over going solo.

When did you know you wanted to be a musician?

My mum has this home video recording of me with this plastic yellow microphone, stood about three inches from the TV singing along to the Spice Girls, and I used to think Madonna was in the Spice Girls, so I'd say Madonna Spice was my favourite Spice Girl! When I was about 10 I watched a musical episode of Buffy The Vampire Slayer, and I learnt all the songs and made choreography , and from that I kind of made my own little girlband. I wrote songs, printed the lyrics out and made artwork, so I think from that, from about age 10 I was already delving into the creative side of stuff.

Has there been anything else like Buffy - a TV show, film, etc - that's inspired you?

My godfather worked at HMV when I was younger and him being, like, super into music - loads of CDs and vinyl around - had me a bit immersed in that world.

Did you go straight from school to working as a musician?

I never went to uni, but it was still very much a "finding myself" kind of time I guess. I was just working, living in London and paying rent as a musician working in a bar. I spent a couple of years working with a couple of different producers, and feeling a bit lost really, and it took me a while to kind of find my sound. I've had to make some compromises to keep pursuing music, because it is a difficult thing to do when you're totally independent in terms of finances and everything like that!

How long did it take you to get down exactly what you wanted your sound to be?

A good few years. If I'm totally honest with myself I probably partied a bit too much, went out a bit too much - I was living in quite a fun but chaotic house, and I kind of had to be harsh with myself and moved back in with my parents to write and save up money to put towards my music. That was was sort of when it sparked and I started working with a guy called Hugh Fothergill, and released my first track Animal, which did really really well on Spotify.

How did you meet Hugh?

I actually did work experience at The Dairy Studios in Brixton, which is an independent studio, and met him there. I did that when I was 16, so we had each other on social media, and he was working his way up in the industry as well.

When did you release Animal? Did you have any expectations for it being a success or did you just want to get it out there?

I didn't think it was going to do anywhere near what it has - I actually didn't think it was the best song I had! It's ended up doing better than any of my other songs on Spotify though (469k plays). Artists always say it surprises them which of their songs do the best, and don't get me wrong I love Animal, I love performing it, but it was a surprising one that people really connected with and say is their favourite.

What were some of the first gigs you performed?

It was really doing like pub, London gigs for a while, kind of small places really - The Bedford in Balham is kind of a big one that everyone does on the circuit. At first you do the small gigs for no money and that's great to build experience, but there comes a time when you sort of have to put your foot down and do the gigs that'll benefit you.

Have you been playing live much since venues and festivals opened up again?

I've done loads, actually! I We've done a lot in Norwich and Ipswich, where I'm based - so Sound City Ipswich, loads of local festivals. I have my headline show at The Grace coming up on October 22nd, which is our first London show in ages.

How did you meet your band?

When I moved back in with my parents in Suffolk I started meeting up with other musicians, and met them then. I think we've been performing for about three years now. I'm so used to performing with a band that if I go back and perform without them it feels kind of empty, plus the energy is just so high with the band.

Your first EP, The Shadow Aspect, was released in 2018 - how long were you working on that for?

It was mostly written when I moved back to Suffolk. I released three singles before the EP, which were songs I'd written when I was younger, and I wrote that EP when I moved back home. Dance Sober was a song I wrote when I started going out there, because people in the countryside love drinking and pub culture, so that song was inspired by that!

Do you have much input on the production side of your music?

Massively, yeah. I don't produce but I do direct, kind of, I'd say most of what happens. But obviously I love collaborating and I love everything the producer brings to the table as well.

What's in the pipeline for you for the rest of the year?

Sell out the headline show is the plan, then I'm going to have a bit of a pause to wrap up some songs I've got in the works and get ready to release those in the new year! Take a little break from the live stuff and focus on the releases a bit more.

Follow Caswell on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.

Words: Scott Bates

Images: Katt Webster, taken at The Prince Regent, W1.