Talking To Kirstie Smith
Fatea writer Nic Rigby catches up with the Norfolk based Scottish songstress
Singer songwriter Kirstie Smith has released a debut album of hope released as we slowly come down from lockdown. Fatea writer Nic Rigby caught up with her in Norfolk.
Originally from Paisley, near Glasgow, Kirstie Smith has a good mix of influences from Irish folk to the modern folk rock of the Corrs and jazz in her album It Comes to My Mind.
The album, produced in Norfolk by multi-instrumentalist, Alex Beckhelling, has an "overall theme of introspection and hope, and observations on experiences", she tells me.
"The album's title is the first lyric line to my first single 'Now and Then' released in 2013 (along with the EP of the same name). It just seemed to fit," she says.
Kirstie says she's been "involved in music since primary school and my first musical memories were traditional and folk songs, pipe bands, jazz crooners and piano pieces for dancing to".
She adds: "As a child I listened to Disney classics, songs from musicals, film scores, disco and Motown music."
In high school she took piano lessons and then learned the guitar and her first experience of performing was in a duo with her best friend.
She says she wrote her first "lyrics when I was about 10 years old, poems and rhymes and such, to which I would then add a little melody".
"I think inspiration for songs can come from anywhere. It's a feeling, more than anything else," she says.
The album features Kirstie on main vocals and guitar, Jon Collison on backing vocals and producer Alex on piano, keyboard, some interesting percussion, electronic effects, and backing vocals.
She says many of her song were inspired by her musical heroes.
The beautiful song Strive with an Irish folk feel she says was inspired by The Corrs and Capercaillie and has the message "always encourage those you love and just 'keep on keepin' on'."
Her song Embrace has the message "to always trust your intuition within relationships and remain hopeful".
While the song Always the Same she says was inspired by artists like Coldplay, The Feeling.
"It's about when you can sense the aftermath of something, or someone, and the challenges that were presented at the time," she says.
The tender song with a slight Latin flavour Do You Remember When she says was inspired by artists like Tori Amos, Oleta Adams and is about "when you fall in love, and it's amazing".
She says her favourite song is Anyday which was inspired by artists like Bjork and Enya.
With lockdown hopefully ending she says she looking forward to "gigging, collaborating, jamming, live events, projects, cake", and "working on new music always".
https://kirstiesmith.bandcamp.com/
(Nic Rigby is part of the band Nic Norton and the County Band. See nicnortonmusic.com)
Strive
Fatea Showcase Sessions
The Fatea Showcase Sessions are a series of downloads featuring acts that we've really enjoyed and think that more people should get the chance to hear.
Pirate is the current session and features 16 fantastic artists check out the website to find out more about them and download your copy
www.fatea-showcase-sessions.co.uk for all the artist information.
