Where can we find you right now and what are you up to?
Right now I'm in my room, staring out the window and watching the neighbourhood. I live in Utrecht in the centre of Holland and unfortunately the weather isn't always that great lol. In a few hours I'm meeting some of my friends and we're having dinner. Enjoying the weekend!
I'm currently playing a lot of gigs throughout the Netherlands. In January for instance I'm going to play in TivoliVredenburg, one of the most well-known venues in Holland. And I'm in the midst of recording my debut album, 10 songs in total.
The album will be released in the beginning of 2024 and I'm very excited about it. I've been working on these songs for a long time, so I can't wait to share them with the world. Besides, I want to do a lot more gigs. I try to play in even better venues all the time and it's going very well. Bookers are enthusiastic about my music.
Tell us a bit about your influences.
When I was a teenager I used to listen to quite some UK indie bands, such as Arctic Monkeys and Franz Ferdinand. But my music evolved to a more slow acoustic sound. Although I think those influences and punkish vibe are still somewhere in my songs. Right now I'm really into classical music and composers such as Chopin and Debussy. So I guess that has influenced my sound and in particular the piano parts of my songs. And I like songwriters such as Elliott Smith.
How did you start?
I started with music when I was around 14. I was in a band called Uncle Frankle and we played a lot, even though we were quite young. We were for instance the support act of Cage The Elephant and Razorlight. After quitting this band, I started writing all the music on my own, primarily using the acoustic guitar. In about a year I had 10 songs, but then Covid came, so I couldn't play live. After COVID-19 I immediately started with playing gigs and I still do.
What obstacles does an emerging artist have to face in our time?
I think the internet is both a blessing and a curse. On the one hand it gives you the opportunity to reach a lot of people and on the other hand getting 'likes' etcetera is not what it really should be about. It's sometimes hard to not get lost in this whole virtual world you're in as an artist. Next to that of course getting the attention you deserve is hard. You send 10 emails to venues and only get one reaction when you're lucky. But working hard for it, is not a bad thing!
What worked for you marketing-wise? What advice or tips would you give to new artists?
Instagram works well for me. It's a nice way to easily reach people and get gigs. And to get interviews like this one. But on the other hand, meeting people physically is very important. Visiting bookers etcetera can make the difference. So that would be my advice for sure.
What are your goals? Where do you see yourself in five years?
I want to reach a large audience with my music. So it would be great if I can do tours by myself and sell out venues. And I would like to play gigs abroad, especially in the UK and US because I think my music fits with some indie music scenes right there. Some dreams: playing at the Best Kept Secret festival in Holland, playing at the Jools Holland BBC show and playing at a big festival in the UK.
Tell us about your latest or upcoming release.
As I said, in the beginning of 2024 my debut album will be released! I've been building toward this moment for a long time. I really believe in these songs and I hope they will mean something to people. There will be a big release party and it would be great if the record will get a lot of good attention. Who knows where this album will take me.
@mirran.music