A Q&A with Aphrah
Empowering electronic pop… from Canterbury
What’s the title of your latest release, and what does it mean to you?
My new single is called ‘Silhouette’. It’s a very personal song which I wrote with two amazing songwriters, Jessica Sharman and LANTA. They created a space where we could all be really vulnerable in the songwriting session which led to us creating this song together which means so much to me as it is both honest and empowering.
What was the hardest part about putting this release together, and why?
This release has been a long time in the making. I wrote the song 3 years ago but in that time I finished the rest of the EP, had to put the project on pause as I suffered from severe pregnancy sickness, had a baby, went on maternity leave and all the while I’ve been commissioning a fantastic animator, Sophya Kebets to create an animated lyric video for the song. A lot has happened in the last 3 years but now feels like the right time to release the song into the world.
Who produced the release – what did they bring to it?
It was produced by Rhiannon Mair with some additional production by Jessica Sharman from the original writing session. Rhiannon took the song in a much more upbeat direction which I loved as I feel that enhances the empowering and positive elements of the song. I love all the different sounds and instrumentation she brought to the track which really brings it to life.
What do you want the listener to take away from listening to your music?
I want the listener to feel empowered and know that they are more than enough.
How does a track normally come together? Can you tell us something about the process?
I had the title first which isn’t something I’ve really done before but I kept on thinking of the word Silhouette and what it would look like to write a song around body image and how we see ourselves. It gave us a strong start in the writing session and we were able to bounce off ideas really quickly as I had this definite idea that I knew I wanted to write about and explore. We all talked about our own experiences and the song came together very quickly after that.
What band/artists have influenced you the most since you started this project, and why?
I’m a huge fan of strong and honest female singer-songwriters like Joni Mitchell and Kate Bush. To me they are my biggest inspirations and I don’t think anyone really compares to their artistry.
What countries would you like to tour? Are there any standout venues you’d like to play in?
I would love to tour in the US. It’s got to be the Bluebird Café in Nashville.
If you could pick one track for our readers to listen to in order to get a taste of your music, what would you pick, and why?
I’m going to have to say ‘Silhouette’ as it’s my latest release and my most honest song to date.
What ambitions do you have for the band/your career?
I would just love it if my songs become the soundtrack to people’s lives.
Finally, as you leave the stage, what are your parting words?
Good night and God bless x
For more info about Aphrah, visit aphrah.bandcamp.com
