We had a chat with rising pop singer-songwriter Seinabo Sey about writing her debut album, playing ‘the slow songs’ live and the brilliance of Gnarls Barkley:
How would you describe your music for people who don’t know you?
Soul-pop is a pretty good description for it. I do think that it’s slightly ridiculous to try to describe it by putting together two such huge genres, but I guess that it’s the best way to describe it.
You’ve just released your new single Younger – what’s it about?
I wrote it about three years ago, and I basically wrote it about not writing enough songs. The song itself is just about how you should go out and work hard if you have a dream, and how you shouldn’t wait too long to do that.
You’re also about to start a co-headline UK tour with Lion Babe – are you excited?
Yeah, I’m really excited for it! It’s going to be fun. I think that it’ll be great to co-headline the shows with Lion Babe, too. It’ll be exactly the same as one of my normal headline shows, but it’s going to be nice to be able to play alongside another artist. I’m really looking forward to it.
Do you prefer playing your faster songs live, or do you prefer to play your slower songs?
I really enjoy playing the slow songs. That’s why there are so many of them! I enjoy taking my time to sing them, and I like making sure that the lyrical message of every song is conveyed to the audience. I also don’t want people to feel like they ‘have’ to move around just because they’re at a gig, so the slow songs really give people a chance to just relax and enjoy the music.
Out of every song you’ve ever written, which is your favourite?
It’d definitely be Hard Time. I’m really satisfied with that song. I particularly like the lyrics to the bridge, and I guess that I’m just really pleased with how it turned out.
Can you talk us through your songwriting process?
I usually write the lyrics first, and then I go and put the melody to the lyrics. The lyrics are always really important to me. They’re kind of bittersweet – writing lyrics is, without a doubt, the hardest part of being a musician, but the lyrics are always the thing that I’m most proud of whenever I get them right. The melody is probably the thing that I put the least work into, so to speak – I give it three tries and see what comes out, because if I try too hard to think of something I over-analyse it and it just stops feeling natural to me. It can be tricky for me to decide whether or not something’s finished, or whether or not I got it right. I’m very hard on myself.
You also released your second EP a couple of months ago – was it easy for you to write and record?
Both of the EPs were written over the same period of three years, and they were written alongside the collection of songs that’ll make up my album. They’re all from different periods of my life, but I used the same process for them all. I’d say that all of the songs were easy for me to write, but it does take me quite a while. I have to experience things, and feel like I’ve felt something that’s worth documenting in a song. I then have to decide what’s easy enough to understand and go from there. I do wish that I could be a bit quicker!
Have you finished recording your debut album?
Yes, it’s finished. I’m not sure whether it’ll ever feel finished to me, but I just don’t have any more time to work on it and change it. It kind of has to be finished. It’ll be out in the autumn.
What made you want to start making music in the first place?
My dad was a musician, so I always had music and musicians around me when I was a kid. I’ve always been really drawn to expressing myself through the outlet of music, too.
Out of every song ever recorded, which do you wish you’d written?
The first song that comes to mind is Crazy by Gnarls Barkley. I just really like it. It’s very to-the-point, and it’s got a very good balance between complicated lyrics and fantastic vocal melodies.
Who’s your ultimate musical icon?
Beyonce. For sure. If I only get to tell my grandchildren about one artist from my youth, it’ll be her. I definitely think that she’ll be remembered in years to come. I’ll fight for her if she’s not!
Describe yourself in three words?
Three words? That’s really hard! I’ll say… Moody, kind and dreamer.
Catch Seinabo Sey and Lion Babe at London’s Scala on May 20th. Tickets are available here.
