Last year was a year of firsts for Brooke Law. First festivals, first Epiphone Guitar Ambassadorship, first invitation to perform at a Glastonbury 2023 showcase and all while performing at venues all around London, which include Box Park, Croydon – Brixton Blues Kitchen – Hope and Anchor -The Ned etc.
This year looks like it's going to be even better as Brooke has been selected to perform on the festival stages of the C2C Country music festival at the O2 arena in London next month.
Brooke is releasing three singles between February and July, the first of which, ‘Busy on the Weekend', is out today, Valentine's Day.(February 14th) There is a deliberate reason for the choice of release day for this bombastic song, which you'll find out in our interview with her below.
Congratulations on the release of ‘Busy on the Weekend'. You've been releasing music onto Spotify since 2018. How do you feel you changed and grown as an artist these last five years from the release of ‘Hidden' up to ‘Busy on the Weekend'?
I've met lots of different people and been exposed to lots of different influences in the last five years. Because I'm quite young there has been a lot of people telling me what they think I should say, do or record, you know? I'm a songwriter, first and foremost, and I just love writing songs. So, I've ended up writing all sorts of music, which you'll hear if you listen to my back catalogue.
I've ended up going round in my circles with my sound and style a little bit because of a lot of people telling me what sort of artist they think I am but I've got a lot more confident in myself and who I think I am now. Before being solo I was in a band that was quite rocky then I put went solo and started to work with more producers and also started to put a bit of my own Indian culture into the music a little for a while.
Now I'm writing on my own, I have a new band and I'm more in control of where I want to be and what I want to say.
You define the phrase ‘multi-genre' artist because there are so many different elements to your sound. Do you ever get tired of people asking you ‘what' sort of artist you are and trying to pigeonhole hole you into a particular genre?
My EP ‘Archetypes', which I released in 2019 did have a discreet Indian influence to it, even on a rockier song like ‘See Ya Later' there were some sitars in there. On the music I'm making now, I've moved very much into a more guitar-driven, Americana style sound, there's a bit of Pop and Country thrown in there as well.
Are you feeling more comfortable in the direction you are moving in now?
Definitely. I'm a little older and feel a lot more in control of my music. One of my favourite artists is P!nk – she has experimented with her sound over the years, there's been Rock, there's been R&B – that's a great model for an aspiring artist like myself. People go through phases all the time and change as they grow so I think it's quite natural.
Look at Taylor Swift. She's been Country. Pop. And her last albums were more Folk influenced with a little Americana in there as well!
You had a really great 2022 in terms of shows, accolades and events. Do you have a favourite memory from last year?
Last year was the first year that I got to play festivals, which was so cool. The Country Music festival in Blackpool really stands out for me. I played that on my own, which was the first time I'd been up on stage like that. I was really proud of that.
I can hear Alanis in your sound. I can hear Chrissie Hynde, Debbie Harry and Janis Joplin in your vocals. Who were your musical heroes and inspirations growing up?
Janis Joplin is my biggest hero, ever! I wish music was still like the way she played it. She sang her heart out on every single song she made. The crack in her vocals was awesome whereas now, if your vocals crack you have to re-record the song! (laughing) I also love vocalists like Annie Lennox, I love Norah Jones' music too.
Speaking of the crack or the growl, then. Where did yours come from? It makes your sound very unique when it happens!
(laughing) I'm not sure where the growl came from but it was always there. Initially, when I started doing it I got sent to get tested to see if I had vocal throat nodules! (laughing) I didn't, obviously. Apparently, when I was nervous, the rasp would effect my voice and I would lose all my technique! I do really love a raspy vocal, Christina Aguilera has a great one.
So, in your real life, you are a Nursery school teacher! That must be challenging trying to manage the balance between job and music and also the exhaustion of your day job!
I am! It can be a long day. Up at 6am to get ready for the day and then sometimes I'll have a gig after work and not get back home till 11pm or even midnight. I'm always tired although I'm young so I should be fine for a while! (laughing) My song ‘Boomerang' was inspired by the idea of loving someone so much but not getting anything back from them. I love the kids in my class but I'm not their parent, so you have to deal with those emotions.
I've taken in my guitar and amp to school before and showed them stuff and sung to them. They love it when they get a go on the microphone! (laughing)
Your new song ‘Busy on the Weekend' is a big song with a big message. What were your inspirations behind writing it?
There's a lot of pressure to be in a relationship these days, me and my friends talk about that a lot. That desire to be loved my somebody else, you know? It makes you constantly question yourself but the most important thing you need to do is love yourself first. We're always questioning ourselves and trying to better or improve ourselves. How can you be capable of loving someone else when you don't love yourself first?
The song is about all that and about not needing someone else to validate you.
…………And that's the reason behind you releasing it on Valentine's Day then?
Exactly! Valentine's Day is all about loving someone else so I wanted to get the message out there that people need to love themselves and be happy in their own skin, first and foremost.
You are playing all three days across the C2C festival in London next month. That must be very exciting and slightly intimidating as well?
I'm so excited! I'm so looking forward to playing but I'm also looking forward to maybe seeing and catching up with some of the other artists too. It'll be great to spend more time with my band because there is never enough time for us to just hang out because when we meet up we rehearse and then everybody has to go back to their lives.
What sort of influence has Country music had on you over the years?
I studied music at University and we went out to Nashville, which was the first time that I got exposed to Country music before. I fell in love with how much of a story each song can be and how you can put so much emotion into a song. My main learning was just how important lyrics are to a song. I'd often worked with producers before who came up with a beat and then we'd put come lyrics in over the top, which is, obviously. not how it is done with good Country music.
To me, now, lyrics have become the most important part of a song. It makes the song such a real thing, a natural expression of how you feel. It was fascinating to be writing out there in Nashville with other writers who had just come from a different session and they would have another one after mine!
My style and who I want to be going forward definitely fits into a ‘Pop/Country' bracket. I'm not Country but there is a definite Americana side to my sound. The Indian heritage side of my music is not who I am anymore but I'd like to keep the music on Spotify because it has been an important part of my journey and the story of who I am.
Brooke Law's ‘Busy on the Weekend' is out now and you can check her out at the O2 Arena during the C2C festival next month too.
