Burwell

15 Shares

Burwell

Interview conducted on November 15, 2020

By Dan Locke

I thought changing my name would help me let go of history… but it stayed with me like a memory.” When she changed her name in 2016, removing “burwell” was her way of trying to pretend the past didn’t happen… without a real way to erase it, time is starting to reveal the beauty in a mysterious way.

What is your upbringing?

…it’s complicated. but in short, i was raised by my mom to love music at an early age, and soon became a word nerd. i’ve always loved writing, speaking and talking… i grew up with a lot of practice, as my mom was an excellent listener.

How did you discover music?

pretty sure it began with lullabies — there was one my mom used to sing to me about horses. i started learning piano with numbers written in erasable markers… & blasted britney spears on the household boombox.

How did you start to write music?

it started with sappy poems about feelings in middle school, when i didn’t know what else to do with them. by high school, i started adding melodies.

Describe your music.

ethereal pop

How did you get your first guitar, and do you still have it?

it belonged to my brother and was called a “lion” — it was from target. i had a chest cold in high school and was homebound for a few weeks when i first picked it up… i’ve never been good at sitting still. yes, i do still have it! it’s extremely breakable so i don’t play it anymore.

What is your guitar of choice? Year, make and model and does it have a name? How many instruments do you play?

my guitar is a mahogany breedlove. I bought when i fell in love with nashville, from corners. i haven’t given it a name, yet. i can play every instrument, really, but am only just ok on the guitar & piano… really just enough for songwriting.

What was your first performance like?

i sang an original song for the talent show in high school and came in 2nd place. it was low-key life-defining to play my own music in public.

What makes a good songwriter?

heart

Do you belong to any to songwriters’ organizations like the International singer-songwriter association?

no, actually. i’m taking a writing class right now, though & i’m wild about it.

What did you mean by the statement “ A journey to find beauty in the past”?

like many of us, there are parts of my past that feel really dark… for most of my life, i’ve kept quiet about what’s true about myself, my past & my story because i’ve felt ashamed, embarrassed and …shy. finding beauty in the past has been about embracing who i actually am, without the filters.

What was the title of your first original song? Did you record it?

oh my. i wrote it in middle school, and it was called “rescue me” — i didn’t record it but i do remember how it went… the first line is “i don’t fit in”

How was it to hear your music in a full length feature film for the first time?

completely surreal. it was at the byrd theatre as part of the richmond international film festival for a film called “shooting the prodigal” …i was in awe to see music i’d written help bring it all to life.

How does one write a jangle?

mmm it starts with a feeling. i wrote a jingle for a local bank once, had to think about what banking feels like to me, sometimes. the jingle i wrote was… happy. just like banking.

How was it to work with Liam Keegan?

agh it was so fun!! he lives in the uk so our accents, cultures & traditions are so different. as we were working on the release, we hung out on video chat & i learned that he calls dinner “tea time” at which point i ceased to relate to him… “okay, liam – yes, go enjoy your…. tea.” we had so many laughs about cultural differences… & got lost on google over the word “grits.”

Why did you decide to record “House with no Mirrors”?

i wrote “out of place” after spending time with my dad in 2015… there were so many things i wanted to tell him that day, but i couldn’t find the words and knew it wasn’t the right time… this song was a remedy for my silence. sasha sloan’s song, “house with no mirrors,” came out on her album that came out right before my release & it really spoke to me, so i asked my producer to help me cover it real quick. “out of place” hints at holding back and the idea of being honest with yourself about who you are and how you actually feel, things you actually want to say and do even and especially when you don’t do them. dancing like nobody was watching for “house with no mirrors” helped me cope with how releasing “out of place” was making me feel… it was cathartic.

How many people joined you for your dance party at the end of the month?

a handful joined me, but not in a public format… so it was more of a secret dance party…

I have heard that the song “Can’t Stop” was part of a Tik Tok challenge?

lol, kind of.

What is your favorite track on the album?

no albums yet, but stay tuned

How do you stay healthy while performing?

i enjoy long walks, sometimes on the beach… and singing my own music on the treadmill when nobody else is there. helps me to really sing it out, from the diaphragm. for me, it’s about balance.

What are your feelings about streaming music?

i quite like it

How can people forget about the origin hashtag # Sharp in a musical score?

oh, they mustn’t

You found The Marketing Mixtape about 5 years ago. Is making music fun now?

i’d say it’s getting fun again! i founded the agency at the same time i launched my first music project in 2015… took a break from my own music for a few years & wasn’t sure what direction to go musically, if any. i fell in love with songwriting again through a ‘daily ditty’ series i started on instagram last autumn… i didn’t believe it would have that effect when i began, but i’m glad it did.

Digital vs. vinyl?

vinyl when it comes to quality &/or when i want to sound impressive, which i do.

What are your feelings about the social uprising going on in the United States?

it’s humbling, important and in so many ways, completely necessary. i’ve been surprised to hear stories i had never heard before about prejudice, injustice and fear i can’t even begin to understand from loved ones & strangers, alike. pursuing love and listening have brought light into the darkness i’ve witnessed so far — i hope and pray there will continue to be breakthroughs on a local and global level… and i believe it’s possible.

What song from the past is in your mind right now? Moreover, what is the meaning that song means to you?

i’m still thinking about britney spears from one of your previous questions. “lucky” is on my mind right now… it’s about being seen as a star in the spotlight, but crying alone at night… very literally, mind you. i can relate to the idea of hiding how you feel behind who people think you are.

How do you feel the Covid-19 virus going to affect the music business in the future?

i think a number of folks will continue live-streaming & i anticipate a musical explosion sometime next year, or for a few years, with new material artists have written during or about the pandemic. when we can safely get back into live shows, i think the demand will be prettyyyyy intense

What have you been doing with your self-quarantine?

my quarantine began with grief from the loss of my mom… so it’s been a year of taking long walks by myself, journaling, counseling and coping by whatever means available. i’ve gotten back into music which sparked from preparing to sing at a wedding this past october… it woke me back up to how much i honestly enjoy all of this stuff. got to play live with corey p, who’s like a brother to me.

You purchased the vintage dress on you CD cover in a thrift shop in the middle of nowhere. What other finds had you found in a thrift store or second hand store?

… i did, yes! i absolutely love thrifting. recently, i found a light pink set of headphones, a navy vintage dress & a pleated skirt that’s perfect for foxtrotting… it’s like treasure-hunting.

Have you discovered or rediscovered any new hobbies?

I recently took up ballroom dancing for my next music video & it’s been magical… i took ballet when i was 5 so it’s been a minute.

95% of people said that they have changed the way they watch television. This includes people who don’t have television and using their computers to do streaming of programs and movies. Which is your favorite streaming channel?

i’m a netflixer & a hulu-er… i like things on-demand & have been connecting my laptop to a projector so it’s like a movie theatre in my basement.

Many artists are doing nightly concerts over either YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram. In October that is going to change at least on Facebook. Facebook is cracking down on livestreamed shows that include recorded music with new terms of service, preventing artists from using the platform for “commercial or non-personal” purposes, unless they have obtained the relevant licenses.

The updated music guidelines state that users “may not use videos on our products [which include Instagram] to create a music listening experience […] This will includes [Facebook] Live,” and stipulates that such content should be posted for the enjoyment of friends and family only.

How do you think this will change the landscape of Facebook?

ugh. i think people will find easier ways to stream live music — this sounds complicated & is giving me a tension headache.

In addition. From October 24 onwards, you can no longer simply paste your links in WordPress to make your Facebook and Instagram content appear on your site. Will this affect how bands use Facebook?

double ugh. probably.

How can bands keep their fans if they can not play live in front of the fans and sell merch to them at the show?

email & third-party texting platforms… fan retention is always a risk on social media.

Is pay to play still a thing?

yes, but it’s illegal for playlisters to charge for placement on spotify & it kinda kills the beauty of curation. 🙂 pay-to-play features in blogs/magazines/etc. aren’t journalism… those are ads

What about Holographic concerts in our living room?