·AERYN·

Meet London-born UK Open Mic performer ·AERYN·:

·AERYN·

Hi ·AERYN·, thanks for joining us! Let’s get into it:

Do you play solo only, or also in a group?

Solo

How old are you?

Where were you born?

London

Where did you grow up?

London/Essex

How did that place influence your music? (if at all!)

I love the quiet grittiness of where I live; how it is never truly silent, and how the world seems so small when I’m here. It just makes music that much more important.

Where are you based now, and why?

I’m currently back in London after having moved about for a bit; I started in Kent and made my way through Essex, to then live in the Midlands, and then Yorkshire for a bit. I moved home to be with my family again, back in this little grey paradise.

What got you into making music in the first place?

I began as a folk musician, playing for dancers. I’d always been into music when I was a kid, joining all the clubs I possibly could and trying to be the best at everything (I wasn’t) and eventually fell into a friend group in which we’d sing and play instruments together. It’s simply lovely.

What instrument/s do you play?

Singing
Violin
Violin
Music Producer
Tin whistle, flute, banjo, accordion, body percussion (multi-instrumental)

Who would be in your top 10 musical influences, and why?

Bjork, Portishead, Will Haven, Lemon Jelly, London Grammar, Seth Lakeman, Eivor, Martin Hayes, Floating Sofa Quartet, Sudan Archives.

I love all of these artists, however they are all so different! I think what I adore most in music is freedom, and that’s something I think all of these artists embody beautifully!

Do you write your own songs?

Yes

How many years have you been writing songs for?

What process, or processes, do you often find yourself using when you write songs?

I don’t have a set process really. It tends to work like more of a circle for me, I can start at any point in the circle and then come all the way back round! Be that starting with a motif, rhythm, melody or lyrics.

How long have you been playing open mic nights?

Why did you get into playing them in the first place?

I was getting frustrated with hearing the same things all the time, and wanted a changed of musical scenery, which led me to my first Open Mic!

What advice would you give new performers who are just starting out playing their first open mics?

JUST DO IT

What’s the most bizarre, or fun, open mic, or gig, you’ve ever played, and why?

I once did a gig for a group of Mormons who blessed our equipment beforehand, the gig went great!

If it’s not already, are you hoping to make music your full-time career?

Yes

What do you currently find the hardest and biggest obstacles to moving your music career forward?

I’m currently in a bit of a pickle with genre! I don’t really know my audience yet, and I’m trying to find them but struggling with where to play and who to contact to look for gigs. I came from the traditional folk background, so I have contacts there, but that’s not the music I make so it’s a bit tricky.