Boshe is a Leeds based artist making music through garage band. Her otherworldly singing creates a hazy atmosphere which is reminiscent of 80’s Dream Pop. Her newest single
Daydreamer would fit in with the next season of
Stranger Things with its moody yet ethereal sound. I got a chance to ask her a few questions on making her own music, her opinions on the industry, and being a female musician.
What is it like making your own music? How does it make you feel?I love making my own music, it feels like therapy. It makes me feel relieved once I've got a song done, as if, I've released a lot of emotional baggage. I made 'angel boy' (
Boshe’s first EP) about my breakup with my ex, I felt still attached to him, but as soon as I had released that EP, BOOM, I instantly felt over it. I blocked him and haven't looked back since. It was as though I needed to produce this song to detach from my past of being with him. I think a lot of creatives can use their mediums to help deal with challenging times, I really believe in art therapy.
Once I have made a song I go through so many phases of thinking it is 'so good' and then I think it's the worst music ever produced, and I can't release it. Once it's released on Spotify I get so nervous that nobody will listen, but recently I have stopped that anxiety, as I realise it's unnecessary pressure. People will listen, or they won't. Music is so subjective, so I never take it personally if people don't like my sound.
What’s your most favourite and least favourite part about making your own music?My favourite part is that I get the freedom and final decision about how my songs sound, and what vibe I give off in my music. It feels authentic, as everything I do is completely me. The worst parts are production. I produce my music but really struggle mastering and levelling my tracks, I get very bored doing it, and feel a bit like I'm always guessing what to do. Also, self-doubt is a flaw to making your own music, I often wish I had someone with me, telling me if it is good or not, as I worry that even if I think that it sounds good.
What inspires your music the most?Other musicians for sure. Whether you consciously do it or not, everything we do is based on things that we pick up from our environment, nobody is a true original. All the music genres I listen to will have some influence at least subconsciously on me. Emotions also inspire me, my music is very emotional, and that leads to my lyricism. I am very sensitive (my star sign is cancer) and I feel the emotion in everything I do – this is reflected in my music.
What musicians do you like that are in the indie genre?That is so hard, and it changes all the time. I loved Pulp last year, I would listen to their albums non-stop. I would say currently it's artists like Grimes, Perspex, The Drums, Misha Ostrov, Squid, and Porridge Radio that I keep listening to!
What advice would you give to someone making their own music?Be confident with it, and put it out there, everywhere. Anyone could hear your music, and this opens doors to opportunities, but you NEED to publicise yourself. This is something I am still learning. Also, lower your expectations, and expect disappointment. Not every song will receive thousands of streams, it is rare people find instant success. Not everybody who is amazingly talented gets famous, and not everybody who gets famous is that talented. Make music you like the sound of, make music you would listen to yourself, don't think about anybody else.
What advice would you give to someone putting it on Spotify? Always upload it to Spotify or to your distributor (I use Distrokid) two weeks or more before your release date! This means you can apply for Spotify playlists, and increase your chances of being chosen for the playlists. This is an amazing opportunity to get more streams, and even get people in the business listening to your music.
Do you think women are treated differently in the music industry? Absolutely. We are always expected, and even expect ourselves, to uphold some level of sexiness, attractiveness, which can feel limiting sometimes. Women are still being abused by men in power. I assume it's because the structure of the music business reflects a patriarchal structure with most venues being owned by men, most producers being men, etc. So, you can often get sociopathic men who abuse their power against women. Even if it’s not sexual assault, in my experience it's just intimidating being in a studio with all males, and you're the only woman. Of course, that's not the man’s fault, but feeling like the odd one out often would make me feel like my voice would not be heard because I was not in the majority. Once you realise you have the same right to be there, you can overcome your feelings. But you have to learn to do that, which is a struggle. If you hate how something sounds, say it.
How has being a woman affected you in making music?I think in some ways I feel it benefits me. I think a lot of women look up to other women who do music and then get inspired. I love being a woman who makes music sometimes. But a negative for many women, including myself is confidence. We as women can have all these talents, but don’t always feel brave enough to show it off. Whether it’s biological or social conditioning, the desire I feel to be agreeable, overly nice, and submissive do not easily lend itself to self-promoting music, doing gigs, and demanding to be seen. That aspect still affects me, and I know it does to other solo female artists also. I think we have been trained as women to be much more conscious than men of our looks, as it’s taught to us subliminally that a woman's worth is based on our youth and looks. I hate that I care about how I look on stage and even if I did a brilliant performance, if I looked bad on camera, I'm miserable over it. It is a struggle unlearning that your worth is not based on how much you adhere to looking the way society has now decided is 'attractive,’ rather than your talent and personality. But I’d be lying if I pretended that I don't think that way, no matter how superficial and vain that appears.
Also, the amount of opportunities for women seems lacking. For example, recently we have seen all these festival line-ups, where some have only a measly three female acts compared to male artists and bands. When we know women make just as much music and are just as talented as men, it begs the question of why that is happening.
What advice would you have specific to women? Be even more outrageous. Say what you want. Say how you feel. Resist feeling the need to be sexy or sing in a particular way to make you sound more 'feminine', sing how you really sing and sing about what you really want to sing about. Also, be cautious of predators, I have had some experiences with some men who act as though they want to collaborate or produce with you, but it is all just to access you, or as an excuse to make a hit on you. Be cautious and trust your gut instinct. Try whenever possible to collaborate with other females, as we are seriously lacking a female community in this industry, make friends with all your other fellow female musicians and support them.
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