· Malvika Padin · Featured · Interviews
The Evolution Of Louise Golbey
Singer-songwriter Louise Golbey’s music comes straight from the heart. Writing about her own life and that of her friends, her songs tell relatable stories and she hopes that she leaves people with nodding heads, positive vibes and an enjoyable listening experience.
Delving into the inspiration behind her latest feel-good track, ‘Different’, she says, “Dan Dare who produced the song has worked with some big UK pop and grime artists so he definitely brought a different (no pun intended!) angle to the production side of things.”
“We knew we wanted to write a soul/ pop record together with a groove and positive lyrics. and when Dan played me his chord ideas for the first time – I said ‘ooh, I like that, it’s different’. So we decided to use that as the title and for me to write it about meeting someone who you presume would be a bad boy but actually turns out to be a good guy.”
While on the topic of being different, Louise is asked what quality she believes makes her different from other musicians. She exclaims, “I have been told that my voice is distinctive which is a really nice thing to know – that people hear my voice on a song and know it’s me singing!”
Louise’s distinct voice is clearly part of her sound – remaining the same from the beginning of her career along with her musical stylings, which describes as “neo-soul sound / soulful melodies with lots of harmonies”, but it’s definitely not without evolution. She explains, “My sound has developed over time and I’ve honed my songwriting skills. I like to think although I’ve stuck to the genre I love and started with that, I’m now making music with a more crossover / less niche sound now.”
The evolution of Louise Golbey’s sound is coming into fruition in the form of an upcoming EP and possible album, so we speak on the most exciting parts of coming out with new music. She says, “It’s always exciting and scary working with new producers or co-writers you haven’t worked with before. Because you may not like each other’s ideas or might not gel well in the studio. It’s very daunting playing someone an initial song idea for the first time! You don’t know if it’s any good or if the other person will like it.“
She adds, “However that’s also the exciting part. And it’s great bouncing ideas around with a different person who may give you a new perspective on the music side of things and/or lyrics.”
Even as things seem exciting, Louise who remains unsigned despite her clear talent and hard work concedes that it’s a tough business, especially for women. Speaking on the frustrations of being a female musician, she says, “The music industry is still very much a man’s world behind the scenes, and it feels like looks and age are still an issue when it comes to solo females acts breaking through when it should be about talent overall.“
However, Louise remains motivated by the work of powerhouse women before her. Talking about her inspirations, she says, “I think when Adele first came into the limelight she was not a typical looking popstar – it was about her vocal skills and good music which is how it should be. Professionally I am also inspired by Beyoncé, I have always loved her work ethic, her talent and the fact she always tries to better herself, her shows, performance, etc. She really deserves her success because she has worked hard, has the talent and has always remained professional.”
Louise’s inspiration comes from personal sources as well, as she credits her friends and family who remain positive in spite of hardships. Louise reiterates that she always remains grateful for she everything she has- even writing single ‘’A Good Life’ surrounding this heart-warming sentiment.
It is probably this brilliant attitude that has made her so successful. Recalling some of her career highlights Louise says, “Performing at Glastonbury, recording at Maida Vale Studios and supporting some legendary artists at big venues (En Vogue, George Benson, Roy Ayers, Heatwave, Eric Benet to name a few) but one of my favourite and most proud moments was getting to work with UK Soul legend Omar – who produced (and featured on) a track on my album Novel, have all been amazingly memorable moments.”
With the right outlook to her life and her music, a dash of humour and an overwhelming amount of talent Louise Golbey is an instantly likable artist and someone who deserves every good thing that comes her way and much more.
Find out more about Louise Golbey.