UNIQUE TO CHECK OUT // Q & A with Annabel Allum

PHOTO CREDIT: Caitlin Traetto

Following on from a very exciting summer of festivals, single releases and a brand new lackadaisical gem ready to be introduced to the world, Annabel is set to embark on a UK Tour.

New single, Sofa Song (Out October 9th) is scuzzy pace changer. The tone is set from the beginning as we are introduced through a breezy inflection of slacker riffs before we are blazed with a raucous snarling chorus taking us through the motions of settling in and getting yourself out there.

Annabel explains:

“Sofa song is about being skint as hell, yet deciding to move to another city and chase your dreams. I literally had nothing, my flat was bare and I could barely afford to eat. All I had really was my guitar and I jokingly wrote this tune. It’s about having a whole chunk of space, physically & mentally.”

I had a chat with Annabel below ahead of her UK Tour and release of Sofa Song.

----------------------------------------------

Where are you right now and what was the last song you listened to?

At the pub! Churchyard -AURORA

You have just released your first Vinyl this year which is a combination your two EP’s All That For What and Sorry I’m Not Perceptible, what a treat, how does it feel to have it out there?

Honestly it feels mad to be able to say my tunes are on wax. Its always been a huge ambition of mine, and most artists don’t really get to do it until they release an album and have a label behind them. I don’t have either of those things, so it feels pretty badass

Has it taken pride of place somewhere in your home?

It's currently sitting on my desk. I'm waiting to buy a special frame for it

Last time we spoke at The Great Escape we talked about your own origional designs for your merchandise and carrying a notebook for your illustrations and inspirations, have you been designing and drawing anything new lately?

Ah yeah! Well I did all the graphics and design for the vinyl. I've just spent ages sorting out my online store too- other than that I’ve managed to knock up some tour t shirts really quick! Im gassed about them cos they’re gonna be really funky colours.

You’ve had a great summer of festivals too, you recently played at Reading Festival. How was that and were there any bands there that you have been particularly listening too at the moment?

It was a real moment for me. I nearly cried on stage haha. I don’t know, sometimes its emotional thinking ‘How the fuck did I get here’ ya know? I regrettably didn’t manage to catch that much music. I saw Post Malone- he was well good.

Did you ever attend the festival as a punter and if so who did you see?

Reading was my first festival when I’d just finished my GCSES. Back then I never would have thought Id ever be good enough to play it. Foo Fighters, Florence and the machine, Paramore.. and all those Kerrang emo bands I obsessed over back then. Man that feels like a lifetime ago.

You also played Siren Festival in Italy, it looks like a wonderful and picturesque festival to play, I could imagine the audience were really receptive to your music?

Oh it was incredible. Completely in the middle of nowhere.. so I flew into Rome & flew out of Naples. Vasto, the town it was held in was 3 hours away from both airports. It was an adventure for sure. Such a cool crowd, and the town was pretty much the back drop of the entire festival. I had a lot of fun and hope to go back.

You’ve recently been into to Maida Vale to perform some live sessions for Huw Stephens. How did it feel to lay down some live sessions in such an iconic studio?

There aren’t many words really. Me and Emma (who plays drums) just spent a lot of time pulling faces at each other. We couldn’t stop smiling. Just walking down the corridor of that building and watching the orchestra practice for BBC Proms… what the hell man. I feel very extremely lucky.

The musical arrangements sonically resonated nicely in those sessions, especially in your latest release Fear Naught, how did you prepare for the sessions?

We practiced not nearly enough and felt our way through it.

Your brand new single Sofa Song will be released as you set off on a UK tour. I love it! It's a song with lots of interesting motions of coping with new beginnings and finding your way. It's a really open and honest track. I related to it a lot, as someone who has recently moved to a new city.
I read that you wrote this song when you’d just moved to a new city to chase your dreams, what was going through your personal headspace at this time?

Haha, thank you! Its nice to release something so simple and to the point for once. I was really impatient when I wrote it. I wanted to just get out and get on with it… but I didn’t know how to… and I didn’t have much money to go out to pubs or be sociable. I became an introvert when I wanted to become an extrovert.

Sofa Song was produced by Andy Savours (DREAM WIFE, ANTEROS, OUR GIRL) How was it working with him on the track?

We didn’t have a lot of time so Sofa Song was more of a joke at first. We didn’t think we would finish it. He was awesome to work with, with an ear for details. I hope to work with him again in some future recordings.

How are you feeling about your upcoming UK Tour and are you excited to get circling Sofa Song live?

I feel all of it. Excitement, nervousness, stress, adrenaline, ready.

Whats next for you, have you got some more tracks in the works?

I wanna get back in the studio for a couple days when I get back from tour. I also just don’t want to stop touring.

And finally, what is your lifetime motto that you will stick to for the rest of your career?

Feel the fear and do it anyway

GRAB YOUR TICKETS TO CATCH ANNABEL ON TOUR:
http://www.aannabel.com/tour/4594188784