Louise Golbey: Interview With A London Based Musician

Louise Golbey is an established artist on the live music scene of London and beyond. She has played at Glastonbury (BBC Introducing), Isle of Wight Festival, The Big Feastival, Cornbury and CarFest, recorded at Maida Vale for the BBC and supported and shared the stage with many established artists including Ed Sheeran (who is also in one of her music videos), Katy B, Paloma Faith, George Benson (Kenwood House), Roberta Flack, En Vogue (The Indigo2).

She is currently writing with Grammy and Ivor Novello award winning songwriter / producer Rob Davis, who co-wrote songs such as Kylie’s ‘Can’t Get You Out of My Head’, Fragma’s ‘Toca’s Miracle’ and ‘Groovejet’ by Spiller.

How did you first get into music?

My family are very musical so I was singing and dancing from a very young age, I used to do loads of local theatre productions as I always loved performing on stage. I played the piano and often wrote little songs growing up, but it was a collaboration with a producer who sent me an instrumental I wrote a topline for that sparked my love of writing more.

I was doing covers gigs at the time but got asked to perform original material at a friend’s night and the rest is history!

You’ve accomplished a lot in your career: you’ve worked on tracks with Example and Newham Generals (signed to Dizzie Rascal’s Dirtee Stank label), you have had your music played on BBC 1 Xtra, 6 Music, Jazz FM, Mi Soul, Radio 2 and radio stations across Europe, and I understand you recently wrote and sang the theme tune for a brand new comedy series on Amazon Prime Video! When you look back, what’s been one of your favourite moments or career highlights so far?

I have been fortunate to have supported quite a lot of big artists in some pretty big venues over the years. My favourite gig was opening for George Benson at Kenwood House picnic concert, but also supporting En Vogue at The Indigo2. Last year I actually played in the main O2 arena! And I did BBC Introducing stage at Glastonbury about 10 years ago!

Basically, I have a lot of highlights!

What’s been your biggest learning curve working in the industry?

Marketing my music. I know I can create a good quality product – I work with great producers and co-writers, but it is always hard to get the music out there once it has been made. Unless you have a budget for a massive PR campaign.

What advice would you give to aspiring singers and musicians who are getting into the field?

Keep doing it, collaborate, get experience, work with different musicians and producers until you get a sound you like. Gig as much as possible to enhance your stage craft and performance technique.

Be a ‘yes’ person.

Go to other artists’ gigs who you admire, learn from them, go to networking events, put yourself out there as much as possible (I mean, if events and gigs happen again after COVID-19).

Speaking of COVID-19, it’s been pretty tough recently on the entire entertainment industry. How has your experience been and how are you coping? Are you working on anything at the moment?

I have been very up and down about it all. I have been trying to stay positive and productive, and thank God I can record and write at home and do a few pre-recorded performances for social media etc. I really miss performing with musicians in the same room, in front of an audience in the same room. You cannot beat the feeling!

I have been promoting my latest single and also editing a music video for that (which we shot remotely). I have recently been writing for sync purposes, so signed with a publisher and writing songs for briefs in different genres.

I’m also co-writing with Rob Davis (Grammy and Ivor Novello award winning songwriter) so that has been great!

We have a track coming out on a Dutch label but are also writing for other artists, and I have a new podcast where I have been interviewing top UK songwriters, so have been busy with prepping, recording and promoting that too. I have definitely kept busy!

Absolutely, it sounds like you haven’t stopped! Can you tell us more about your Podcast and where we can find that?

There are now three episodes of my new podcast, ‘What You Didn’t Know About..’ with Unedited, where I talk to the UK’s top songwriters about their songwriting techniques and meanings behind their most well known songs. My guests so far have been Ivor Novello award winning songwriter Michelle Escoffery (Liberty X, Artful Dodger, Tina Turner, Damage), UK Soul Legend Omar (Stevie Wonder, Angie Stone, Common, Leon Ware) and on the latest episode my guest is Mary Leay, who has worked with Cher and is behind the massive dance hit ‘Piece of Me’ by Becky Hill & MK, which has over 95 million streams on Spotify. Check out all episodes of the Podcast here.

You can find out more about Louise Golbey including work enquiries at: www.louisegolbey.com

Instagram & Twitter: @louisegolbey

Youtube: www.YouTube.com/louisegolbeychannel

Louise’s latest single Scarlet Woman is the first single taken from her upcoming second album. The song is about not wanting to be the ‘other woman’ and has a sassy feel. Scarlet Woman is an R’n’B / pop track written by Louise Golbey, produced by Mafro W (Shakka, Ghetts, Sinead Harnett) and is mastered by Drew Horley (Ty, De La Soul, Estelle, Roots Manuva).

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