Introducing Interview: Emily Magpie

Following last year’s EP Same Stuff, Emily Magpie is back with her new single ‘The Witching Hour.’ Inspired by, and teeming with, the power of feminine energy, it celebrates such energy in a fittingly bewitching manner. Pulsating and eerie, Emily blends electronic elements with a shoegaze-esque dreaminess and a sort of folksiness in her story-telling. It’s truly unique, and deeply magical.

We caught up with Emily to find out more…

Hey Emily, welcome to Gigslutz! Can you please introduce yourself to our readers?
Hi! It’s lovely to speak to Gigslutz again, you guys have been very supportive of my music so far. So, for readers who haven’t come across me yet, I create under Emily Magpie dream-pop music- a fusion of floating vocals, ukulele, harmonies and low-fi electronic ambience. I write and produce myself and am a big believer in the power of music to connect and explore the ineffable, so a lot of what I write about plays with spirituality, philosophy, science and all the things which interest me.

What would you say it is it that makes you stand out from other artists?
I follow the thread and soul of each song and create out from there, and I’ve never wanted to sound like someone else, so I feel my music has a unique vibe. It’s music for people who want to explore the depth of the every day and shine a light on that.

Your single ‘The Witching Hour’ is just beautiful! What’s it all about?
Thank you so much! It’s about feminine energy, the earth and magic… I read a book about the witch trials and was inspired by the history of oppression of female power and how there seems to be a swell in this resurfacing now. Also, I was in South America and a lot of Shamans and people over there call the earth Pacha Mamma- the Mother Earth- and I find it interesting how we have a history of mistreating the earth in the same way we have women. There seems to be a shift now.

The sound of the single is a bit of a step away from the more acoustic folk sound of your  previous work, was this a conscious decision? What inspired you to move in this direction?
No, it’s just been a natural development.. The Witching Hour will probably be the heaviest track on the next EP as I felt it needed that behind it, but in general I’ve been learning to produce as I go, so as I learn and grow my music expands. I want to keep finding new ways to express myself through music. I’ve been collaborating with Anuj Robin on this EP and learning a lot from him, as he is a fantastic producer who I’m on a wavelength with.

How did you first get into creating music?
Well I’ve always been into music. I sang in a jazz band as a teenager, but actually went into acting first. I found my voice with my own music probably about three years ago when I was away on tour with a play and started playing ukulele and writing more poetry. It just grew from there and I quickly started gigging about two years ago, and building electronic elements to what were initially acoustic songs.

You’ve recently moved to Bristol, how would you say the music scene there compares with London’s?
Ah I love Bristol! It’s just good for my soul here in general. It’s a smaller scene, but much quicker to get known in and get moving I found. But then I came from London having already been gigging a while. I still gig in London plenty, and am up for gigging anywhere, but Bristol as my base to return to is the best balance. People take care of musicians more here than in London I found, but I guess it really depends on your own experiences and where you play. London is exciting in that there is so much going on, and I love to stay connected to that.

And if you could perform anywhere in the world, where would it be and why?
I’d love to do a European tour! Poland and Italy have special places in my heart, and I hear Berlin is great for musicians.

How have you found the experience of being a solo female artist in the industry so far?
I’d say pretty positive, I’ve met wonderful supportive and friendly people within the industry and feel proud of being a solo female artist who produces her own stuff. I’m hoping there’s more of that to come, and it does seem it’s shifting that way which is so exciting to see!

As we’re a new music-focussed site, are there any other exciting upcoming artists who you’d particularly recommend we check out?
I’ve just got obsessed with Alice Phoebe Lou and Lusine… Lush music.

You’ve said that you’re currently working a new EP, what can we expect from this? And any idea when we’ll be able to have a listen??
I’ve grown a lot since my last EP so The Witching Hour EP feels like further along the road – the elements I was playing with previously but more so. More exploration of the human experience and the spaces in between us… I’m in production mode currently, so will keep people updated through my pages on Facebook, Twitter, etc. I expect by the end of summer the EP will be completed, but there may be another single to come before I release it.

Finally, have you got any live dates coming up that we can spread the word about?
YES! Some very exciting ones… There’s more on bandsintown.com and my Facebook page but in particular:

May 30 – The Louisiana- Support to Saint Sister & Rosie Carney, Bristol
Jun 10 – Home Farm Festival
Jun 15 – BBC Music Day at The Granary Bar, Frome
Jun 20 – The Gallimaufry- Headline show  Bristol
Aug 19 – Green Man Festival (Solar Stage)

Huge thanks to Emily for answering our questions!

‘The Witching Hour’, the new single from Emily Magpie, is out 26 May.

Mari Lane

Mari Lane

Editor, London. Likes: Kathleen Hanna, 6Music, live music in the sunshine. Dislikes: Sexism, pineapples, the misuse of apostrophes.