Fable

Fable is an engaging new talent originally from Devon, now based in Brighton. At 20 she’s already written with artists such as Orbital’s Paul Hartnoll and Bloc Party’s Russell Lissack. Live she supported Archive earlier in the year.

With single I Am You (co-written and produced by Paul Steel (The Xcerts, Mika, Saint Raymond) and mixed by Lee Groves (Goldfrapp, Gwen Stefani, Kimbra)), due for release soon Music-news thought it apt to have a few words with Fable.

When and at what age did you write your first song, did it come naturally?

Like anything you have to put time in to get good at it. I was 13 when I first had a crack at writing, skipping maths in the school music room. Up until then I'd sung other people’s songs, finding a way to relate it to myself and step into that character, but when I realised the whole performance could come from my own imagination it opened so many doors. An artist can't explain to you how they do it, its not rational or logical and the only way to get better at it is to do it all the time, even if you don't write hit after hit. You have to write a few terrible songs in order write something great, or even know that what you've written is worth putting down. It's just having that confidence in yourself really, you can sing any nonsense with conviction and if you really believe it, so will everyone else.

I was hoping you could tell me a bit about who your influences are?

I remember being exposed to Jazz and Reggae in the early part of my life, I still find myself leaning towards those scales. I love performers - Bowie, Mercury, Lennox - musicians that embody the music. Through my early teens I discovered Pink Floyd and Radiohead, and that's where I still draw a lot of inspiration from. It's hard to pin point exactly what influences the music I make now because it's not always music, It's weird stuff thats happening around me all the time, a chord I catch on the radio or an odd looking face passing me in the street or made up situations in my brain; upgrade sally, the checkout girl that vanished as soon as they introduced self service, part of me still thinks she's inside that machine.. you get me?

You are originally from Devon and now based in Brighton, what attracted you there?

It just felt right that I should find myself there, Devon's a beautiful place but thats about it. It happened through chance events, I met my manager Andy on twitter and later moved there where he lives to make life easier. Over the past year and a half I've met some really great friends and co-writters here, Paul from Orbial for example, we have plans to collaborate on many more tracks, and Archive will be back on the scene after touring, it's also by far one of the most forward thinking places in the UK.

Where does the air of loss, despondency even jadedness come from?

I think that's one of the many things you could pull from the music, It could be perceived in many contexts but I write with a dark humour. You can't help but feel slightly lost when your culture is so disconnected from the Earth.

I was wondering if you feel out of step with what is going on around you?

Not out of step, I just like challenging stuff.

For, I Am You, how did you meet Paul Steel and Lee Groves?

Paul Steel I met over a beer, he has a studio just outside Brighton and out of that first session came I Am You. Lee I've only communicated with via the medium of music, he also mixed Silence Myself like a boss man but he lives in Nashville so I hope to finally meet him when we get out to the States.

You have an album in the works, how typical of the album is it or any song of yours?

It's still in the writing process, I won't know until we get in the studio, it could go one of two ways, completely electronic or more guitar based with hints towards I Am You, but I want it to have evolved from what you've heard already.

Are you comfortable being labelled as electronica, how would you describe your music?

Whatever genre you label, it is what it is. The word is decided after it comes into being, I don't want to give it a word because I want it to be free to change.

Do you think it is still possible to sound new and unique these days?

There are plenty of unique sounding bands out there but you'll never get to hear them through the mainstream, it seems to be set up in such a way that Majors don't want to take risks on something they can't guarantee a return on, so everything sounds like the last. It's not a lack of idea's, just a lack of money and a surfeit of fear.

https://soundcloud.com/fablemusic/fable-i-am-you-radio-edit