Artist Spotlight: Violet Skies
Pop. The easiest yet hardest space to create within. How do you make something simple and played out sound nuanced, stimulative and authentic? There is a lengthy check list. It has to be musically accessible yet meticulously crafted. It must be emotive - wistful even - but not to the point of cringing despair. It needs a killer hook, atmosphere building verses and a show stopping climax. So what makes a good pop song? Ask Violet Skies.
Chepstow born and raised, Violet is a singer, songwriter and producer who has co-written hits for world-renowned stars like Mabel and Diana Ross. She first found acclaim back in 2013 through her DIY breakout How The Mighty, which blew up on Soundcloud and soon saw Violet on stage at Glastonbury, as well as playing shows like SXSW. However, a familiar precedent took hold and after a run of bad luck, 2016 saw the giddy heights sobered and Violet back in Wales. Focusing her songwriting faculty into other’s music, Violet co-launched sheWrites, a rejuvenating female only writing camp. Back with a lease of life and new founded confidence, in 2019 and ’20, Violet dropped two EP’s that collectively amassed over 20 million streams and catapulted her towards stardom. Her debut album, If I Saw You Again, has now ensued, and is one of the best pop records of the year so far.
With stunning vocal performances across the ten poignant tracks that somehow manage to be both heart-shattering and uplifting, Violet constructs a narrative-based body of work that is sonically eclectic, strikingly honest and admirably nostalgic. Her sound is warm, bold and unapologetic. A hidden gem amongst the rocky shore of popular music.
I spoke to Violet about the new gorgeous album, building her sound through trial and error, and staying firmly fixed within her roots.
Who and what are you influenced by?
My friends, first and foremost. I feel lucky that I love the music and art my friends make and the lives we’ve built together. My mistakes, my happiness and this album specifically - time and loss.
When and how did you first start writing?
Around 14/15 I started writing proper songs, and they were either just little sketches alone, or with my school friend Joshua Moon in our school’s music rooms on our lunch breaks or after school. Josh sadly passed away this year, and the songs we wrote together in those teenage years really shaped the way I write now.
How did you find your sound and image within the world of music?
Trial and error. Painful processes of tearing it up and starting again. I found myself through writing for others best - as it suddenly became clear what I needed to say and how it needed to sound. Image wise - once I cut all my hair off and dyed it white blonde (essentially the exact hair cut and colour I had all through primary school) I felt like I was my true form.
At what moment did you feel like you could make a career out of music?
When I quit my very good degree at a fancy university and had very little options but to make it work, but also when I had a song on radio and I realised I was living on just music.
You’ve been around for a while now, how have you seen the music industry change?
Haha thank you yes I have. Truly a testament to sticking it out because I must be crazy.
The move from radio focus to SoundCloud hype machine to streaming to TikTok is wild and really that’s the biggest change - how music is consumed and discovered. I like how even the playing field is now without gate keepers but I hate that legislation and royalty rates don’t reflect these changes.
Also - I look around and see loads more women writing and producing. The best change.
How would you define your style?
Raw, uncompromising, unashamedly honest. Fun, when I want it to be. Something you can really sing to.
What is it about your music that makes you stand out from the masses?
The songwriting. I hope.
How does it feel to go from playing pubs in Chepstow to writing your album in LA?
It’s bizarre because I don’t think I even could conceptualise LA as a place when I was 16, and the weather’s lovely in LA, but honestly I treasure where I came from and I love that it got me to where I am.
How is juggling your time on either side of the Atlantic?
Hard. Airmiles are useful. I dream of teleporting - it would make life a lot easier.
You’ve co-written for some massive names, how does it feel for you to be appreciated by such esteemed artists?
That’s very kind of you! I just love working with people I admire and think are talented! Size doesn’t actually matter if I’m honest, but being appreciated by people I admire is definitely something I get a kick out of.
I love the honesty in your writing, where does the facility to be so truthful stem from?
I really hid from myself early on, I was incredibly afraid of myself and my feelings and saying them out loud to risk the relationships I had around me - and I was worried people would see me as imperfect. When I accepted that I was imperfect and didn’t hide from it - my life got a lot easier and everything started moving the right way.
I'm in love with the new album! Talk me through the creative and recording process that went into making it a reality?
Thank you! I collected songs over the years - some like Jupiter from 2017 and others written in the thick of the first lockdown. Once I had the ten songs - I knew almost immediately which ones were destined for the album, I started producing them.
What are the main themes of the album and why did you choose to focus on these topics?
All topics are just the things I think about - loss of both love and people, death, time, the existence of a god, modern relationships and new love. I never sat down to choose anything I just wrote about what I was on my mind and the themes fell around that
What do you want listeners to take away from the project?
I hope they find songs that they relate to, that they attach their own stories to. We even made a website that we’re about to launch at www.ifisawyouagain.com where listeners can share their own stories with each song on the album.
If you were introducing yourself to a new listener, what track of yours would you play them?
Settle
Where do you want to take your artistry?
As far as it will let me, and hopefully into my old age, where I know it’ll keep me alive and excited