IN TRANSIT SHOWCASE: ARTIST Q&As

On Wednesday 28th September, fans and industry folk alike will celebrate Runway’s third In Transit showcase (in collaboration with Vocal Girls and The Rodeo) at Shoreditch’s Strongroom. Get to know the four artists performing - including Blossom Calderone, our own lineup addition - below.

Blossom Caldarone

You’ve just released your latest single, ‘The Princess Song’ - what do you think it is about that ‘crush’ stage of liking someone which makes it such an enduring songwriting subject?

A crush is such a levelling experience for humankind. It doesn’t matter who you like, everyone feels that emotion on the same intense level and it’s consequently universal. No one is bigger than a debilitating crush! It makes anyone lose their filters and coping mechanisms. And it teaches you so much about yourself and your own insecurities, even down to questioning why you might fancy that person - often you just like a trait in them that you subconsciously feel that you lack. There’s endless things to unpack.

Can you tell us a bit about the inspirations behind the accompanying video? 

I just wanted to visually recreate the mental turmoil experienced during a crush. All the different opinions you have of yourself and the other person, the turbulence, the hoo-ha! I suppose the video is an insight into the crushing head. Slightly chaotic but full of colour and unpredictability. It keeps you alive!

In addition to releasing music, you also put on events under the moniker ‘Dancing Diana’. How would you describe a Dancing Diana night out? 

Good damn fun! Just nice music performed by nice people really. Nothing scene-y or stush, I hate that and London has enough of it already. I always try and prioritise finding a venue with cheap drinks too but that’s getting increasingly harder. I might have to start doing them in car-parks with a BYOB rule soon. 

You’re classically trained as a cellist, as well as being a songwriter and vocalist. How does your classical background influence your work? 

I think it just reminds me to take time. Everything can be so slapdash now, generally speaking that is, and I try not to do that with my music. Being a cellist from a young age, I spent hours getting things wrong over and over again, before it came good. Music that you’re proud of, and an artist project that you’re proud of, takes time and I feel set up for that.

Now that ‘The Princess Song’ is out, what are your plans for the rest of the year? 

More new music, believe it or not! Then a big announcement before the end of the year! And then maybe a small themed Dancing Diana in December just for jokes.

LASS 

Can you tell us a bit about how LASS formed, and the inspiration behind the name?

As sisters, we’ve always made music together, but halfway through 2021 we decided to make it more official and release music/gig as LASS. We’d been writing lots of music through the pandemic as Joy finished her songwriting degree in Leeds.  We wanted to find an outlet to share these songs with people and so started LASS.

The name means northern girl and felt just simple and strong enough to work.

What’s it like working with your sibling? Is it difficult to find a balance between your personal and professional relationships?

I think there’s a pretty high level of commitment siblings can expect of each other, relationally and for this project. That’s quite special because there’s this feeling that we’re in it together for the long haul, where maybe with a friend you might wind up wanting to go in different directions.

Working together has its ups and downs but we’re generally stronger as a pair, covering each other’s weaknesses.

How would you describe the music scene in Wigan / North West England?

In the past few months we’ve started gigging as LASS mostly in Leeds (our uni city) and in the Northern Quarter, Manchester. There’s loads of great live music: Joe Bagpipes’ open mic at the Whiskey Jar has been such a welcoming space, as has Sofar Leeds. We’ve had a taste of everything recently, opening for a Bluegrass group, rock bands, singer/songwriters etc.

We played a gig in Wigan in July at the FatBird put on by our close friend and artist, Zha Olu. That was a great night! Apart from that, I wouldn’t say we’re too plugged into the Wigan scene.

Your single ‘20s Are Weird’ explores the idea of feeling a bit lost or directionless, even as an adult. Would you say your songwriting is largely autobiographical?

We definitely draw inspiration from our real lives when we write. ‘20s Are Weird’ felt like a song that represented us and our friends at that time of being a bit lost in our early 20s. Flat whites, airforces and unfortunately speeding fines were autobiographical! Creatively though, sometimes we’re not glued to the details if we’re invested in the concept. For example, our tune Sorbet was super playful in its tone and lyrics.

What can listeners expect from LASS over the next few months? 

We have a project of 10 songs that we have slowly been releasing once a month - we’ve released four songs now, so 6 more singles to come! We are also heading to the states to be part of a music program in LA, so we’ll be sharing our journey of that on our socials whilst writing our next project, which we’re thinking will be longer form this time round.

Jodie Nicholson

It seems like you’ve had a pretty busy summer of playing festivals (Y Not, Cambridge Folk Fest, Twisterella coming up). How have you found it?

It’s been really cool. This is the first year I’ve played festivals with a full band (shout out to Joe, Harri and Rich!), which has been quite stressful, but super rewarding. There was one pretty wild week at the end of July where I played Y Not and Cambridge Folk fest within two days of each other (complete opposite ends of the spectrum). One of the nicest parts about the music I create/release is that it enables me to go from playing a very stripped back, solo acoustic set at Cambridge to festivals like Y Not and Twisterella, which really lend themselves to the fun, upbeat songs I’ve released and the impact we have as a band. We’re super excited to be in Teesside for the next one, Twisterella is always a class day!

Your music is a bit of a blend of different genres - are there any artists you would say have had an especially strong influence on your work?

Bombay Bicycle Club, Pink Floyd, Tori Amos, Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs, Lucy Rose and Laura Marling. I’ve always found the most inspiration from artists who really experiment with their sound and change sonically with each album/project. No matter what direction they take, it always sounds distinctively ‘them’ and these particular artists really stick with me. Also, Tori Amos is an incredible pianist, and while I only really know one EP specifically, her writing has always inspired me melodically and to try and be better at playing piano!

You were awarded the PRS Foundation ‘Women Make Music’ and the Help Musicians ‘Do It Differently’ grants - how did this support help you as an independent artist?

They have been absolute game-changers for me. Help Musicians ‘Do it Differently’ went towards my single ‘Move’, which was released in 2020, and PRSF ‘Women Make Music’ supported my EP ‘Can’t Escape the Feeling’, which I released last year. Funding enabled me to work with Tim Bran; having only self-produced up until that point, working with a producer for the first time was a HUGE deal. Working with Tim across both projects taught me a lot, not only about production itself and my understanding of my own sound, but also the beauty of collaboration, the importance of following your gut, and having confidence in your own ideas. 

 I think one of the biggest things for me was the level of reassurance and belief that funding gave me as an independent soloist. I remember my manager and I pitching ‘Move’ to Help Musicians, knowing it was a dance-y departure from the very singer-songwriter-led album I’d released previously, and feeling the biggest wave of relief and excitement knowing that people within the industry - complete strangers to me - believed in this song as much as we did. That’s always stuck with me.

How would you say that your Teesside roots play into your music?

I think if anything, it really keeps me grounded. Being a Teessider probably doesn’t come through sonically or even lyrically within my writing, but I’m very proud to be where I’m from and the music scene I call home. It’s always been really important to me that the creative process has a strong foothold within Teesside/the North, collaborating with local videographers, photographers, release partners and local organisations who constantly support talent in our region. Our scene in Teesside is incredibly supportive and always has been; everyone’s dead nice and open to giving others a leg up. I think that’s definitely had an impact on my journey as an artist and, in turn (loosely maybe), the music I release.

Your ‘Live at the Old Church Studio’ EP is out now. What can we expect from your set at the In Transit x Vocal Girls showcase?

Much like ‘Live at the Old Church Studio’, people can expect a very stripped-back set of songs being played in their rawest form. This year I’ve started writing for a second record and the majority of the songs so far haven’t left the house, so my set will have sprinklings of fresh tunes that I’m keen to test out in a live setting, alongside favourites from the EP I released earlier this year.

ROE

How long have you been making music as ROE?

I think I chose the name back in 2017, so it’s been 5 years now which is wild! My real name is Roisin so the idea came from that, more of a nickname than anything.

Your debut album, ‘That’s When The Panic Sets In’ is out later this month - what can listeners expect from the project?

A lot of tears and dancing. This album is a new direction for me and summarises the person I’ve become over the past two years. The songs on it are deeply personal and some are particularly scary to let people hear. I like to be as honest as possible when I write, and so ‘That’s When The Panic Sets In’ is an extension of every wave of emotion I’ve experienced.

The lead singles from the album include ‘Cut My Teeth’ and ‘Cold Feet’, both of which are lyrically quite emotional. What’s it like to be so vulnerable in your songwriting?

It’s difficult to put so much of myself out there, but writing for me has always been about getting my thoughts out of my head and onto a page. I’ve never been somebody who can openly talk about what they’re going through, so I guess in avoiding that, writing became my outlet. I put these songs out in the hope that they make at least one person feel a little less alone in what they’re going through, and for me that makes the vulnerability worth it.

Which artists or recent releases are you really excited about right now? (apart from your own!)

I’m a huge fan of Lizzy McAlpine’s new album ‘five seconds flat’, and I’ve recently fallen in love with artists like Tommy Lefroy, Leith Ross and Rosie Tucker.

You’re based over in Derry - how do hometown shows compare to those in London/other cities?

It always feels like a big family get-together. I think everyone knows everyone else here, so it’s always a lovely wholesome night compared to going somewhere else and the excitement of playing to a brand-new audience. Two opposite ends of playing live shows for me, I think.

Tickets for the showcase on 28th September are available here now.