Sprout Exclusive: Lowri Evans Interview
You may have caught her at Green Man, on BBC Radio Wales, supporting Cara Dillon or even on S4C’s Uned 5, but if you are yet to discover Welsh folk singer Lowri Evans then here’s your chance.
I have been fortunate enough to witness her talents twice in the last few months, attending two of her free gigs in Cardiff. At the latter of these, in the equally wonderful Cardiff Arts Institute, I managed to grab a few words with the Pembrokeshire born songstress whose music fits somewhere between Cerys Matthews and Corinne Bailey Rae.
It’s a Sprout exclusive by the way
So, for those who don’t know you, how would you describe yourself, your background and your work?
I am a bi-lingual singer/songwriter from Pembrokeshire. I have been singing since I was seven, competing in the local and National Eisteddfods until I was seventeen. I started my own school band when I was fifteen and our highlight was winning the “Best band under 18” across Wales on the television programme “Uned 5”!
At 18 I went off to Newcastle-upon-Tyne to study a degree in Jazz, Popular and Commercial Music this was a lot of fun and hard work, and gave me a lot of experience and confidence with performing and writing. By doing this degree, I was given the opportunity to perform a variety of styles of music, which has influenced me throughout the years; I write folk, pop, jazz and country songs.
Who would you say influences your music and who have you been listening to recently?
I have a lot of musical influences ranging from Nina Simone, Sheryl Crow and David Gray. At the moment, I’m listening to a lot of John Mayer, Dixie Chicks and Alison Krauss.
How has your Welsh-speaking background influenced your music?
I believe it is a huge advantage being able to sing in both English and Welsh it means I get to perform for both cultures. As I studied and lived in Newcastle for six years, I wrote most songs in English and this is what I am used to. Moving back to Wales gave me the opportunity to see that I was wasting my talent if I didn’t start writing in Welsh. I am writing more in Welsh at the moment, for my new album.
What are the worst and best gigs you've played?
I have enjoyed just about all my gigs I have never had anyone telling me they didn’t like the music some gigs are depressing when there isn’t much of an audience, but I will carry on performing as if there were hundreds there! Some of my best gigs were when I supported Richie Havens in the Queens Hall, Cara Dillon in Theatr Mwldan and Martin Simpson in Rhosygilwen.
Do you prefer the live experience, or recording and writing?
I prefer the live experience definitely there is nothing better than performing to people and getting their feedback and knowing you have done a really good job. Writing is much harder work as the creativity doesn’t always happen I can’t order myself to write a song sometimes it happens, other times it doesn’t.
How much input does your band have in the final sound?
The band has a lot of input I don’t tell the drummer or bass player what to play I will make suggestions on the type of feel I’m looking for, but everyone has their own input.
How much radio airplay do you get?
A lot of my Welsh music is played on BBC Radio Cymru and my English songs are played on BBC Radio Wales, local radio stations and other radio stations in England, Ireland and America. It can be difficult getting airplay in England if you don’t regularly gig there how can they know about me unless I’m there playing?!
Finally, if you were able to travel back ten years, what advice would you give to yourself?
I would advise myself to stop wasting time and get on with it. Time has gone so fast and I look back at my 20’s and think I should have done much more work with my music career, but there is still plenty of time left for me.
Lowri is at The Globe this Wednesday (25th) in a free Welsh showcase event and is performing in the Wales Millennium Centre at 1pm on the 4th September, on the free Glanfa Stage (The video above is her performing in the venue last year). Visit her Myspace for further information.
