MUSIC- Aimée Thompson Interview

Aimée is a local artist from Antrim, who has been showcasing her music ability in Battle of the Bands, her new single ‘Shiver’ and online with her amazing covers!

You are a multi-instrumentalist and do your own backing tracks. What is your approach  when writing a song ?  

Because I play a few instruments they influence the way I write my songs. I’ve always wanted to  incorporate all of them into one song. Shiver has a bit of everything in it so then I can say that I  play all the bits in it. I did use my violin to come up with the melody but I used a computerised one  in the song that I did myself. Then I would have a lot of notes in my phone. If you looked at my  phone you’d see all these random notes that make no sense whatsoever. So if I’m struggling when  writing a song I can refer to them and get something out of that. It’s kind of like bits and pieces all  put together into a song.  

When did you start writing songs ?  

Coming from a musical family I’ve always written songs even when I was a child. Music has always  been been a big thing in my life. I wrote songs when I was like five but they weren’t very good, it’s  really embarrassing when I listen back to them. I’ve started to write proper songs since four or five  years ago. But it’s only been last year that I’ve done anything with them and letting people hear  them. I always just wrote them for the craic to give me something to do. I did music in uni and they  very much encourage you to get your own songs out there. So I think that really helped me to have  the confidence to go ahead and let other people hear what I’ve been writing.  

What do you try to incorporate in your music ?  

It depends on the mood I’m or what I’m going through in my life. I usually use my own personal  experiences and I’ve also written a song recently from the perspective of being a best friend to  someone else and a boy treating her badly. So I’m going to start writing more from another  person’s perspective and using other peoples stories. It’s a lot of fun doing that.  

What are your musical influences ? What do you like listening to ?  

My mom and dad both sing so they definitely influence me a lot. I would listen to a lot of their music  when I was growing up, so Fleetwood Mac and Simon & Garfunkel. When I started I was very  acoustic and loved Ed Sheeran. But recently I’ve gone more pop. I really like Billie Eilish’s music  and how she has all those bass drops and her vocals as well. So I’m starting to use that in my own  song-writing.  

How would you define your sound ?  

I want to say pop but I’ve actually heard people say that I’m soul or R&B which I never thought I’d  sound like. It’s a compliment because I love R&B and soul.  

What do you try to convey through your music ?  

A lot of imagery in my lyrics. I did English literature in school so I’m always studying books and  different meanings to things. I love a bit of mystery to my lyrics. That’s why I have my notes to work  on them and really make sure they have a meaning to them. I try to bring to life the image I’m  trying to create. In Shiver I try to get the music to reflect the words with the little piano roll and it’s  kind of like a shiver down your back.  

You used to play gigs. Where did you usually play ?  

Yeah, back in the old days when live music was actually a thing! So once a month I’d play in a bar  called Maddens in Antrim. That was good fun. It was all covers, no originals. I also did my first gig 

of originals in September in Dublin. It was kind of scary but it was a good experience, I really  enjoyed it. I’m hoping to do a lot more of that sort of stuff.  

Do you sometimes work with other local artists ?  

I’m trying to do that a wee bit more because I feel like it’s just been me this past year. There is a  guitar player I collaborated with called Kostas. We got to meet up a few weeks ago and did a few  songs. I’m planning on going busking in Belfast a little bit sometime soon. I’ve always been scared  of doing it but now that I’ve got Kostas I feel like it’s not as bad because you have someone with  you. We did get a good set put together. So that’s really something I’m trying to work on,  socialising with other musicians from NI.  

Which local artist would you recommend listening to ?  

Sasha Samara. She’s actually a fellow Antrim girl, we went to the same school. She’s amazing,  she’s doing really well at the minute. Her music’s really good so I’d definitely recommend Sasha.  NI is bursting with so much talent and I feel like no one really recognises NI for music. I feel like it’s  a lot harder here to get your music out there. But it’s good to be a part of.  

How did the pandemic impact you as an artist ?  

Gigging was a big impact on loads of musicians. But the good thing it that wasn’t my only source of  income. But I know a lot of musicians who really relied on that so it’s been really hard for them and  I feel like they’ve been left aside. It’s been positive in other ways. I’ve been able to have more time  to write songs and teach myself to do thing on the computer. I also recently started playing bass  just to give me something to do, this might help me with my song-writing.  

What are your projects for the future ?  

I’m working on a song at the minute, Cloud 9. It’s a very upbeat fun song with the same sort of beat  as like Say So by Doja Cat, so a funky fun beat. It’s a bit different but still me. I’m gonna release it  in the summer I think. Then I’m planning to get a few more gigs over the summer to promote  myself a bit more.