Over these last few years, UK singer-songwriter Becca James has been quick to establish herself as one of the more transportive names on the rise lately. And with her presence still continuing to grow with every new release, she continues her ascent with her lofty new single ‘Bloom’.
So with the new single available now, we joined her in conversation to find out more about her background and what she has planned for the months ahead as well.
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Can you tell us a bit about your background and how you got started in music?
So I’m a bit of a late bloomer in music, as I only started to properly believe I could pursue a career in my early twenties. I have always sung as a child; but when it came to choosing what to study I talked myself out of music as a working-class kid with long-term health issues, as I had scoliosis surgery at 17 that led to a host of long-term issues. I ended up studying English Literature at Newcastle University and when I graduated I realised I couldn’t lie to myself any longer and needed to at least try and honour this call to sing. It was then I connected with some incredible organisations in Newcastle, such as This is Creative Enterprise (TICE), Generator and Community Foundation Tyne and Wear which helped me to get the training I needed to play basic chords and begin piecing together demos. I nervously went to an open mic in Newcastle and ended up doing my first release with a group of interns at Kaleidoscope Music to develop my first ever record, Control! And the rest is history!
Who are your biggest musical influences and how have they shaped your sound?
I’m deeply inspired by vocal-led pop and soul artists like Yebba, Eryn Allen Kane, and more recently, Cleo Sol and Raveena. My music is heavily centered around vocal layering and harmonies, something all of these artists infuse in their music, paired with emotionally resonant and often spiritual themes.
For my latest project, I’ve leaned into an alt-pop sound, drawing influence from artists like London Grammar and Florence and the Machine. I love co-creating expansive, cinematic soundscapes that elevate my songwriting.
Was there a specific moment or experience that made you decide to pursue music seriously?
It took me such a long time to have the self-esteem to take my dreams seriously. I would say quite early on I got a mentor who helped me to see I had something to say in my writing and that was the first opening and encouragement to keep writing. Working with the intern project at Kaleidoscope and producers for the first time and building out a project started to show me I was ready to explore my artistry. I’m grateful to have been part of a supportive scene to help cultivate my practice and get the music out there!
Can you walk us through your typical songwriting process?
For me, lyrics and melody always come together and I have 100s of voice notes (thank you, neurodivergent brain!). Some songs I start myself with a piano demo or a voice note, but since I’ve moved to London I now collaborate much more and can go to a session with a writing brief or start from scratch!
How do you find inspiration for your music and lyrics?
I have found most song to be intuitive and feel like a ‘channelling’ more than anything. With God in Chains, it came through as an acapella demo in lockdown and it was only later that I built out the writing and soundscape to fit a more traditional song structure with producer Peter Nyitrai. I usually let subjects flow when I’m writing, but for this album after creating God in Chains I knew I wanted to write with intention about taking a healing journey. I was researching how music can heal as my masters thesis and so the project was born! At first I thought it would be an EP, but it ended up being an album and I wrote way more than ended up being on the final project.
What themes or messages do you hope listeners take away from your music?
As mentioned my current album, God in Chains, focuses on taking a trauma healing journey with songs exploring a process of unravelling personal and collective trauma from many lenses; including more personal songs about intimacy and relationships such as ‘Holy Bed’ to anthemic, grittier tracks about handling the chaos within ourselves and in the world in ‘Revolution’.I hope above all that listeners find this project to be a safe space for vulnerability.
I wanted the release to reflect the highs and lows of a healing journey, with Vol 1 exploring the multi-layered traumas or ‘chains’ we can move through, to the enlightenment of the song ‘Bloom’, which will begin to unravel in later tracks that focus on a continued recovery process. I didn’t want to be afraid to explore all the shades of that emotional journey, from inspiration to anger, to despair that leads to resilience, with a dose of alchemy and empowerment.
What challenges have you faced as an emerging artist in the music industry?
I would say that a lack of understanding of the ways to sustain in the industry from a young age was and continues to be a challenge in this current climate. I loved studying BTEC music, but from that point I didn’t understand about the songwriter-artist journey and as a chronically ill young person, I really needed an extra layer of support to get started. I didn’t have the confidence to share my story, let alone know how I could afford it. With this being said, I feel incredibly blessed that in my early twenties I came across organisations that changed everything for me and I can say hand on heart without them I would not be making music now without their intervention. We need to fund organisations for young people! Otherwise the industry will be full of the same, narrow perspectives and stories, where we need diversity.
What has been the most rewarding aspect of your musical journey so far?
I have met my best friends through music and I have genuinely found the process of creating healing! I love how normalised it is to emotionally share in the songwriting world; it is a very neurodivergent friendly space. I still find performing scary, but I love meeting and connecting with people! I write quite intense music, but the process of performing is cathartic and I hope this is the case for the audience too! Music is an alchemy.
How do you stay true to yourself and your artistry in a constantly evolving industry?
I release with the moon cycles, which grounds me in my spiritual beliefs and reverence for the planet and the cosmos. It’s very hard not to get caught up in the industry side of things, as there’s no one clear set path to ‘succeed’, whatever that means for each individual artist. Of course I want to learn how to effectively work with systems, but I know in my bones that music is sacred and that is more important than any trend.
What can fans expect from you in the near future? Any upcoming projects or tours?
I have had my first three singles with a lovely label YR and the rest of my album I will release independently in autumn. I have some shows coming up in London to be announced soon and one festival in Yorkshire (Hearty Fest on July 26th) and then I’m focused on touring the project in the autumn and developing my band, which is currently an acoustic trio.
Where do you see yourself and your music career in the next five years?
I hope I remain focused on being balanced, staying well and still loving music! I plan to delve into learning more about sound healing, so my music can have ‘healing frequencies’ alongside the storytelling and songwriting. I hope to have played more festivals and diversified my live set up, while exploring spatial audio live performances & continuing to connect with and build a community in tandem with the music.
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Listen to Becca James’ new single ‘Bloom’ below.
