Local Music Spotlight: Meet Satin Beige ahead of Threshold Festival

Threshold Festival is taking over the Baltic Triangle NEXT WEEKEND! Celebrating all that is good about grassroots music, art & performance. 

The music lineup for this year caters for every taste and genre of music one of the artist’s performing is Satin Beige, an Essex born, Liverpool based, cellist singer songwriter.

Her cello infused R&B combined with velvet vocals and sultry lyrics bring an intoxicating mix of sensuality and sass to the table…

Tell us your music story so far.

Well it’s like Drake said really…started from the bottom now I’m here.

It’s kind of a long story, but not that interesting, so the short version is this; I started learning cello age 5, started composing in senior school, learned a few chords on guitar aged 14 or 15 maybe, started writing songs (on guitar) and started uploading cringy covers and some original songs to YouTube.

I decided I wanted to apply to LIPA at about 17 (I heard if you were lucky you could meet a Beatle) but couldn’t work out how I would audition because of my first instrument being cello and my main focus being song writing (on the guitar) so for that reason I wrote a couple of songs for cello and voice, did a few gigs back home in Essex and London, auditioned for LIPA, moved to the ‘pool, met a Beatle and never looked back (except for in Winter because DAMN these northern winters are COLD )

How would you describe your music?

The ever impossible question. Can I cheat and just quote what other people have said?

I guess I’m soul/R&B. A few people have said the way I write is pretty upfront, I think that’s true – I just call it sassy.

How has LIPA shaped the artist you are today?

I wouldn’t even be in Liverpool if it wasn’t for LIPA. It was through LIPA I ended up playing for Stephen Langstaff and touring with him, met my manager, started my blog which meant interviewing people working in the industry who gave me some really sound advice, and ,like I mentioned earlier, I got to perform for a Beatle which is pretty damn cool. If I’d stayed in my London commuter hometown it would have been a very different story. I was pretty clueless before I went to LIPA, stuff like gigging and recording was all a bit of a mystery to me.

You are an honorary scouser, originally from Essex, how would you describe Liverpool’s music scene to your mates at home?

An honorary Scouser? Finally! It’s official! Boss la’ !

To a Southerner ( do I have to call them southern fairies now?) I’d describe Liverpool’s music as vibrant and always on! You can go and watch live music every night here if you want to – and you actually can, it’s not like London where you literally can’t afford to do that.

I’d also HAVE to mention that the sound of the city is without a doubt indie guitar bands and acoustic singer-songwriters. If you’re after pop in its purist form you are most definitely in the wrong city!

Favourite local music venue?

I really like 24 Kitchen Street. I went there a couple of times a couple of years ago and was surprised when I went back there recently at how much I like it. It’s small enough and raw enough to still feel like a secret place.

Of course, you know I’m going to say Leaf as well– it’s chilled, it’s got every tea you could ever want, the squid is excellent and the music’s not bad either 😉

Fav Bar/ Restaurant in Liverpool?

One of the first places I went for a drink when I came to Liverpool was Django’s Riff, and I still love it. Everyone loves Aloha and El Bandito, for early afternoon cocktails I have to pick Palm Sugar, for something more intimate Cafe Tabac, EVAC has phone chargers which is a stroke of genius… I could go on but I won’t.

3 other Liverpool based artists you are tipping for the top?

Well there’s a definite r&b/soul, hip hop and *ahem* “urban music” deficiency in the city at the moment, which is the stuff that really gets me excited, but I think I’m starting to see signs of that changing.

Xam Volo, who’s actually a London lad based up here is filling in some of those gaps. I’ve only heard a few things from Louis Jayy, (who’s at LIPA now I think) but it sounds promising and a sound the city could definitely use. Stephen Langstaff, who I sing and play cello for is starting to use electronic beats and r&b touches here and there which is really transforming into a sound that I don’t think there is in Liverpool at all at the moment. Those would be my three, just because they are different from anything else that’s happening locally, but I think have a sound that appeals nationally and maybe even internationally.

But let me just sneak in one more that’s completely different; my former classmates Native Kings – an alt rock band with some really great songs!

Threshold next weekend – why should people come to your gig?

Well I can guarantee it will be completely different from anything else you’re going to see that weekend. It’s r&b soul with some electronic beats and a cello!

I’m trying some new things at the moment – I’ve been working on beats, reworking some of the stuff I was playing before, so if you’ve seen me before come see what you think of the evolution.

I’m on at 12pm at Unit 51 on Saturday 2^nd April!

When and where can we see you, and where can we find more of your music?

I’m finally back on YouTube, my spiritual home! I’m working on some cool video ideas and unusual collaborations at the moment: www.youtube.com/MissSatinBeige .

Gig dates, links to music/videos all goes on facebook or twitter so come find me there: www.facebook.com/MissSatinBeigeand www.twitter.com/MissSatinBeige