For those people that haven’t heard of you before could you tell us a little bit about yourself, your story?
I am a DIY musician from London, and I’ve been putting music up online for about eight years now. I’ve been writing and recording as Honey Gentry since summer 2016 and I am about to self-release my first studio EP, Moonlight, on 29 June which features the guitar work of Ruben Elbrond-Palmer. I make kinda dreamy, nostalgic, soft music.
Who inspired you to get on stage and perform?
I fell in love with Gwen Stefani when my dad started listening to No Doubt back in 2002. I would say that she has always been my primary source of inspiration and No Doubt really ignited my love for music which expanded throughout my childhood and teen years. However, as much as I wanted to be and act like Gwen, I never had the confidence or energy when I stood behind a microphone; I was too stiff and terrified. I started to think I would never be an enigmatic performer and therefore I shouldn’t be making music if I couldn’t perform it. It wasn’t until I saw a video of a live performance from Mazzy Star when I was a teenager that I realised that Hope Sandoval was still a captivating performer even with her eyes closed and arms by her side… just how I felt on stage. The more I read about her and her stage fright the more I realised that it didn’t need to stop me from making music. From there, I started to really study other performers and I realised that stage fright was more common than I thought. So I have Hope Sandoval to thank for making me think I could do it.
Could you tell us a bit about the writing and recording of the Syncr Music winning track Heaven California?
Heaven, California was the third song I wrote for the EP, but really was the song that I realised would define my new sound and songwriting style. As a kid I had created this romantic fantasy in my mind of California as a place where people went to turn their dreams into reality… I guess it stuck, because California still has a strong pull for me even today. I do believe that a place can feel like home even if it’s not. When I finally visited California last year, I really understood what they meant when they said it’s a state of mind, and I realised I’d been there all along. The song lyrics took on a new dimension then. I realised that I had written the song with a view to turning those words into my reality and that’s what I now say the song is “about” – truly wishing for something out of reach. As you actually picked up in your podcast, I like to use “california” as a metaphor for something seemingly unattainable, but that you know is worth reaching for. For some people that’s love, for others it’s a new life outside of what they know. For me it’s my dreams. So as much as this song is literally about my love for the state, it’s also somewhat of a metaphor for achieving my dreams even though they don’t seem tangible at the moment. I think that’s what my life is about, dreaming.
The recording process for this track was wonderful, it really did feel like those dreams starting to come true. Ruben and I worked on these tracks for a year, fine-tuning the music and rehearsing the performance. Then we recorded the whole Moonlight EP in two days at Resident Studios in London with our engineer Caradog Jones. It was my first time recording in a studio so it was also a great chance to learn.
Do you have any plans to release an EP or an Album soon?
Yes! My EP Moonlight is out on 29 June!
Where do you draw inspiration from when writing music?
I think about love, dreams, nostalgia, jealousy, alienation, nature, the ocean, fear, devotion, spirituality, religion, transformation, cinema, escapism, the 1970s, the drama in Fleetwood Mac.
What is the most interesting venue that you have performed at?
Although it’s a very small venue I love performing at Lion Coffee and Records in Clapton. It feels quite special to perform music surrounded by your favourite records. I’ve performed there a couple of times and I’d love to go back soon.
What do you think could be done to help new artists in today’s music industry?
To be believed in. I think it would help new artists more if we were trusted to follow our own instincts and also had time to develop naturally and have time to make mistakes and our own successes… I actually enjoy doing everything on my own because I’m seeing my own hard work pay off and I’m learning to trust my gut. On another note, it seems to me that a lot of new artists are discovered and put into the spotlight before they’re really ready because a song has blown up online. We all need time to find our feet in this world and I think that should be especially respected for young artists. We should drop the pressure to “be something” by a certain age. Music doesn’t have an expiry date so why should the musician? More time to develop and have help developing but without being too directed, would be amazing. Also just in general, more mentors that look out for you holistically. This is why I’m excited about initiatives like Girls I Rate here in London which is really making waves in empowering and inspiring young women in the industry.
Here at Artistic Echoes we are always on the look out for new artists do you have anyone you can recommend?
Two good friends of mine are working on new music this year, Minnie Wild from England and Hanel Kingson from Florida. I’ve been lucky to connect with a lot of great artists online over the last couple of years; I lent some vocals to the new okay(k) release; and I recently caught a set from Tilly Dent in London which was so captivating.
What plans do you have for the rest of the year?
I spend my days working in an office, and my early summer has been pretty busy in my day job. So in the late summer, and after the EP is out, I’m looking forward to spending the long summer nights writing some new music and having more time to think. Late summer is my favourite time. I’m revisiting some old demos too. I’m going back to California later in the summer with my boyfriend so I’m really looking forward to spending more time exploring this beautiful state (of mind). And hopefully coming back with some more inspiration for new music.
Moonlight is out 29 June and will be available on:
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/1rzNAiuTXmnncP3ZVXfgV1
Apple Music: https://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/honey-gentry/1242359301
Bandcamp: honeygentry.bandcamp.com
and all other major streaming/download services
Find Out More:
Instagram: instagram.com/honey.gentry
Twitter: twitter.com/honey_gentry
YouTube: youtube.com/c/honeygentry
Facebook: facebook.com/honeygentrymusic
Bandcamp: honeygentry.bandcamp.com
Soundcloud: soundcloud.com/honeygentry
