Artists 2 Know : Q&A with Uh Simone
Interview by Isabella Bossé
“it’s all about your growth internally.”
- Uh Simone
A couple of weeks back I had the absolute pleasure of speaking with Orlando native and singer-songwriter, Uh Simone (she/they) over a Zoom call. When I first listened to their music, it was a rainy day, the start of autumn. The music felt warm and comforting - personal. We discussed everything from their music as well as influences. I am eternally grateful for the opportunity to share their music with all of you.
Let Uh Simone’s music be the soundtrack to you autumn and Fall in love with the acoustics and harmony in their music.
What got you into music, specifically making your own music?
I played piano so I have always done music ever since I was about 5, I’d always make random songs with my friends as a little kid. But I started actually writing songs and keeping track of them during my Freshman year of high school and I’m 20 now.
How would you describe your sound to a new listener?
My easiest answer is normally ‘bedroom pop’ because I don’t know. I can recite what I listen to, usually without knowing, and (kind of) imitate them. So folk music, some R&B, and alternative, everything across the board – I just can’t really pinpoint what my music is. If I tried, I’d probably be wrong.
What have been some of the influences for your music – this could be a different artist, a feeling, a place – who or what would you connect your music to?
I definitely really like Phoebe Bridgers, Gorillaz, I really loved them in middle school. I love a lot of 90s singer-songwriters, that might sound a little corny. My mind has gone completely blank (laughs).
What is the first song you would recommend someone to listen to first when getting into your music?
The most recent song that I released, This is Mine, that’s on Spotify and Apple Music along with everything else. I have a friend who sings on it with me, his name is Josh, and in an octave down, he mirrors all that I say in the song, I feel like it’s a good example to ease into the rest of my music. It’s always been difficult for me to define my sound so I have some of my more folk-sounding/acoustic/singer-songwriter pieces while others are more over the top and electronic. This is Mine is the perfect middle ground to ease into both.
What was the process when making This is Mine?
I start most of my songs with acoustic guitar and I figure out the first few lines. With This is Mine, I figured out the first verse. I hadn’t had the chorus figured out but I messed around with the song for a few weeks, adding to it overtime. I had told my friend, Josh, that I had wanted him on the song for a while. When I sat down to record it, I had planned for it to be just another one of my songs. But when I listened to it, with just my vocals, I had wanted there to be a lower voice in the song as well. I felt that it needed more flavour, so I invited him to be on the song. When you have two people on a track, it will shift from what either one of those people would have done individually, so it definitely shaped itself.
Did where you grow up influence your sound in any way?
I think when I was in middle school, I didn’t pay attention to a lot of different music scenes, I grew up a little bit sheltered, so I mostly just listened to singer-songwriters that my dad listened to. Artists like Alanis Morisette, The Indigo Girls – I don’t know, my dad is a lesbian (laughs). I would listen to that type of stuff and then through friends, I developed my own taste, but I don’t think this had anything to do with the area. I like Sales! They’re also from Orlando. I think that resentment to Florida helped my taste move upwards because… Florida kind of sucks.
Is there something you hope people take away from your music?
Simple answer, no. Just because I think that most forms of art are interpretive, obviously. And I feel really awkward someone asks me to explain the lyrics of a song I wrote because, one, I already said it and two, it’s up to the person listen to interpret it. They get what they want from the song. So a lot of times if I were to dictate exactly what I meant, it might disrupt what someone else was getting from that song. There’s no defining thing that someone should get, you’ll listen and if you enjoy, that’s cool! If you grow or learn something, if you feel a different way about something you thought you felt another way about – it’s all about your growth internally.
Is there a specific album or song that you have always gone back to?
I don’t know why I didn’t think of this when you asked about my influences but, in 6th grade my first concert ever was Coldplay. I was so obsessed with Coldplay, all throughout growing up. The “Parachutes” album is one of my top-tier favourite albums.
What do you get from your own music?
I noticed that when I start with just guitar and my voice that doesn’t feel like enough, so I’ll normally add some ambiance in the background – like a warm hug, even if it’s a chaotic song.
Is there another artist that you believe deserves more recognition and that we should feature next?
Yes, there are a few, but now I can’t remember them all. Off the top of my head, the band Woodlawn. I really love their sound, they only have one song out so far but it’s a bop. It’s called “Pride”.
Check out Uh Simone’s music now on Spotify and Apple Music!