Kirsty Dewar is a Scottish singer/songeriter about to embark on her first big tour! Her EP "Influence" was released in May 2022 and will be followed by her first studio album recorded by well known producer Gareth Young. Kirsty has performed for huge stars such as Colin Farrell and has supported fellow Scot and "I Wish I Was a Punk Rocker" singer - Sandi Thom, but Kirsty is now ready to start her own tour in the UK and Europe with her new music!
Thank you for taking this interview! What has 2022 been like for YOU as artists?
2022 has been life changing for me. After 2 years of covid, I have had the perspective I needed as a musician to focus on my own music rather than performing for everyone else. I had more time to focus on finding the right producer for me, the right team and spending the time writing the music I love for myself and now releasing it into the world. 2022 is definitely the year that will and already has changed me as an artist.
Can you tell us how you've transformed from the beginning to now as an artist?
When I was younger, I majorly lacked confidence and it took me a long time to learn to trust myself and my skills. Now I am in a much happier place as a musician, songwriter and performer and definitely understand myself more, my music and my style more than I did maybe 10 years ago.
How did you come up with your latest project?
My EP "Influence", which was released in May of this year, was a process in development since I was about 18 years old. One of the tracks on the EP "Free Bird" was written when I was in University and it has grown and developed with me over the years. My other previously released music (which I have since taken down from Spotify) all helped me to find my sound and have shaped my writing and helped me to come to the final 6 tracks of the EP which perfectly embody me now as an artist.
Where are you from originally?
I'm originally from Central Scotland - Falkirk to be specific.
Where do you live now?
I juggle my time between the UK and Europe. My family are in Scotland and my partner's family are based in Liverpool but we also spend a lot of time in Cyprus.
Do you think where you live impacts how your music is made?
Yeah I believe so .. I think external factors always have an impact on us regardless of what we may think. The experiences I have now determine how I write and what I write about so for sure it impacts my music and the writing process.
What was the inspiration to make music your career?
Music was always completely innate for me. There was no other option and was never a question for me to pursue music as a career. I always had this understanding that music was my journey and whether I sell 20 records or 20 million, it will always be my path. Music is my source of happiness (along with my family) and I never want to be someone who has their dream as a hobby.
How do you want to shape your career?
I don't want to shape my career as such - but just become the best musician and songwriter I can be - for myself and for the music I write. As long as I am writing music that I love and knowing that people enjoy it too - that's all that I want.
I would love to tour the world with my music and perform to people who love the songs as much as I do - that is my goal for my career. Anything above that is a bonus.
Do you work on a tight timeline always or do you go with the flow when it comes to your music?
I try not to put too much pressure on myself when it comes to the writing of the music because that's when I feel like the music isn't organic. I give myself deadlines for other things (social media, performances, radio airplay, interviews, photoshoots, video shoots etc) and absolutely focus on getting those done when I need them but I find that my best writing comes when I feel the most inspired and try not to put too much of a time limit on that.
How did your latest title of your music come to be?
"Influence" - the title of my EP - came from my favourite track on the EP. It was written in about 15 minutes but is the best song I have written and definitely the most powerful. I find that lately I am more in touch with my energy and vibration and strongly feel people's energies around me and "Influence" very much embodies that feeling.
Is it hard to let go of the music when it is done?
For me - no. I am not a person who studies every note, every lyric, every detail... I write music that feels good to me when I sing it. Rhythmically, melodically and lyrically, I want the song to make me feel good and if it does - I don't stress about the small details. I know many artists/songwriters who torture themselves over the phrasing of words, or a drum beat, or an effect they don't like and I completely understand why they do - because this is their masterpiece, but I feel that we could spend days/weeks/months focusing on details that won't always matter. For me, what matters the most is how the song makes me feel. Once I get that feeling I am ready to let other people hear it.
Do you feel an emotional attachment with your music?
100%! My music is written when I feel inspired and excited and to be able to go back to listen to that song I wrote in a moment of inspiration, clarity or excitement (or sometimes sadness) is a beautiful way to be able to tell your life story in your music. I can remember every exact situation/moment of every song I have ever written and know what was happening in my life at that point and that is so beautiful to me.
I wrote a song in 2018 called "When You're Gone" - I wrote it after watching the movie "Sing" because it inspired me so much and made me feel amazing! The song is about my grandmother who sadly passed away before I was born but I was always told that she was my guardian angel and was always looking down on me and for some reason this film inspired me to write about her.
How would you describe your music in one word to someone who hasn't listened to it yet?
Uplifting
Where do they go to listen NOW?
SPOTIFY -
https://open.spotify.com/artist/2wIP7tZbRffcphqQXeaIv1
ITUNES -
https://music.apple.com/gb/album/influence-ep/1621886444
AMAZON MUSIC -
What has been the best fan reaction to your music?
My best reaction I had was from a fan who came to my album launch event in June in Cyprus. He said that during the show, I became a different person when I was performing my own music. For this event, I performed with my band for 3 hours but during the performances of my original songs, he said that I was on a different level and he could see me performing these songs to huge crowds someday soon. That really touched me because this was a person who had already downloaded my Ep, told me he loved it but when he heard these songs live - he said it was on a completely different level and for a musician to hear that is an incredible thing. Not only does it give you the amazing feeling of knowing that people enjoy your music, but also that you inspire them and then prove yourself as a performer. I was blown away by that.
Is there anything exciting coming up for you?
My first album will be released DECEMBER 2ND!!
Are you performing the song anywhere LIVE?
At the minute no. I am working on the album with my producer Gareth Young (who has produced for Sam Ryder, Tom Meighan, Dani Minogue, Ronan Keating and many more) and getting it ready for its release in December. After the album is released, I will be starting a UK tour so keep a lookout for that
Give us all your socials and links so fans can link up with you! Thank you for this interview!
https://www.instagram.com/kirstydewar4/ https://www.facebook.com/kirstydewar4 https://twitter.com/KD_Music4 https://www.kirstydewarmusic.com https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC4KRuM15LcVIUh2k-oZ0kFg