SIOBHÁN WINIFRED ON HER DEBUT EP, HEADLINE TOUR, SUPPORTING SLOTS AND MORE!| INTERVIEW

With her skilfully pop-tinged, upbeat indie-rock, Siobhán Winifred has carved out a distinct niche for herself and developed a devoted fan base. Siobhán’s song writing is characterised by an unwavering sensitivity and sympathetic depth that defies her age, with themes that touch on community, friendships and human connection, personal growth, and healing.

In addition to opening for Stevie Nicks at BST Hyde Park and going on tours throughout the UK and Ireland with Rachel Chinouriri, Nieve Ella, and The Academic this year alone, Siobhán was selected as a Spotify RADAR UK & IE: First Listen artist in July of this year, joining Olivia Dean, CMAT, and The Last Dinner Party.

After Siobhán’s debut EP, ‘Don’t Do Well Alone’, was released, we had the opportunity to speak with her and hear some exciting news about her upcoming supporting gigs this year, which include Blossoms and The Snuts!

Interview By Keira Knox

Keira : Let’s start by talking about your EP, ‘Don’t Do Well Alone’. It’s been released to critical acclaim, how have you found the response so far?

Siobhán : It’s been overwhelming! It’s been so positive and amazing to see people relate to things that felt really specific to like my experience. It’s really lovely that lots of people can relate in different ways, it’s really cool!

Keira : How did you find the writing and recording process for the EP?

Siobhán : Good, I think it’s kind of been over a long, not a crazy long time, a couple of songs were a bit older, some are newer, so I think as time’s gone on I’ve got more confident in recording sessions and stuff to like try new things and test things out. But yeah, it’s been great, I work with some really lovely people who just put their heart and soul into it as well. I think everyone’s proud of how it turned out.

Keira : What’s been the biggest learning curve in the creation of the EP. Are there any particular tracks that you’ve found the hardest to record or the most challenging?

Siobhán : I think the hardest thing is, I don’t know about if other artists feel the same, but when you have to go back, like once you’ve had like a couple days to work on it and you’ve got it to a point that you’re happy with and then going back and fine-tuning. Sometimes you start listening to it and you just lose all objectivity because you’ve been listening to it over and over again. You’re like, “I don’t know if it sounds good anymore”. I find that bit quite challenging but it’s just part of the process.

And for which song was the hardest to record? I think getting ‘Lungs’ right, I felt, because that was the first one that kind of sounded like that, you know, it sounded a bit bigger and a bit rockier. Navigating that was probably slightly harder. It’s just because it was something new, you know, but I think I was so excited about that one because it felt like something new and the kind of music I’d always wanted to make. It was probably the most rewarding as well.

Keira : When you’re writing a track, do you already have an idea of how you want the production to sound? Or is it something you’ve navigated along the way?

Siobhán : I always have an idea of how I want it to sound, when I’m writing it. I know what the vibe is. When you’re in the room actually doing it, sometimes you’re like, that bit shouldn’t sound like that actually. That’s what the producer is for, it’s why they’re so talented and good at their job, they can kind of be like, “Okay, let’s try it a different way”. I think there’s always like an idea, I know what I want it to sound like at the end. It’s just how we get there might be different.

Keira : Let’s talk about the EP’s version of ‘Killer’s’ with Stevie Bill. How did that iconic collaboration come about?

Siobhán : So me and Stevie, we were talking on Instagram Live when we announced the song, and we realised that we’ve shared so many like big career milestones. Stevie’s first ever gig in the UK, I was on the bill. Then we both supported Nieve Ella, we both supported Stevie Nicks. We both released our like EPs and did a tour, like our first like UK tours around the same time. We were like how everything is just like aligning. When we were doing Stevie Nicks together, I was like, “Why don’t you just come on and sing one of the verses because we’re never going to be here again!”. This is a Stevie Nicks gig. Let’s just, you know, do whatever we want. It went really well! We were like, should we record it?

I mean, she’s just so lovely. We just started voice noting, and she sent like her first idea, it was perfect. We went back and forth talking about like, the thoughts behind the song and how she could relate to it and write something. Instantly I was like, that’s perfect, let’s record that! She’s just the funniest, most talented person. I’m so, so happy that she’s on it and that she did something unique. Even the intonation of the way she sings it is different to how I sang that verse. It’s been really hard on performing it live, I almost sang her verse on tour, because it was just in my head all the time. Her verse comes in slightly later, so I’d always miss the first few words of my, of my line.

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Keira : Have you got a favourite track from the EP? And if so, why?

Siobhán : I think my favourite and one I’m most proud of are probably two different answers. The one I’m most proud of is probably ‘Keep Sweet’. Just because I love the ending. It feels like a piece of art. Not in a really like, arrogant way. It’s really special and completely conveys what I wanted it to, there’s so many different elements to it. It’s just a bit chaotic! So yeah, I love that. I think ‘Lungs’ and ‘Don’t Do It Alone‘. I love playing those ones. I mean, I think I’d all pick every single one to be honest. Can I have all of them? (laughing)

Keira : What are some of the main influences on your music? Have you got any particular artists or genres that like shape your sound?

Siobhán : I think I have a pretty eclectic music taste. I listen to everything! There’s kind of nothing that I absolutely don’t listen to… maybe heavy metal (laughing). Sam Fender is a huge influence musically and lyrically. Phoebe Bridgers too. I think they’re like my current, like modern influences. Bombay Bicycle Club as well . Then kind of further back, there’s an artist called Rufus Wainwright, who doesn’t sound anything like my kind of music, but I used to listen to him a lot, like in the car as a kid, and I’ve always sort of kept listening to him. He always has like these big euphoric endings, which I feel like that’s what I’ve kind of stolen. It’s like I love a big indie chorus, like a big euphoric ending. So yeah, I think I’ve stolen that from him!

Keira : You’ve just finished your first headline tour with stops in London, Glasgow and Manchester. How have you found the experience of touring as a headline act?

Siobhán : Crazy! It’s been more overwhelming than I kind of thought it would be, I didn’t really have much time to think about it because I was just so busy organising it. I mean, Manchester was insane! It was so cool to be at a festival. I didn’t think anyone was going to come because there’s so many artists that I would want to go and see as well. It must be really hard to pick who you’re going to see. It was really cool to have lots of people there!

Glasgow that first night, we’d never done a headline before. It was insane! Everyone just sang so loudly! I met everyone afterwards, I met everyone after every gig. It was just so lovely to meet everyone that kind of helped me be able to live out my dream! It was bonkers, it was the best feeling! Just, I can’t believe how many people came and knew all the words!

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Keira : There are still some really exciting tour dates in your calendar, with supporting slots alongside The Snuts, Alfie Templeman, The Royston Club and Blossoms! How did it feel to get the call to say you’d be supporting them?

Siobhán : It’s so cool! When we got Blossoms, I was in an Uber with the band. We were on our way to a gig. So I was like, “Oh my god!”, like, and everyone was like, “What the hell?” The Snuts was so cool, I’m a big fan! Looking at the rooms that they’re playing in, it’s going to be really special. I love playing any room, but there’s something just kind of surreal playing like a really big room. Just having the whole stage to just run about and play around with, which is always really fun. Obviously they’re harder because you’ve got way more people to win over. It’s a really cool feeling. I’ve always had like a missed call from my manager and then he messaged me like, “it’s good news”. I’m like, oh, I better get on the phone. (laughing)

Keira : If you could pick four of your tracks for each of the artists you’re supporting to cover, which ones would you pick and why?

Siobhán : That’s such a good question! Oh my god! I’m going to pick ones just off the EP so I don’t get carried away. This is such a good question! I would get The Snuts to do ‘Lungs’. I think that would go pretty hard. I’d get Alfie to do …. he definitely put like a very different spin on whatever he does. So I think if he did, maybe ‘Stay For Good’. I feel like that could be, that could be fun. Like a completely different version of it! I think Blossoms could have ‘Killers’. I feel like it’s just like a classic indie song. That would be really fun. Did you see the live lounge Blossoms did?

Keira : Yeah! Maybe bring Rick Astley along for Stevie’s bit!

Siobhán : Oh my gosh! Perfect, Stevie would love that! And then Royston Club. I feel like they could do ‘Don’t Do Well Alone’. I think that would be really fun. I want them to do it now! I want to hear what they would do! (laughing)

Keira : You’re part of an upcoming rise of artists from across the nation. How do you hope your legacy as a female indie artist will impact the industry?

Siobhán : Again, a very good question. I want, for starters, for young people, anyone to feel inspired to pick up an instrument or not be scared to sort of like be really vulnerable in their lyrics. I think that’s what I am inspired by, you know, in the artists that I love is they’re just very, very candid and authentic. I would love to inspire people to do that!

I think on the other side is like that anyone can do this! Obviously, I’m a very privileged person, so, you know, I acknowledge that. If you have a small voice like mine and you want to make rock music, you can do it. I want people to hopefully see what I’m doing and think that they can do it, too, and feel inspired to do it!