Aaron is a 21 year-old London based singer-songwriter. She writes classic pop songs with an alternative electronic sound, wherein synthpop meets eighties R&B. Her work is characterised by lyrical prowess, honesty and emotion. In her personal style, her live performances and her dreamlike, ethereal music, Aaron belongs to the dream pop genre. One can also hear early 80’s Madonna, Kate Bush and Cocteau Twins influence scattered through Aaron’s work.
You’re now 21 years old with a practically fully formed look, sound and attitude. What has the last 5 years been like for you and what major differences do you see in yourself between then and now? Both musically and personally speaking.
Just like any kid figuring out what they want to do, it’s been arduous and wonderful in equal measure. In hindsight I was pretty naive, both in my outlook and songwriting, but in that time I’ve transitioned from a girl to a young woman so naturally the themes and subtext of my work have changed dramatically. Personally, I think if you can accept the skin you’re in and realise there is no boundary to your capability, a lot can change for the better. That applies to being an artist as well, too many are under the impression that they must transform into something they’re not to garner the recognition they deserve, whereas for me it’s purely about being honest, personal and having the courage of conviction to stick with it.
In an Interview with WonderlandMagazine, you defined your sound Dream Pop as ”an ethereal wall of sound; full of breathy vocals, sharp bass, warm pads and hazy synths. It’s all layered, textural and lovely. It relies on that as much as it does melody.” We found this to be such an accurate description. We’re curious as to how this genre developed within you… Were you always dead set on making dream pop tracks?
Oh, thank you and no, I didn’t know it would be dream pop. I started writing at 15, without the first clue of where I was gonna sit genre wise. It began in some of my early sessions in the studio, working with producers. Instinctively I would lean to those sort of sounds more than any others and was quite headstrong about it. At that time I didn’t have a name for it, I hadn’t spent years immersing myself in those dream pop records and labels, it came out of me spontaneously, without effort and has now evolved into this magical hybrid of my favourite artists/influences and sounds.
What do you find is the hardest thing about being a new artist to the scene?
Getting people to take you and your work seriously. Attention is gained and lost so quickly, what with the media and the technology age we live in. It’s so different to five years ago and has changed the game for a lot of new artists. I think its a good thing though, especially for independent artists, you have to be way more creative with how you get your music out there. It seems you’re more likely to succeed if you’re anti establishment about it, there’s an element of punk now.
We have to express our obsession with your song Holding Water. it really is quite magical, captivating, and definitely what we would call a ‘repeat without defeat.’ Meaning no matter how many times you repeat the song, you don’t get tired of it. Could you share some insight about the creating process of this track?
Thats sweet of you, thanks. Yeah of course, I wrote it with the incredible songwriter/producer Niall Lavelle (Raffertie), he’s a very accomplished musician and percussionist also, which you can hear in the rhythm section of the track. We started with this super moody warped synth line you hear in the verse, we wanted to create a stark difference between the verse and chorus, light and shade, so it had depth. The line Holding Water came out of nowhere and encapsulated everything I wanted to say and was feeling from the music. Sometimes I write and begin with lyrics like prose or I’ll just vibe on different melodies and words will spring out of them. Once I knew what I wanted to say the rest was pretty quick to follow.
Tell us the story behind your debut E.P title Letters to Jonny
Letters To Jonny is a conceptual EP, a culmination of the work I was doing last year while writing for other artists. The music is heavily influenced by the songwriter/producer Johnny Jewel (Chromatics, Glass Candy, Desire) and is also where the name came from. The idea is based upon a girl who’s in love with a guy who doesn’t really exist. Her mind and relationship unravels as the record progresses, I don’t want to give too much away because you’ll hear it soon enough, but the track Jonny pieces it all together.
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What kind of music in todays scene do you have the most distaste for and why?
I don’t care much for EDM (I know thats a broad term) or these new pop boy bands with guitars, though I’m not one to slate other artists for giving it a go. If you have the courage to put yourself out there, then good on you.
Who would be your dream collaboration, dead or alive?
David Byrne, Todd Rundgren and Dev Hynes.
Aaron – Strong (Original) – Ont Sofa Gibson Sessions
What’s the most annoying thing people assume about you and/or your music?
That I didn’t do that much of the work when I’ve written every song and co produced in parts. Sadly, it is unsurprising as it happens to far too many female artists (Bjork, Grimes etc).
Share some of your goals for the future, what you’re working towards, and ultimately what you want out of life?
I want a career with longevity, I want to release several or more credible albums that I’ve written and produced and take them to as many countries around the world as possible. I want to keep writing, developing and learning. I’ve recently started playing guitar so it’d be cool if I do well with that. I’d really like a pet tortoise too.
Aaron chose our Sunday Sessions this week. Click here for the playlist.
Follow Aaron on Facebook and Twitter, or check out her work on Soundcloud and YouTube.
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