Exclusive Interview with SUSY K

Susy K is a Scottish singer-songwriter of neo soul music. Being raised in Edinburgh by opera-singing parents and surrounded by music, she quickly caught the singing bug. Susy discovered soul music to be her passion after immersing herself in the music of legends like as Stevie Wonder, Jill Scott, Mica Paris, and Chaka Khan.
She is currently a professional singer, songwriter, session musician, and voice teacher. Her work is centered on neo soul, jazz, and dance, with inspirations from Lianne La Havas, Jazmine Sullivan, Yebba, Moonchild, and Blue Lab Beats. She performs, records, and writes for several projects in Scotland and London.She is also a member of the electronic soul duet Velas7 alongside the electronic producer and songwriter McIntyre. During the pandemic lockdown of 2021, they co-produced and published Skin – Radio Edit and Reunite, made and distributed solely online.
Susy has been releasing singles from her forthcoming solo EP ‘Hear It From Her’ throughout 2022, offering deep groove-driven songs about self love, self worth, overcoming sadness, and promoting oneself regardless of what others may think. Her music has been broadcast on BBC Radio Scotland, BBC 1Xtra, and foreign radio stations in Italy, the United States, and Brazil.

‘Workin’ is the last single to be released from Susy K’s forthcoming EP, ‘Hear It From Her.’ This song describes those times when you really like someone, but they don’t seem to notice – you have to work really hard to get their attention. This is no longer Susy’s perspective, and writing it helped her think on the need to quit wasting time on those who play games and devote her efforts to those who accept her for who she is. Powerful soulful vocals, funky synths, a slick percussion groove, and a bouncy bass line will captivate you as Susy takes you on the final leg of her current recovery journey. Check out the song and the exclusive interview below:

1. Can you tell us a bit about where you come from and how it all got started?

SUSY K: I’m Susy, a neo soul singer-songwriter from Scotland. I grew up with opera singing parents, so singing and music was inescapable from before I was born! I fell in love with soul music from about 8 years old when I came across Trevor Nelson’s Rhythm Nation radio show…from there, I was hooked! From there, I started writing poems and songs, learned to play piano and violin, and kept developing my singing voice, and realised I could use all these tools to express myself to the fullest…and here I am!

2. Who were your first and strongest musical influences and why the name ‘SUSY K’?

SUSY K: My strongest musical influences when I was younger were the classic great – e.g. Stevie Wonder, Michael Jackson, Chaka Khan, Mariah Carey and Prince. I was also heavily influenced by UK soul artists like Mica Paris and Jamiroquai, and later neo soul artists like D’Angelo, Erykah Badu and Jill Scott. As for my name, it was a classmate in primary school who just started calling me it out of nowhere…after he called me Susy K a few times, I thought “that’s my stage name sorted!”.

3. What do you feel are the key elements in your music that should resonate with listeners, and how would you personally describe your sound?

SUSY K: I think the key elements listeners resonate with is my voice – I know that sounds obviously, but the way I use my voice to express my emotions…that’s what people connect with. My songs lyrically pack a punch too – whether I’ve written about getting rid of my useless ex, finding my way to self-worth or dealing with the death of a loved one, people can relate and connect to it. As for my sound, it’s simply Scottish soul.

4. For most artists, originality is first preceded by a phase of learning and, often, emulating others. What was this like for you?

SUSY K: For me, it’s about developing authenticity rather than originality. Emulating other artists and learning from them allowed me to find my authentic voice as an artist, and that process is continual – I’m never going to be at the point that I can’t learn anything else from other musicians. I remember a few years ago talking to José James (www.josejamesmusic.com) after a gig at Ronnie Scott’s and I asked him what his best advice was. He said “always work with musicians that you think are better than you”, so you never get complacent and you keep on top of your game…such great advice which really helped in my development and journey as an artist.

5. Creative work in a studio or home environment, or interaction with a live audience? Which of these two options excites you most, and why?

SUSY K:

I love both for very different reasons. In the studio, you are creating something from nothing…it’s easy to forget how beautiful that process can be. Sometimes the words and melodies come easily, and other times it takes many sessions to get it – it’s a journey either way. I also enjoy how detailed and meticulous studio work is; recording backing vocals is one of my favorites. On the other hand, the interaction with a live audience is also a beautiful process – you are sharing the music together, yet everyone has their own experience of it. There is a certain freedom I get from live performance – whatever happens, happens in that moment and it is only experienced then. Performing live is an amazing feeling!

6. Do you think is it important for fans of your music to understand the real story and message driving each of your songs, or do you think everyone should be free to interpret your songs in their own personal way?

SUSY K:

Although I like to share the stories and inspirations behind my songs, I am more than happy for everyone to interpret my music in whatever way they like. If the listener connects to it in some way, whether that’s lyrically, vocally or musically, that’s great.

7. Could you describe your creative processes? Do you usually start with a tune, a beat, or a narrative in your head? And do you collaborate with others in this process?

SUSY K:

My creative process depends on where I start. Often, a melody and lyric line will come to me, and I develop it from there – that’s what happened with my song ‘Heal’. On the other hand, with my latest single ‘Workin’’, I got the chord progression and bassline from Dave first, and I wrote the song to that. I usually write about experiences I have personally gone through, and very occasionally I’ll take inspiration from stories I’ve come across. I love collaborating with other! For my upcoming EP, ‘Hear It From Her’, I collaborated with my friend Dave Browning (www.instagram.com/browningdave/) – we’ve known each other for many years, having studied at college together. He co-produced the entire EP and played almost every instrument on it…aside from all the vocals and the horns (played by The Mian Brothers), it’s all him, and even then he arranged the horn parts! Too much talent for his own good haha! I had the best time recording these songs with him and our friend Nik Kovacevic at Brother Sun Sister Moon Productions (www.instagram.com/brothersunsistermoonproduction)

8. With social media having a heavy impact on our lives and the music business in general, how do you handle criticism, haters, and/or naysayers in general? Is it something you pay attention to, or simply ignore?

SUSY K:

I used to worry about what people say on social media – it’s a truly vulnerable thing putting yourself out there as an artist. However, you really can’t please everyone – some people will love what you’re about, and others won’t get it or actively be put off by it. As long as you are being authentic, you WILL find those who are really about you and your music, and once I truly accepted that, I stopped worrying about it so much.

9. What has been the most difficult thing you’ve had to endure in your life so far?

SUSY K: Like everyone, I’ve had many ups and down, but the most difficult was certainly when my mum died. She sadly developed brain cancer (a glioblastoma) which was inoperable and seeing her go through that and her passing away was beyond painful – the grief was all consuming and it took a long time for me to cope with it in a healthy way. I wrote my song ‘Keep On Going’ about that very experience, and unsurprisingly it took me many years to be able to write and express the experiences I’d gone through in that song. Writing it really helped me with the process, and I really hope it resonates with others who have lost loved ones, lost their way or are simply feeling overwhelmed with life.

10. On the contrary, what would you consider a successful, proud or significant point in your music career so far?

SUSY K: There are a number of moments, but overall, it has to be my upcoming EP! I spent about 2 years working on it with Dave and Nik, and once the recordings were as I wanted, I then had to work on all the business elements of it – branding, marketing, promotion etc. – independently. Although it has been very challenging, it has also been a steep learning curve and I’m glad I have some personal insight into the business side. I had some great advice and help from colleagues and friends along the way that was invaluable, including Anna Caryle who created all the artwork involved (www.instagram.com/anna_carlyle_). I’m so proud of what me and my team have achieved, the singles that have been released so far, and I can’t wait to share the EP with everyone in the spring!