Artist Interview: Jamie Beth
Emerging from the North East of England with a voice that seamlessly merges indie-rock textures and pop sensibilities, Jamie Beth is quickly becoming one to watch in the UK music scene. With standout singles like Don't Change My Mind and Streetlights, she’s earned comparisons to Taylor Swift and Phoebe Bridgers, while crafting a sound uniquely her own—raw, emotive, and refreshingly grounded. We caught up with Jamie to talk about her creative process, musical influences, live shows, and what’s coming next.
Tori: Your music combines indie-rock instrumentation with pop-princess-esque vocals. What inspired this blend of styles, and how do you see your sound evolving in the future?
Jamie: My blend of Indie and pop music definitely was inspired by my childhood and growing up in the North East of England in the 2000's. I remember always hearing the likes of, Cheryl (our geordie queen), Little Mix (more geordie queens coincidentally), Beyonce and Taylor Swift. My Mam used to play them in the car and I have always just loved pop. At the same time though I have always loved the sounds of rock and indie music so it was just natural for me to blend the two.
Tori: Your single "Don't Change My Mind" received significant airplay on BBC Radio Newcastle and reached Number 1 on Future Hits Radio's top 40. What was it like to see your song resonate with listeners in this way?
Jamie: This was the best feeling yet of my career so far. I didn't even know the Future Hits top 40 was a thing until I saw my name close to the top of the list. People voting for me purely off liking my song without me even knowing about it was such an amazing feeling and I thank everyone who did vote for me. As for being heard on the radio—that was mental. It's every little musical child's dream to hear themselves on the radio.
Tori: The reviews of your music often mention the intersection of indie and pop elements. How do you balance these two genres in your songwriting and production?
Jamie: In terms of production, I always try to record instruments like guitar and bass instead of using electronic instruments to make sure my intentions to merge the genres are visible in my music. In terms of the songwriting process, I don't really think about genre. I just believe that a good song is a good song if it can be played acoustically and still be a great song so I just try to complete this and then decide how the song is going to sound in terms of production.
Tori: Can you tell us about your creative process when writing songs like "Streetlights" and "Don't Change My Mind"? Do you draw from personal experiences or observations?
Jamie: I rarely sit down and decide to write about how I'm feeling, and if I do they don't see the light of day. I usually put myself in the shoes of someone else. I feel like this makes songs more relatable. They are obviously still truthful and meaningful to me but I usually think of a feeling and then try to write a song to capture that feeling.
Tori: Your music has been praised for its vivid storytelling and lyrical themes. What drives your storytelling approach, and how do you craft your lyrics?
Jamie: The approach I take to storytelling is finding quite mundane everyday things and building a picture around them and pair that with an emotion. For example—the object is streetlights, the setting is nighttime and the emotion is love. I just build around that.
Tori: You've received support from BBC Introducing and various local radio stations. How important is this kind of recognition to your career, and what opportunities has it brought you?
Jamie: The airplay on BBC was a really important step for me personally as it's always been an aim since I found out about it. The music industry is all about your network and who you know, which is why this kind of recognition is really important—getting to know people in the media can only be helpful for an upcoming musician.
Tori: Your music has been compared to artists like Taylor Swift, First Aid Kit, and Phoebe Bridgers. How do you feel about these comparisons, and what do you think sets you apart from these influences?
Jamie: I feel AMAZING about these comparisons. How can I not?! These are definitely some of my inspirations. I think what sets me apart is the rock aspect and my UK, specifically Northern influences that can make my music quite relatable to people outside of London or the USA.
Tori: What message do you hope listeners take away from your music, particularly with songs like "Streetlights" that seem to explore themes of introspection and self-discovery?
Jamie: I don't aim for a specific message in any of my songs really—I’d rather capture feelings than messages—but I do want listeners to feel like they can just enjoy themes and the simple things in life, such as streetlights, and the month of May—like in my latest single.
Tori: Can you walk us through your recording process? Do you typically work with a producer or co-writers, or do you prefer to work alone?
Jamie: When writing for my artist project, I tend to write alone as it means I can do exactly what I want with the song and take it in the right direction. That's not to say they wouldn't be better if co-written but I like to write my artist project stuff myself. Once the song is written, I take it to a producer. I like to remain present throughout production just to make sure it is going in the direction I imagined.
Tori: Your music often features a strong, feminine perspective. How do you see your music fitting into the broader indie-pop landscape, and what role do you think women play in shaping this genre?
Jamie: Honestly, I don't really know where my music fits in. I make the music I want to make and it just turns out how it turns out—I try not to think about genre and it will probably change anyway as I go through different phases in my life. I think there are loads of really amazing women in the indie-pop world at the minute playing a huge role in how femininity can be shown through different views and perspectives—and showing that music doesn't have to be straight up pop for it to be feminine.
Tori: What's the most meaningful feedback you've received from fans or listeners? How does it impact your songwriting and performance?
Jamie: The most meaningful feedback I have received is probably just to "keep them coming"—keep writing songs and don't press the brakes on releasing music.
Tori: You've had success with your recent singles, but what are your long-term goals for your music career? Are there any specific projects or collaborations on the horizon?
Jamie: One massive long term goal I have is to perfect the craft of songwriting. I have been lucky enough to attend Masterclasses from both Bruce Springsteen and Bjorn Ulveus and one thing I noticed is the emphasis they both had on perfecting the craft of songwriting and getting your 10,000 hours in. I know that you have to write a hundred bad songs to get the song. As part of this, I have been writing with lots of different artists throughout lots of different genres, such as dance toplining and pop writing.
Tori: How do you prepare for live performances, and what can fans expect from a Jamie Beth show?
Jamie: When rehearsing for live I let my band have a lot of creative input because they're great at their instruments so are always going to come up with more creative instrumental parts to my songs that I never would have thought of. They always have input on structure etc when performing live too. A Jamie Beth live performance is defos filled with us laughing at each other on stage. Also be very very prepared for my Geordie accent to come out—as for some reason it does whenever I'm on stage!
Tori: Can you tell us about your musical influences and how they've shaped your sound? Are there any specific artists or bands that inspire you?
Jamie: The artists and bands that massively inspire me don't often come across in my music—it's more of a subconscious inspiration from people like The Beatles, Bruce Springsteen, Sam Fender, Catfish and The Bottlemen. Then I have people that I'm inspired by that I feel can be heard in my music—Taylor Swift, Olivia Rodrigo, Gracie Abrams and Holly Humberstone.
Tori: What's next for you in terms of new music or upcoming projects? Are there any exciting releases or performances on the horizon that you can share with us?
Jamie: I have some unreal songs recorded—ones I think are my best yet—nearly ready to be prepared for release. Also I am really delving into more live performances—as they're really something I enjoy. These will be announced on my website and Instagram in the coming months!
Disclaimer: All links and photos are property of the artist and their team and used under permission! This interview is property of TunezandTrendz and may not be distributed for money or used without permission of Tori!
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