Here she talks about getting started, the challenges and achievements of
life in the music industry and what she has been up to creatively.
Listen to a full audio interview with Susie Blue HERE
GETTING STARTED
The first time I performed my own stuff or covers even was the open
mic night in Cafe del Mondo. It was the support of the people who went there, there was no
judgement and I think that’s good. If you can create a safe space for musicians to come and
sing and maybe mess up, most likely mess up the first time, and have people be open and
accepting and applauding them anyway, that’s one of the big things that helped push me
forward.
PROUDEST MOMENTS
Playing Glastonbury was unbelievable. It was really nice to go
with my band and do a little roadtrip and have that on the cv to say we played that amazing
festival. Every time I get asked to play Pride, any Pride, I am very excited. I remember going to
Pride for the first time when I was sixteen in Belfast and feeling so ashamed of myself. Being
asked to play now, being on the stage and looking down and seeing all the sixteen-year-olds
standing waiting to hear somebody like them sing, that’s one of my biggest accomplishments.
CHALLENGES
Being undermined or people not expecting me to be able to do the things I do, or doubting me.
But I think every young woman faces that in the music industry anyway and
I look really young as well so there’s that double factor where they think ‘she’s just a kid’. It’s
frustrating but it’s nice to be able to prove them wrong because I do know what I’m capable of
and I know what I can do. I didn’t for a long time but I’ve taken the stance now to not let
anybody put me down, I won’t placate anybody. I used to, just to have an easy life. Now if I
know I’m right, I’m going to say I know I’m right.
NEW WORK
During lockdown I was able to record still because there was the bubble thing
at the start. My friend Johnny from the band Wynona Bleach, we’re neighbours, and he has a
studio that we were able to use. I think I’ve got six new songs now.
I’ll be playing in the Nerve Centre on the 26 th November and that’s the only thing I’ve got lined
up so far. I am focussing on creating a film and doing the soundtrack for that. I want to get the
full band together but there’s four boys and me and two live in Derry so it’s hard to get to
practise together and we haven’t actually played the new EP together yet because we’ve been
in lockdown. I’ve wanted to make a short film for a while. It’s been a long time in the making. Lockdown
helped with getting it off the ground because I was able to focus more on it but hopefully it will
be out next summer. Depending, because I’m getting married in May.
MOVING TO BELFAST
Moving to Belfast has meant meeting new people and being able
to collaborate with new people. It always opens you up creatively to be in a new place. It’s the
same vibe, local musicians who just want to play tunes and have the craic, it’s just there’s more
of them. There’s a lot of different scenes whereas Derry only has one core music scene where
they all know each other and everybody’s helping each other and they’re having the craic
together whereas in Belfast there are little off branches of people I’ve never even heard of.
THE DREAM BAND FOR ONE NIGHT ONLY
If I could do it I would put together an acapello group with me, Sinead O’Connor and Alanis Morissette.
We could bring Christy Moore in as well, he’d add nice little low notes in.
Susie will be headlining the Promising After Party on 26 November at the Nerve Centre.
Further details HERE
#foylefilmfestival
#promisingafterparty
Find Susie Blue’s new EP Boys Boys Boys on
Spotify, Apple and the usual streaming platforms
Music video for MAY GOD FORGIVE YOU
www.susieblueofficial.com
Instagram: @Susieblueofficial
Twitter: @susiebluemusic
Facebook: @Susie blue
Festival Club is an event curated by Dead On Events by way of Nerve Centre's OCN Events Management course.