Based in the UK, Verity White is an award-winning singer with an exciting and powerful voice, who expresses a vast range of emotion in her lyrics. She takes inspiration from various places – 90s rock bands and grunge to classic soul, industrial and metal through to folk and electronica – all of which can be glimpsed throughout her releases, with the output being brutal and beautiful, emotional rock music. Her debut album “Breaking Out” which came out earlier this month follows 2 previous EP releases and shows a progression into a varied mix of styles that incorporates a lot of her influences, we get a few words from the singer to find out more about her back story and the music she creates.
Verity White’s debut album was released on November 10th and from what the vocalist told us, was a fairly quick and pressure-filled process.
It actually was fairly quick, I’d done a kickstarter to fund the album and promised the CD release by the end of October – the kickstarter ended the first week of August so I really made it hard for myself, especially as I spent a lot of October on tour as well! However, I did it!
Verity continues with details on the album recording and other commitments that led to it being pushed out to meet the deadline.
It was made even more hard by landing a sport slot with the prog rock band Pendragon around Europe which kicks off on 27th October, meaning the CD needed to be printed and pressed before then! I don’t do things by halves. Anyway, it worked out in the end as I happen to work with an amazing producer, who also plays every instrument under the sun and also happens to be my husband, so we worked through it together, as we do with most releases – he lays down basic structures (drums, bass, guitar or synth) and I then take it into a darkened room with lots of coffee and work out what I want the song to be about and come up with lyrics and melodies. We then get to recording and finally add incidental parts after that to highlight specific sections. It got a bit hairy towards the deadline, I think if I’d had a little longer I would have added more incidentals to a couple of the tracks but all in all I’m impressed that we did it, and really happy with the results!
We got my Dad in to do the bass on one of the album tracks, he has always been a great supporter of my music and even took me to recording studio when I was 16 to record some songs I’d written. I wanted to say thank you for it all so this seems like a good way. He was very well behaved!
I think the album is a combination of my first EP and the two singles I released February, there are also heaver elements too which I personally love!
What were some of the things you wanted to achieve with the release?
Breaking Out is my first album and comes just over a year since my very first release Parentheses, I guess I wanted to show more of my sound and the variety and complexity of what I can do, and also I wanted to speak to people, to take them on a journey. It sounds really lame, but all of the lyrics are true and very personal to me, so it’s like a bit of a delve into my soul! If I can speak to one person with a song and they really get it, then that’s my job done, that makes me so overwhelmingly happy.
Do you enjoy the process of creating? Are you someone who continually writes or does the best come out under a little gentle pressure?
Continuous writing, I’ve put a lot of releases out there over the last yer and that’s not going to stop. I have a lot to say and with music you’re always finding new inspiration and new directions, so I think it important to keep putting stuff out there and evolving.
What does it feel like as an artist waiting for the songs you’ve lived with for some time to get released to the fans? Is there a sense of excitement or a little panic in there too?
Its nerve-racking and exciting, so yeah, both! There’s always tracks you love more than the others and you’re excited to see if people like them as much as you do. I’m always surprised at peoples reaction, especially the general positivity I’ve had coming back at me from this album. I guess it comes from my raging self-doubt, but it’s amazing.
What were the lyrical themes of the songs?
All of the lyrics come from true experiences, and although I didn’t intend this to be a concept album. I do think the main theme is overcoming mental health and barriers that you set in your own way. It makes sense as that’s where I am at the moment in life. So yeah., life I guess is the main theme.
Any favorite moments or songs on the release?
My personal favourites are Exhale – which I’m releasing as a single in December, and I Don’t Care. Exhale as it’s just where I am now, and it’s got a wicked time change in it and it just really ROCKS. I Don’t Care as its bouncy and fun, but has a dark message about self destruction too, and that kinda echoes where I was in my life a few years ago. I also really love Overcome, that’s another goodie.
Did you imagine how these songs would play out in a live situation?
I am SO excited about playing them all live on my January tour. I know they’re going to rock. As the music is all written and performed by me and Alex (hubby) we get in session musicians to fill in the parts, so there’s always the slight stress of that, but rehearsals are going well and I think it’s going to sound even more exciting live than on the album!
Verity White started singing at a very young age and performed in various projects and events before branching out on her own as a solo artist but as Verity tells us, it all started from genuine interest from the fans that eventually led to where she is now.
I came back from touring as a backing vocalist in Pendragon, while I was out there people were genuinely asking where they could buy my music, and I was both confused and incredibly happy that they were interested! It really challenged my self belief and made me decide to just GO FOR IT. So I did.
What have been your greatest challenges to date, and your favourite moments musically?
My biggest challenge is myself. I have always too in the way of what I wanted and been riddled with self-doubt. That’s still there of course but I’m using through it and doing it away way, despite the FEAR. Favourite moments, so far I have to say the support slots I just did round Europe were awesome, playing to sold out crowds all over the place, and playing them music I wrote, and them liking it – it’s mind-blowing!
Who are some of your main influences?
I like to listen to loads of different styles of music, and I think you can glimpse them in then music I create too. I couldn’t no mention Nine Inch Nails, as I think whats they do is incredible, the way their music evolves with the times but still keeps it’s core is incredible and that’s down to Trent Reznor being some kind of musical genius. I also really love straight up rock like Foo Fighters and Royal Blood, 90’s classics like Veruca Salt and Skunk Anasie, and weird and wonderful other stuff like Lamb, Amanda Palmer and Fenech Soler.
From what you’ve learned so far what is the most valuable advice you’ve been given so far as a musician?
Be yourself – I think it ties into the ‘rise of the cult of celebrity’ as people are packaged up nicely into these neat boxes and sold as commodities and well, they’re not human. Being real, that’s what we’ve got and that’s out unique selling point.
With technology changing so much over the last few years and seemingly not slowing, and TV force-feeding us the lowest common denominator, what hope is there for rock & metal music?
I actually think that rock and metal is where there is a lot of creative energy at the moment. There are so many people who can just sit in their rooms writing stuff, and yeah some of it is okay, but to get a band together and perform and get that down onto recordings, that takes time and true skill. Sure the spoon-fed masses will always just nibble up when they’re fed by the media, but the real talent and creation is in our passionate scene, and we can take those mainstream influences and bend them into something more powerful and more melodic! Rock and Metal are always influenced by emotion, and whats more emotional than the state of things at the moment in society – I think it’s a great time and we’re gonna see a massive heyday.
How do you feel about the current music scene right now?
It’s a bit broken, it SO ruled by media and pop culture than real music is being lost. However saying that there is a thriving indie scene and s much talent out there if you look in the right places! Stay out of the mainstream!
Do you believe music can still change the world?
Yes, undoubtably. Any artistic endeavour has the power to make people feel things.
If you could be a fly on the wall for the recording of any album in history, what album would it be?
Fleetwood Mac – Rumours – can you even IMAGINE?!
What is the meaning of life?
42, obviously.
More info about Verity White can be found at veritywhite.com
