1) Where did it all start for you?
Well, Fordë started back in Summer last year as a little side project to keep myself sharp and level up my song writing and production. I was sat on some material that I couldn’t fit anywhere else and I had all this ‘stuff’ inside me that I had to get out, so I worked on it in-between work and my band Shotplate, but I was always plagued with this idea that ‘I couldn’t do it’ or ‘it’s not good enough’. There was that looming wall of self-doubt. The arch enemy of any artist! Then, this lockdown rolls around and the furlough kicks in. I had all this time, time to get dug in and really work on those songs, after some challenging days I realised I can do it (or maybe cabin fever set in, who knows! 😅) but I really felt my mental state turn around in that time. Weeks later, the EP I told myself I’d release became an album, and I’m super excited to get it out there and continue creating.
2) Describe your writing process?
I suppose a song starts in a few ways for me, it might start with a catchy vocal I sang to myself walking home, or in the shower. Or, I’ll set out to make a song and mash my keyboard in Ableton until something falls into place and then spend some hours fleshing it out, or scrapping it completely. Sometimes it starts on just the guitar, then I build the track around that. What I find is when I’m sitting on the couch and making something on a whim, that’s where I hit a nugget of gold, usually in a place where I haven’t put the pressure on myself, so it’s important to stay loose and enjoy the process, then you’re winning. That’s not to say you should wait for inspiration, you have to push and pull until you’re in the headspace, it’s just letting go of the pressure to have something radio ready straight away. You’ll know it when you’ve hit on something worth taking forward
3) What memorable responses have you had to you work?
Hmm notable responses...this is my first substantial release as Fordë, so I’ve not had too many responses yet, however, I’ve circulated a few of the tracks with my friends and they’ve liked the songs, which is always nice, and the single ‘Oh, Lord!’ garnered a few nice comments. Someone on my Instagram said it was ‘well mixed’ which was an absolute treat, when you’re sat there messing with knobs and levels you get stuck inside your own head, so that was good to know.
I think the most valuable response I’ve had though is inspiring people in some small way through this journey already, not that I’m any sort of a role model, but I’ve had messages from some of the collaborators saying they’ve been inspired and are now working on their own stuff. It’s been humbling to know that’s helped some of them move forward a little more, and that’s what I want to try and deliver on a larger scale one day, inspiration and the belief that you can do it!
4) Name three Artist's you would like to be compared to?
Offft, now, I’d really love it if someone could see the Blink-182 influences in the music and say I’m the electro British Tom Delonge or something 😂 that would be sweet. I’d also like to be compared to the likes of Rex Orange County, even though he’s way more jazzy in his songwriting, I feel thematically we might be on a wavelength, being a wishful thinker, I could imagine supporting him and not being too out of place! And lastly, just to have my ego stroked, would be the late legend Lil Peep. I actually hadn’t heard his stuff until the Netflix documentary dropped, but it’s everything I’d like to achieve. That mix of pop punk/rap is awesome, I’m not sure I’d go too far down the rap road, but I really like his songs and the way they sound. If someone was to compare me to likes of him in terms of musical pioneering, then, yeah, pop my head before it gets too big!
5) Professionally, what's your Goal?
Ah, the big question...my goal professionally is your typical, ‘I just wanna be able to live off of it’, but to go deeper, it’s to build a platform where I can resonate with people and hopefully pull them out of any mind holes they might have fallen into. It’s also to use this platform as a force for positive change down the line, create a movement of people all gunning for the betterment of humanity. Too deep? Headlining Glasto would be good! I’d also love to collaborate with some of my favourite artists, that’s a big goal of mine. I’m looking at you Soupy from The Wonder Years, and where d’you think you’re going Matty from the 1975...
6) What's next for you?
I guess my next step is to keep creating, this lockdown has taught me so much in the act of ‘just doing’, so I’m going to continue that and keep honing the craft and put out music more often with more content, and not overthink it too much. Then, when we’re allowed, I’ll probably have a look at booking some gigs to break in some of the tunes!
7) Message for your fans?
A message to my fans, well, as of right now there’s not may of you! But to everyone who has heard the songs, enjoyed them and encouraged me along the way, I can’t thank you enough for believing in me and giving me that push to go for it. Should millions come back here and read this in the future, thank you so much from my past self, you’re the reason I’m where I am then 😂 Big Love x
Well, Fordë started back in Summer last year as a little side project to keep myself sharp and level up my song writing and production. I was sat on some material that I couldn’t fit anywhere else and I had all this ‘stuff’ inside me that I had to get out, so I worked on it in-between work and my band Shotplate, but I was always plagued with this idea that ‘I couldn’t do it’ or ‘it’s not good enough’. There was that looming wall of self-doubt. The arch enemy of any artist! Then, this lockdown rolls around and the furlough kicks in. I had all this time, time to get dug in and really work on those songs, after some challenging days I realised I can do it (or maybe cabin fever set in, who knows! 😅) but I really felt my mental state turn around in that time. Weeks later, the EP I told myself I’d release became an album, and I’m super excited to get it out there and continue creating.
2) Describe your writing process?
I suppose a song starts in a few ways for me, it might start with a catchy vocal I sang to myself walking home, or in the shower. Or, I’ll set out to make a song and mash my keyboard in Ableton until something falls into place and then spend some hours fleshing it out, or scrapping it completely. Sometimes it starts on just the guitar, then I build the track around that. What I find is when I’m sitting on the couch and making something on a whim, that’s where I hit a nugget of gold, usually in a place where I haven’t put the pressure on myself, so it’s important to stay loose and enjoy the process, then you’re winning. That’s not to say you should wait for inspiration, you have to push and pull until you’re in the headspace, it’s just letting go of the pressure to have something radio ready straight away. You’ll know it when you’ve hit on something worth taking forward
3) What memorable responses have you had to you work?
Hmm notable responses...this is my first substantial release as Fordë, so I’ve not had too many responses yet, however, I’ve circulated a few of the tracks with my friends and they’ve liked the songs, which is always nice, and the single ‘Oh, Lord!’ garnered a few nice comments. Someone on my Instagram said it was ‘well mixed’ which was an absolute treat, when you’re sat there messing with knobs and levels you get stuck inside your own head, so that was good to know.
I think the most valuable response I’ve had though is inspiring people in some small way through this journey already, not that I’m any sort of a role model, but I’ve had messages from some of the collaborators saying they’ve been inspired and are now working on their own stuff. It’s been humbling to know that’s helped some of them move forward a little more, and that’s what I want to try and deliver on a larger scale one day, inspiration and the belief that you can do it!
4) Name three Artist's you would like to be compared to?
Offft, now, I’d really love it if someone could see the Blink-182 influences in the music and say I’m the electro British Tom Delonge or something 😂 that would be sweet. I’d also like to be compared to the likes of Rex Orange County, even though he’s way more jazzy in his songwriting, I feel thematically we might be on a wavelength, being a wishful thinker, I could imagine supporting him and not being too out of place! And lastly, just to have my ego stroked, would be the late legend Lil Peep. I actually hadn’t heard his stuff until the Netflix documentary dropped, but it’s everything I’d like to achieve. That mix of pop punk/rap is awesome, I’m not sure I’d go too far down the rap road, but I really like his songs and the way they sound. If someone was to compare me to likes of him in terms of musical pioneering, then, yeah, pop my head before it gets too big!
5) Professionally, what's your Goal?
Ah, the big question...my goal professionally is your typical, ‘I just wanna be able to live off of it’, but to go deeper, it’s to build a platform where I can resonate with people and hopefully pull them out of any mind holes they might have fallen into. It’s also to use this platform as a force for positive change down the line, create a movement of people all gunning for the betterment of humanity. Too deep? Headlining Glasto would be good! I’d also love to collaborate with some of my favourite artists, that’s a big goal of mine. I’m looking at you Soupy from The Wonder Years, and where d’you think you’re going Matty from the 1975...
6) What's next for you?
I guess my next step is to keep creating, this lockdown has taught me so much in the act of ‘just doing’, so I’m going to continue that and keep honing the craft and put out music more often with more content, and not overthink it too much. Then, when we’re allowed, I’ll probably have a look at booking some gigs to break in some of the tunes!
7) Message for your fans?
A message to my fans, well, as of right now there’s not may of you! But to everyone who has heard the songs, enjoyed them and encouraged me along the way, I can’t thank you enough for believing in me and giving me that push to go for it. Should millions come back here and read this in the future, thank you so much from my past self, you’re the reason I’m where I am then 😂 Big Love x
Forde's Debut EP "Despite Yesterday" is released on July 31st on all major digital platforms!
Social Links
Facebook: www.facebook.com/heyitsforde/
Facebook: www.facebook.com/heyitsforde/
Twitter: www.twitter.com/heyitsforde
Instagram: @heyitsforde
Instagram: @heyitsforde
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