Interview with Scarlet Baxter (Country Artist)

December 7, 2017 0 Comments Country, Interviews, Scarlet Baxter, UK Artist

Today on Okie Dreams, I am excited to welcome UK country artist, Scarlet Baxter. Scarlet is set to release her debut country single “SKYDIVE” tomorrow, December 8th, and we are absolutely thrilled to feature her on our site today to talk about her, her music, and the new direction she’s chosen to travel with the release of “SKYDIVE”.

“SKYDIVE” is a beautiful song with captivating, ear-pleasing vocals, engrossing lyrics, and a gorgeous melody that easily captures a listener’s attention. Baxter’s rich, smooth tones effortlessly delivers lyrics about losing love and finding one’s self and thankfully, she brings us along on the journey with her. One listen and you’ll want to play this tune again and again. Great song. Brilliant vocals. Promising new country artist on the horizon.

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH SCARLET BAXTER

Scarlet Baxter

UK COUNTRY ARTIST

Can you tell us a little bit about you and your current release, ‘SKYDIVE’?

Scarlet: Hello! I am Scarlet Baxter, a singer/songwriter from a small town called Brackley but now living in the big city! “Skydive” is my latest release, which I am so excited about. It’s a real, feel-good song that is written about being in control of your feelings.

What drew you to want to record and release ‘SKYDIVE’? Do you feel you captured the feeling you initially felt or that you wanted to create for others with this new song?

Scarlet: Well, I knew I wanted to take a different direction in the songs I was making. I wanted to go down a more stripped back approach with this and really make it about the singing and the music and the lyrics instead of just focusing on songs with big beats and I do feel like we really did create that with this song.

With ‘SKYDIVE,’ you’ve taken your music in a new direction. Tell us a little bit about that and why you felt the need for a change.

Scarlet: I absolutely love RnB and Soul music and that’s what I listen to a lot of, and obviously tried to create that, but I love songs that really show off a voice and tell a story too, and when I do gigs, I always love doing the stripped back performances with just me and my guitarist, and there is no hiding. I get so much more of a thrill off of that, so I decided that is the sort of music I want to now create, but still include the soulful vibe within the music. Plus, I grew up listening to the likes of Celine Dion, Shania Twain, and Whitney Houston, where they literally just sing really good songs and sound insane! I feel like these days within the music industry, it’s all about who has the best beat and I don’t personally think all music should sound the same, so, I want to do something different. I should have been born in a different era!

What is your favorite part of the recording and/or songwriting process? Brainstorming? Writing? Recording? Final product?

Scarlet: Oh, easy!! Absolutely the recording. I love to sing, so any excuse to get on that mic. My favorite part of the recording is when we cut the backgrounds to the song, the vocal producers and producers I work with on my music are just amazing and we end up creating the sweetest backgrounds. We love to layer up on the vocal lines for the background and hearing that back and coming up with the different harmonies is so nice! And then of course when you hear the product, I can never stop smiling.

What has been the most surprising thing you’ve learned or the most challenging aspect you’ve experienced since you began your career in music?

Scarlet: The most surprising thing that I learned when I started my career in music is how visible you need to be on social media. It really is really important within the music industry. I mean, I completely understand and think it’s a great platform for artists to gain fans, but once upon a time, you just needed the talent really. So I would say that is the biggest challenge. It’s not just about the music and talent anymore, its literally how insta-famous you are, or how many followers you have on twitter. So when you enter the world of music you have to sharpen your tools for the social media world, and I would say now that I do enjoy it. You have to plug your art.

When and how did you learn that music and lyrics had power?

Scarlet: From a very young age, Music has always had power to me. I grew up with music like most people do. Music really does help with your mood and emotions, and I think that’s really important. Having a good sing song when you feel sad is the best way to let out your emotions. Music also brings people together; my parents met through the love of music.

What or who would you say has been the biggest influence on you personally and musically?

Scarlet: Personally, my parents, I know that’s a bit cliché, but it’s true. They were once performers and used to sing together and I used to love watching their old videos of them. They are the only two people in my life that I really want to make proud, so, to me it makes them my biggest influence, but if we have to get musical here, then it has to be Celine Dion, just because I think she is something else. She is a definition of a star.

Do you feel your musical tastes have changed as you’ve grown both as a person and as an artist?

Scarlet: In a way, when I was little I was obsessed with Abba, that was my mums influence, and then I grew up listening to all the greats. But as you get into school, you get into the more mainstream music. It was at secondary school when I got into RnB and I have loved it ever since. But I appreciate all genres of music. I love so many artists and so many songs.

How would you describe your current sound?

Scarlet: I would describe it as new country, soul. Yeah, I like that vibe. I call it new country, as I have tried to keep it current and true to me, with a bit of soul.

If you could tell your younger musical self one thing, what would it be and why?

Scarlet: Be patient and do not expect it to be easy. You’re in it for the long haul, keep going.

If you could choose one person to collaborate with, who would you choose and what style of song would you want to record with them?

Scarlet: This is the most difficult question ever! There are so many people I would want to collaborate with. I think I would obviously love to collaborate with Beyoncé and record a song like ‘Daddy Lessons’ and do it completely live and just see what happens.

What’s coming up next for you? Any more releases or performance dates fans should know about?

Scarlet: I have some new tracks that we have finished and are in the pipeline and I seriously think they are the best songs we have done! I am literally so excited about them. When I keep referencing new country with a bit of soul, one of the tracks we have done is absolutely that. And for 2018, I want to be getting together my set with new songs to go around the country and do some live gigs.

But, ‘Skydive’ is available right now for pre-order on iTunes and will be on Spotify from the 8^th December !

MORE ABOUT SCARLET BAXTER

Interview with Scarlet Baxter Scarlet Baxter has already won over audiences and critics with her distinctive velvety tones and lyrical intelligence, but even her latest single, Skydive, will prove a revelation to even her most hard core of fans. While her soulful vocal has drawn comparisons to the equally emotional performer Adele, her intricate compositions have to date explored her love of the timeless R’n’B sound. However, the loyal Shania Twain fan proves on Skydive that she is capable of competing with the likes of Maren Morris, Lauren Alaina and Kelsea Ballerini, who have fused pop, R’n’B and country to create a compelling contemporary sound.

Having supported a wealth of the world’s finest talent, from Chic to Bombay Bicycle Club and Hot Chip, the versatility of her craft has always been evident to those who have played close attention. It is due the eclectic nature of her work to date that Scarlet has earned herself rave reviews and loyal support from the BBC and regional stations up and down the country.

With each release allowing Scarlet to grow as an artist, Scarlet’s solid writing collaborations with the highly acclaimed writer/producer Jud Mahoney (Michael Jackson/Usher/Dolly Parton) and an acclaimed songwriter John McLaughlin (Westlife/Busted/Blue/Sandi Thom) continues to go from strength to strength.

It was during this road of discovery that Scarlet expanded her musical direction. Scarlet said: “I always had a sub conscious love of some of the country music greats, such as Shania Twain. With the emergence of new country and songwriters in the UK, it seemed like a natural step to create a song such as ‘Skydive’. I have always loved RnB music and acoustic stripped back records so we have brought a little of these things to our twist on new country and feel we have made a truly great record. I’m so proud of this record and can’t wait to let everyone hear it!”

Scarlet is adding the finishing touches to her album due for release early 2018