Rebekah Fitch talks to us about self-doubt, rejection, creative blocks and about being so intrigued by Jack Antonoff [EXCLUSIVE]
Rebekah Fitch kicked off her musical career back in 2016 with an upbeat and hook laden Stroke Of Genius. Since then the Irish singer-songwriter has developed her alt-pop creations as her sound and voice has matured over the years. Fitch has gone from sounding like a youthful Basia Bulat on Here We Go to a soulful torch song siren on her latest, emotive song, Goodbye. The reflective track serves to honour those “significant goodbyes” that Rebekah has had by giving them “enough recognition”. She said, “I wanted to pay homage to those people that have had such profound influence on me and given me so much. In a time of so many goodbyes, I wanted to write something that people could weave into their own personal stories.” The beautiful and powerful piano ballad is Rebekah’s third single this year, following January’s Loose Ends and the live version of her first 2020 single, Dust. All three tracks showcase the ever growing talent and creativity of the Belfast born artist and all point to an even brighter future. The honest and raw intensity that Fitch has captured on her latest releases is incredible, especially when stripped back and exposed, as they are on the piano version of Dust. Fitch has said that further piano sessions will be released. Before they are we caught up with her to find out more.
For those who may be new to your music, how best would you describe your sound?
My sound is usually quite dark alt-pop, melody-centred with an experimental electronic edge. I love strong melodies, I feel that’s often how people connect to a song, but I also love pushing creative boundaries in my production and creating something that has a bit of drama to it.
What challenges have you faced in the music industry so far?
Gosh, what challenges have I not faced? Haha – it’s so important to build your resilience in the creative industries as almost everything you try to do will be met with resistance and challenges. I’ve dealt with everything from self-doubt, rejection and creative blocks to 18 months of no live music! Sometimes it feels like one of the toughest things is trying to get people to care about what you do. There’s such a wealth of talent and music out there that it’s quite an art to create a story around what you do that makes people want to join and be a part of it.
How difficult would you say this career path is in terms of making a name for yourself?
It’s a long game – nothing happens over night and it often takes quite a few years to get to where you want to be. You have to be incredibly motivated, disciplined and driven, always reminding yourself of why you want to do it, otherwise it’s easy to compromise your vision and lose sight of why you love it. If you have talent, determination and something unique to say, I believe you can make a name for yourself.
How important is it for you to have creative control over the work you produce?
Oh, incredibly important. I would argue that’s one of the most important things for me. Having creative control means having control over what I say and how I say it, and that is everything for me. Also, the creative process is the thing I enjoy most, so I always want to maintain ownership over that! If it wasn’t in my control, it wouldn’t feel authentic, and I would feel too detached to care about it in the way I do now.
Where do you draw influence and inspiration from for your work?
I try to draw inspiration from as many different places as possible, so I’m always growing and developing. Lyric-wise, I feel inspired by questions and observations that challenge me, making people think and saying something I feel that needs to be heard. Like any songwriter, I also use writing as a means of processing my own thoughts and experiences. I find the mind so fascinating, why people think they way they think and are the way they are – it’s an endless source of inspiration. Musically, anything that excites me and sparks an idea. I love listening to artists that push creative boundaries.
If you could collaborate with anybody going forward, who would you choose and why?
This is such a difficult one because there are so many! In terms of songwriting, I’m always so intrigued by Jack Antonoff as he’s worked with a tonne of artists that I’m so inspired by (Lana De Rey, Lorde etc) – he must have some sort of magic to be able to create so many groundbreaking songs. I would love to see what would come out of a writing session with him! Artist-wise, I would maybe choose Childish Gambino. I think he is so uniquely creative across so many different artistic forms, and I find his dynamism insanely infectious.
Tell us a random, funny fact about you that not many people know.
Once I managed to bring a blender through airport security. No one batted an eyelid.
Do you have definitive aims or goals for your career?
I think this is something that has changed as I’ve grown as an artist, and as I’ve consolidated my true priorities. It’s easy to say that you want something to grow as big as it can be, but that idea of success is so insatiable and unsatisfying. And so much of it is out of your control! I would say my aims are to keep writing songs that speak to people – challenging them, encouraging them, resonating with them, bringing hope and value. I want to continue always getting better at what I do, to immerse myself in creativity and have the opportunity to work with incredible people, always pushing myself and learning. And of course, being able to do what I love for a living!
Where do you hope to be this time next year?
I would love to have written a whole bunch of new songs that I’m really excited about. This past year has been pretty difficult, and creatively dry, so I would love to be in a place of artistic inspiration where I’m fired up and excited about what I do. That’s just the best feeling ever!
What should we expect from you in the coming weeks and months?
I have a few shows to announce which is really exciting, as well as a few beautiful live piano sessions of my recent singles! I always post about what I’m up to on my Instagram (@rebekahfitch), so you can follow me there! I would love to hear from you!