Web Interview: V V Brown
V V Brown is a singer, songwriter, producer and instrumentalist currently living in east London. The talented artist has written songs for successful acts such as the Sugababes and the Pussycat Dolls and is now shifting the focus to her own solo material.
Debut single Crying Blood garnered critical acclaim from the music industry and V V is well-known on the live circuit.
M Online caught up with V V to find out more about her music, her work for other artists and see what advice she has to offer aspiring artists.
1. Tell us something about yourself that no one else knows.
My name is V V Brown. V V being a nickname my friends tend to shout down the street if they see me. I'm a singer song writer producer living in east London. I grew up in the gospel church where I learnt to play organ and learnt classical piano and trumpet at school. I collect vintage keyboards for a hobby and am completely obsessed with music.
2. Your debut single ‘Crying Blood’ features a sample from Bobby Pickett’s ‘Monster Mash’. Why did you decide to sample that song?
A lot of people have referred to the monster mash in regards to Crying Blood. I didn't actually use any sample of the song. A lot of the songs created in that particular era of the monster mash tended to use the famous blues scale where it was very common to have these sort of chord progressions and melody styles. It was part of the stylistic nature. There are many other records that took this on but as the monster mash is the most famous I can see how people would generally associate. The bass line is my one string guitar and I never intended to create a similarity. If you compare the melodies of both songs note from note there is a difference but hey it’s cool to be associated with a cool song!
3. When did you know that being a musician is what you wanted to do for a career?
It’s a cliché and sounds like the words in a Hollywood film, but I remember it being a very spiritual moment of enlightment at the tender age of 5. I made up a song that consisted of 3 notes and kept playing it over and over again on the piano. I was obsessed with the notion of creativity and composition and knew in that moment, even before I knew I wanted to sing, that I needed to create and write music.
4. You’re a singer, songwriter, producer and instrumentalist - what is your favourite part of being a musician?
That's a tough one. All elements are so cool. I think the creation of something is maybe the most interesting. You can be in a studio, sitting there in front of your Mac computer with nothing, a blank page, your guitar and a keyboard, and then in 20 minutes write a song that could change your life or somebody else 's life. Second to creating is definitely live. The feeling of music connecting with others is awesome and humbling.
5. How would you describe your sound?
My sound is do-wop indie whilst traveling on a rocket to outer space.
6. You’ve written for artists including the Sugababes and the Pussycat Dolls. How do you find writing for other artists?
I call it dress up. I get into the minds of other artists. I try and walk and talk like them and put on their personalities. I try and understand their melodic mathematics. What would they sing and how. It’s a different process from writing for yourself because when you 're writing for someone else it’s like becoming an actor or actress . When you're writing for yourself it’s 100 per cent real, naked and true.
7. When will you be hitting the live circuit?
I've been gigging live for the last year and a half , doing the Camden Crawl, which is great , and Glastonbury . We also did V Festival just gone. Coming up are the Notting Hill Carnival and Bestival. We supported The Script and Amy Winehouse , which was awesome. So live is something we've been doing for a while. It’s important to me. Get out there and play! That's what a musician should do. Being locked up in the studio all the time is a bit selfish and boring. You can check out more live dates on my Myspace.
8. How important are royalties to you as a musician?
It’s not the most important thing but it helps you eat.
9. Who are your heroes, music-related or otherwise?
Jesus Christ, Ruth Brown, Ella Fitzgerald, Kim Burrell, Elvis Presley, Imogen Heap, Nintendo.
10. What advice can you give to aspiring singer/songwriters?
It’s important to be true to yourself. Don't compromise. Music is about connection. It’s spiritual and psychological. If you're fake people will smell it. Trust your instincts , learn your craft, gig, write and have fun. If I'm not having fun in the studio, I piss off and go shopping or watch SpongeBob SquarePants. It's important to be you and everything else will fall into place.
www.myspace.com/vvbrown