MacD on Music: Reconceptualise

One of the most surprising things about this job is just how far it reaches. In the past four and a half years, I’ve been contacted by artists from up and down the country and around the world looking to promote their music. Some of them have Derry gigs coming up and want a bit of free advertising, others just want to promote their music with a piece in the paper.

Last summer, I was introduced Sofia Gillani, a London-based singer/songwriter with a string of singles to her name. Recently, Sofia got back in touch with news that she is releasing her debut album ‘Reconceptualise’ (out April 24th) and asked if I’d be up for another interview, so we got a chat not long afterwards to discuss the album and what she’s been doing since we last spoke:

“A lot has changed since last summer. It was quite crazy. We were doing gigs nearly every week, Guilfest, opening for the Jacksons, stuff like that. It was really insane. From there, we’ve been taking the winter, taking the hibernation period as it were, to make music and get ready for my upcoming vinyl that’s coming out. Now that we’ve finally got that in motion and it’s all ready to go, I feel like this summer is going to be bigger than last.”

Next, we spoke about the album: “It’s called ‘Reconceptualise’. It’s very, very fun. It’s my first ever album. We were going to call it an EP to begin with, then we kept adding tracks and adding tracks and we were like ‘We can’t call this an EP. It has to be an album at some point’. It’s basically reflecting on my music career and the stages of it.

"The doubt, the joys of it, moments when I wanted to really put my heart on my sleeve and put that in my music, it’s in that album. Even the title ‘Reconceptualise’ is all about a new version of yourself and allowing you to express yourself. It’s all very fun and pink and purplish and blue, so we’re going for that aesthetic.”

READ MORE: MacD on Music

Speaking about the recording process: “It’s long but really enjoyable. I’m there with my dad and my producer, and we just built from the ground up. I write the lyrics first. I’m very much lyrics before beat, and from there we build the world around the message in those lyrics. ‘Reconceptualise’, the song itself, is very similar to [recent single] ‘Wake Up’ but in a sense that it’s more empowering.

"I wanted the recording process for the songs to have that kind of ‘This is their own moment. Let’s give them time to build their own message but then come together’. One of my favourite periods was over the winter when we were recording it.”

We then spoke about the actual songwriting process, and the difference between what she initially hears in her head vs. what is eventually recorded:

“Lyrics do change as I’m recording, because sometimes it will sound too busy, if that makes sense? Sometimes it will just be long lyrics that won’t sound good when it comes to choruses. At the end of the day, you want it to be impactful, but you want it to be catchy as well. I want to make the music that I would listen to and not make it too personal. It definitely does change, and when I’m trying to translate what I originally thought in my head into the recording process, we definitely tweak words and see if we can make it better and better.”

Finally, I asked if, as an independent artist, would she ever want to be signed to a big label someday: “I feel like there are so many artists coming out right now who want more creative control over their product, and I find that’s mainly due to the label constricting them.

"Now, this is not me saying I wouldn’t want to be, because it would be cool to take the projects that I have to a whole new level, but at the same time, I’m so content with where I am now, doing it completely independently, building my team organically, making music that’s accessible, that there’s no rush, honestly.”

And that’s it from Sofia Gillani. Her debut album ‘Reconceptualise’ is coming out on April 24th and her latest single ‘Wake Up’ is out now on all good streaming services.

Now, onto other business. Whozyerman? (aka Paul Savage, formally of O Emperor), will be releasing his new single ‘Miles Away’ this Thursday (April 2nd). The track is about “nostalgically reminiscing the boredom of teenage years-days spent swaying in the breeze and mindlessly doodling away the summer malaise”.

The track will not be on Spotify due to Whozyerman?’s ongoing boycott. In his own words: “Spotify is leading the charge in terms of a race to the bottom in its respect and value for music...alongside their running of ads recruiting for ICE in America and their CEO investing in war-tech.”

Finally, this Friday (April 3rd) will see some of Derry’s finest playing at the Old Oak in Enniskillen in a Gig for Gaza. The gig features Shasma, Growing Pains, Sensory Overload and many more and all money raised is going to Medical Aid for Palestinians. Tickets are £5 and doors are 6pm.

Finally, time for the socials. Whozyerman? can be found on Instagram @whozyerman and Sofia Gillani @sofia.aneesa.gillani.