ARTIST SPOTLIGHT – EUAN BLACKMAN
Euan Blackman is the enigmatic alt folk singer-songwriter who is effortlessly building a legion of fans globally in a understated yet effective way. Influenced by the likes of Nick Drake and Bruce Springsteen these influences that span ages and continents, come together to present something quite unique.
We caught up with him to chat music, influence and next steps.
Tell us how you got into making music?
I first picked up the guitar when I was in primary school. I learnt classical for a few years and then switched to electric in high-school – wanting to be a blues-rock guitar player like Hendrix and SRV. I was very lucky that my brother Jack is an exceptional guitar player/performer and I stole a lot from him early on. I was also able to play in bands as a teenager thanks to ‘Alcester Rock Academy’ in high school – playing shows in literally every pub around the towns of Warwickshire. I also used to play with my brother’s band a lot – and was able to play a lot of great festivals around Birmingham as a teen.
I later fell into music production and songwriting – as I wanted to make my own records and songs. I found my vocal tone and range suited to more folky/acoustic music – so I focused on producing/writing in this world for a fair few years. It’s only over the last year or so I’ve branched out into more drum/sample lead – pop/rock kinda tunes. I think the progression from guitar player – acoustic songwriter – pop/rock producer/artist is quite a stereotypical path for many artists. But it’s definitely set me up with all the skills I need to make the music in my head a reality.
How would you describe your sound and what you are bringing to the table musically?
I describe my sound as ‘alt folk for kind folk’ – I’ll break this down…
Songwriting-wise – my lyricism and melodies are inspired by a lot of the great storytellers of US folk/americana music – Springsteen, Joni Mitchell, The Jayhawks, The Band, etc.
Production/sound-choice wise – I like to take these ‘classic’ song structures/ideas – and present them in a more ‘alternative’ way – I love the production of bands like The Blue Nile, Talking Heads and The War On Drugs. Through drum samples/synths/guitar effects – I feel like I present a refreshing style of ‘folk/indie’ music that is still true to the art of songwriting.
The ‘kind folk’ part is I hope that the people I make music for are nice lol…
You are not from Liverpool originally, how did you come to be here and how has Liverpool influenced your music and music career?
As a kid I quite frequently travelled to Liverpool – as both my parents studied here in the 80s to become teachers. So I always had a sense of the history of the place. I was luckily able to study Music for 3 years at LIPA which was an incredible experience. There’s nothing more humbling than being surrounded my artists/songwriters who are better than you – it definitely forced me to work on my craft and figure out what made me unique as an artist.
Living and working in Liverpool has had a huge influence on my musical career. I really don’t make music that has the prototypical Liverpool ‘indie’ vibe. But the city has done a lot for me – especially being part of the LIMF Academy – which has introduced me to so many music industry heads – whom I assumed didn’t exist outside of London. It’s so rare to be in a city that genuinely feels like it has a thriving music scene – with proper venues. Growing up in Warwickshire – the best you’d get is a pub with no audience.
If you had to pick your favourite song (by yourself) what would it be and why?
My favourite track is actually the song I just put out ‘I Don’t Think About It (Too Much)’. I think it’s the closest I’ve come to writing something that feels relatable to my generation. It’s all about avoidance, there’s so much to worry and stress about nowadays – this song is an anthem for pushing it away sometimes. People have said it’s like a 2024 Elliott Smith song – which is a HUGE compliment. It’s a super simple song really – and I think those are the best.
You are adept at building traction of the likes of TikTok. So many music creators would love that skill. How have you managed to build that?
I think the way I approach TikTok has changed a lot over the past few years. As much as there’s benefit to chasing trends, etc – my core content recently has been quite simple – just performing my music – raw and acoustically. My audience seems to resonate with my ideas/demos/performances as simply as they get. Consistency is key on TikTok – I try to just post 1 video a day. Also being aware of what others in your scene are contributing and what’s performing well within your genre. It’s super important to understand where you fit in within that world. One of my favourite artists on TikTok is Simon Robert French. They literally just write songs, film them and post them. Don’t overthink it.
What’s next?
I’m currently in the build up to releasing my third EP ‘Thunderstorms’. I’ve been super lucky to have worked with some great people on this record including Tarek Musa who mixed the project and Ripe Records – a new indie label who’ve helped with the pitching of the tracks. I’m going to be releasing the next track ‘NOTHING2U’ next month – which is super exciting as it’s my most angsty/indie-rock kinda tune I’ve ever put out. To all the folky peeps – don’t worry more acoustic stuff will come soon! But this is my chance to rock out. It’s a song designed to be turned up loud.
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