Sonja Sleator Interview

What was the music scene like when you were growing up in Belfast?

I didn't really get into the music scene until I was 18 because I couldn't get into any gigs or pubs! But when I finally was able to it was great! Loads of open mic nights and lots of sweaty gigs in small rooms thinking my mates band were the next big thing! Haha!

What was the first album you bought?

Well, for Christmas one year I asked for Shania Twain - Come On Over and Eminem - The Marshall Mathers LP. I think I was about nine so I couldn't actually afford to buy them myself. But I think with my own cash was Good Charlotte – The Young and the Hopeless. I remember it costing about £15 and I had to save for ages!

What was the first gig you attended?

I think it was Alloy Mental in a tent while waiting for Faithless to come on. It was amazing!

When did you decide that you wanted to be a singer or did it just kind of happen?

I always thought I was going to be a writer but I think I secretly wanted to be a singer / musician but I just didn't ever tell anyone. I asked my mum for a guitar when I was 14. She said yes but I think maybe she thought I was going through a phase. When I then started my GCSEs I told my mum after I finished those exams I was going straight into a music performance course at tech and haven't looked back since.

What steps did you take to start your career? 

Learning an instrument was a great kickstart. I had no grades in music when starting in tech. I didn't even study music for GCSE so I can't read it. I've had to do it all by just joining in and trying things out. Studying Music Performance was great because I got to work on my own and with other musicians who knew a great deal more than me. So I learnt a lot. I wasn't sure at the time if I wanted to be a solo musician or be part of a band so it gave me time to explore both. I also booked a week in The Sylvia Young Theatre School to see if theatre would have been a good direction for me. It wasn't... haha! But it was still a great experience. Joining a band though in 2011 was the best thing. It really opened my eyes to a lot of possibilities.

When did you play your first gig and where?

My first proper gig outside of tech was in 2011 with my first band Novo Rapids in the Pavilion in Belfast.

Did songwriting come to you naturally or did you have to work hard at it?

Writing comes naturally to me. I've kept a journal for years and before I picked up the guitar I wrote stories / poetry. Doing those things meant that when it came to writing songs I had a bit of a headstart. Although now I'm older I'd like to hope my songwriting has become stronger as more important life things have happened.

Your songs always seem full of honesty and emotion, how much of yourself are you willing to put into the lyrics? 

I'm pretty open to putting as much of me as I feel necessary into my lyrics. I was the youngest and quietest of four very loud and outspoken siblings. The easiest way for me to feel as if I had a voice was to put it into a song. I just feel now with experience and years of practice I can find better ways to relay what Im singing about.

What's the worst thing that's happened at one of your own gigs?

Taking diabetic lows on stage is the worst! But once I forgot to turn on a guitar pedal when playing a pretty big gig. I could see the sound man frantically looking to see why nothing was coming out of my guitar. Thankfully it was only on one song and my guitarist realised what I'd done and kicked it on for me. Haha!

What was the best gig you were at?

Can I pick 3? Ryan Adams, Mcfly and The Prodigy. What a mix! All three were unreal!

And best gig that you played?

I recently played a gig in Donegal in the Balor Arts Centre. The sound on stage was amazing which makes such a difference! My band were chilled and everyone just seemed happy and relaxed. The audience seemed to like my stories for each song so yeah... it was a really enjoyable gig!

If you could pick a venue in Ireland to play, what would be the pinnacle for you?

The Olympia I think. Lots of musicians I admire have played there and it's a pretty beautiful venue.

What was the last concert you were at?

I think it was Brian Fallon from The Gaslight Anthem in Dublin. He was doing a solo gig and my mates had a extra ticket so I went along!

There seems to me that there's a huge amount of talent emerging from Northern Ireland lately and Belfast in particular. What do you attribute that to or was it always there but only making it's way south recently?

Yeah I think it's always been here, there has always just been that divide between north and south and it sometimes seems hard for musicians to cross over. I prefer playing in the south. I think the audience give more of a shit and actually want to hear the musicians play.

Being a huge fan of Ryan Adams and naming your EP after him, what emotions did you feel after reading the New York Times article?

Oh man I was totally gutted. I fell into this weird place for a number of weeks. The only thing that made me feel better was to listen to his music again. People might not agree with me doing that or think it's weird. But it's just how I feel about the situation really.

How difficult was it for you to take down the "Adams" EP after the amount of love and effort you put into it?

It was extremely difficult. I just needed time to think and at the time I couldn't think straight at all. I didn't know what the best decision was. After talking it over with my manager we decided to take it down but we're planning to re-release some of the tracks in the next year.

You've been very prolific releasing singles and EPs, when can we expect the debut album?

There is talk of an album... but it might not be until 2021. Unless I amazingly win the lotto sometime soon haha!

What Irish musicians do you currently like and would recommend?

I'm really liking David Keenan. I saw him support Hozier recently that was class. Also a fan of Jaxson who played a solo gig in Belfast last weekend there. He was amazing. I also really liked Constant Supply from Donegal. Check them out if you haven't already!

What does 2020 hold in store for you?

Possibly something quite different. It's still in the works and rehearsals start next week to see how it's all panning out! So fingers crossed!

What do you want for Christmas?

Snow!