Interview: Stella West Shares Insights On Her Musical Journey

While stumbling upon her catalog Stella West expressed the love for music and showcased the compositions that have overwhelmed the fans and followers. This interview gives a brief about the qualities of this great musician and details about her new single:

Thank you for your time. Thanks for speaking with us! How’s everything going?

Likewise. Things are going very well. I’ve been making a lot of music during the lockdown and am quite enjoying the freedom of being able to write and sing every day.

What sets your music apart? What is unique, or at least uncommon?

I was always a writer before I was a singer, so for me, my lyrics are what sets my music apart. I tend to write stories and poems more than anything and I believe that reflects in my music. I also happen to have a good ear for interesting sounds, so it’s a good match!

What is the motivation behind such a lyrically rich and melodically unique single “Ode to the Devil (Mother Mary)”?

Ode To The Devil is about pain. It is a woman pleading with Mother Mary herself to release her of her turmoil and finally accepting that her horror is too abhorrent even for angels to see. Which makes her feel like The Devil in some way. I suppose you could say it is about inner conflict and desperation when in times of grief or great sadness. I feel a lot of people can relate to that. It has this jazzy feel, as I felt that it needed to be tasteful if it was about religion and deep pain and for me, Jazz has always felt very tasteful. It was an interesting record to make.

How do you deal with writer’s block?

I don’t. When I don’t have the urge to write I simply do not. I only write when I am inspired or when an interesting thought comes to mind and the songs seem to write themselves. Writing shouldn’t be a chore. I try not to force it, because I’ve found forcing words is almost like forcing yourself to vomit. It can’t be healthy and it definitely isn’t enjoyable. If there’s nothing happening, it obviously doesn’t need to be said.

You have an amazing voice. Are you vocally trained?

Thank you! My voice has changed over the years. It seems the older I get the more my voice carries with it a kind of wisdom if that makes sense. As you figure life out and grow, your voice seems to follow. When I was a naive teenager you could hear that in my voice. When I was a confused 21 year old so was my voice and so on. I haven’t had any training, I feel the evolution of my voice is solely down to me and my life and my story. I am working towards a degree in music and singing which is helpful for certain things, but otherwise, I’m self-taught and/or born with a decent singing voice. I don’t know what I’d do without the ability to sing or write. I’d probably just scream and put some music to it!

What is one message you would give to your fans?

There is never a “right” time. Don’t wait until your hair grows to a certain length or until your weight is perfect, just dive in the deep end. It’s always best to follow your dreams when you don’t feel ready. The universe admires the courage and will reward you for it. I speak from experience. The perfect time never comes anyway.

If you could collaborate with any artist, who would it be?

There are just so many! The first artist that comes to mind is Nick Cave. I feel his talents and mine would meld beautifully.

Thank you for speaking with us! For our final question, is there anything else you would like to add?

My new album Little Black Book With My Poems In will be ready on 3rd June this year. It’s a concept album about a woman’s journey of vengeance and is greatly inspired by Wild West movies. It’s like a whole movie in itself and I hope I can reach new audiences and move people with it. It’s a collection of songs I’ve written over the years and from them emerged this idea. I have been trying to pin down a sound I recognized in both blues and country music and managed to piece them together to make the sound of the album. I hope there’s an interest in the new album as it means a lot to me. Even if it moves and relates to just one person it would be a huge success to me.

Catch Up With Stella West: