We are very excited to reintroduce you all to a familiar face, Beth Munroe read our interview to find out more about what she has been up to…
Beth Munroe, I believe we’ve met before…am I right?
Yeah, I was the guitarist and singer in a band called Rooted a little while ago, you were always really supportive of us! We had a great time touring all over and built up a really amazing fanbase but since we last spoke I’ve struck out on my own and found better things.
You’ve been away for a little while and I have heard it through the grapevine that you’ve been busy working on a project…
Yes, I’ve been signed by WMTH Records as a solo artist! I’ve spent the last few months in and out of the studio. I have a brand new music video out right now. My new EP The Euphoria of Losing Everything will be out at the end of April. Then I have a UK & Ireland tour throughout May and June. I’m so excited!
Wow, so there has been a great amount of change from the last time we met…does this mean that the music has changed compared to your previous projects?
Yeah, definitely. The genre has moved into more of an Indietronica vibe, pairing guitar with vocal layers, programming and synths. Think CHVRCHES, London Grammar, Fickle Friends, that kind of thing. I was always the songwriter in Rooted so I think underneath you can still hear that it’s me, there’s still elements of bluesy rock in there too.
Tell us about who Beth Munroe is…what do you as an artist stand for?
This EP specifically talks about loss, and how it’s not always bad. I’m not the flashiest guitarist or the most impressive singer, but I am determined. I held on even as I lost my home, my health, my band, and people I cared about. I’m all about putting across the lessons I’ve learned, in the hope that it might help someone else, and this time I’ve learned that loss is not always a bad thing: sometimes you need to lose everything you thought you needed, so you can stop being so afraid.
Influence wise where do you draw your influences from predominantly?
There’s definitely a long journey of influence, starting with Muse, Radiohead, and Tom Morello, and then through Blues and soul artists like Robert Johnson, Sister Rosetta Tharpe and Etta James. And recently I’ve found my love for CHVRCHES, Lorde, Alt-J and Everything Everything; This really deep, significant movement of dark, atmospheric indie that feels like the future. I feel like everything’s led me to creating this combination of all the above.
How was the writing and recording process for the EP for you?
It was so much fun, honestly. We spent loads of time in a really gorgeous hi-tech studio where the mic cupboard alone cost about 100K. There was this huge, stunning grand piano that we ended up using a lot just because it seemed like a waste not to! We took the time to record all the vocal and guitar layers and get them right, then piano, and then the rest of the time we spent experimenting with all the software and programming the bass and synths together with the production team. Every moment of it was the best fun, when we finished it was a massive accomplishment, but I was a little bit heartbroken that it was over.
Was it weird not having a band to confer with or fall back on?
In the nicest way possible, with Rooted I kind of did everything anyway… It’s the main reason I walked away actually. The production team I’m now working with with are all exceptionally talented musicians and producers, and I welcomed their opinions on what worked, and what didn’t. They really deeply cared about this EP, and were with me every step of the way. I was more supported and guided with this project than I have ever been in the past. I was so grateful to find people with such a passionate attitude, and I’m planning to work with a couple of the producers again.
What would you say the most important thing for your audience to understand about you as an artist is?
That there’s still a lot more to come, I haven’t hit the ceiling of my potential, far from it. I feel like I’ve finally found what I’m meant to be doing after years of floundering. Right now is the first step on a path that’s really new and exciting, and actually going somewhere. We already have a 2nd EP planned in the summer, as well as a European tour later in the year. After so many years of work I can finally feel the momentum, and the potential of what could happen, and I want everyone else to feel that too.
Do you have any gigs coming up soon?
These are the date’s we’ve confirmed so far – We’re in the process now of confirming a lot more.
Fri 4th May – Shoot, Aylesbury
Sun 6th May – Rose & Crown, Walthamstow, London
Wed 9th May – The Brunswick, Hove
Sat 12th May – The Verve, Leeds
Fri 18th May – The Lab, Northampton
Thurs 24th May – Printers Playhouse, Eastbourne Fri 1st June – Urban Bar, Whitechapel, London
Fri 8th June – Scream Lounge, Croydon
Fri 15th June – Zanzibar club, Liverpool
Sat 23rd June – Wight Rock Isle of Wight
Where do you hope to be within the next five years in terms of your career?
WMTH Records and I already have this year planned; with a 2nd EP soon, and an International tour after that. We also have some really exciting collaborations that I can’t really talk about now! The next step after that is to migrate to a larger label and start thinking about a full Album. I have so much material waiting so it’s amazing to finally be like full steam ahead, you know? If I have to do it all as a solo artist I will, but I’m always on the lookout for the right people. At year 4 or 5 I would love to get to a point where we have a large enough fanbase that I can support myself through music alone. I remember seeing the Joy Formidable live and thinking that they were just at the perfect place I wanted to be. Touring all over the world with a really loyal fanbase, doing what they love, being an amazing positive influence for a living. I’ll do everything I need to get there.
The Euphoria of Losing Everything-Review
The Euphoria Of Losing Everything is an amazing, neat and soul bearing EP consisting of four tracks; Brighton, Drive, Masochist and Skin. Beth Munroe can be found in every note played and sang within this EP, her hauntingly delicate vocals rip straight into the core of you as she tells her very personal story and lets out all of her vulnerabilities for us all to see. Very strong arrangements sustained throughout as allows the lyrics and vocals to be most cutting, as mentioned within her interview the use of the Piano was definitely not a waste as it adds depth to the mix.
To find out more about Beth Munroe and her upcoming gigs, news and releases then please follow the link below and keep yourselves informed: