In Conversation With.. Sapling
Over recent months the rate of digital music production and the consumption of it has accelerated in the new reality of the pandemic. Albeit on a low production D.I.Y. level, music has still managed to perpetuate due to the fact that it is much more straightforward to ideate, write and produce music than most other forms of media right now. Throughout the months of lockdown, mixed emotions and the much-needed isolation for music creators such as Sapling has not only fueled innovation in music creation, but also posed a rightful respite to reflect and plan on how to re-enter a broken world artistically.
Sapling is a name you need to get acquainted with. Currently based in Brighton, Sapling, locally known as Bethany Smith is an alt-pop artist and producer from Dumfries. Influenced by the likes of indie, electronic, and 60s/70s protest music whilst growing up, she expresses emotion and protest, mixed with inspirations of dance, pop and soul – creating her own unique sound. Like most brave new music makers, Sapling’s determination to “…try [and] not stick myself in a box too much…” has been very much a working progress. Sapling explains that by defining and practicing her sound “can really mess with [her] intuition of what comes next”. Making a mark with her honest take on pop music, Sapling identifies herself as a bit of a free-bird when it comes to making music, assuring everyone and herself, she notes “But I always have an idea of where I’m heading with things”.
As an independent, unsigned artist, Sapling has always taken a driving seat in the production work of her own music. With the likes of her most recent single release of ‘Honey Let it Burn’, back in January this year, Sapling finds that an artist-producer crossover works best for her approach: “For me they really come hand in hand. I have to be an artist in order to produce, and I find the process has become pretty entwined these days, which is fun”.
Despite being co-produced by Miguel Pessanha, Sapling owns the track entirely as it proves to be one of those bold and empowering pop moments through its songwriting alone. Writing lyrics that speak volumes on a range of subjects, Sapling’s writing is a commentary on the plight of going through the motions of everyday life, and not feeling enriched with what you are doing. Considered more of a D.I.Y. artist, Sapling, like so many others anticipates a bit of a renaissance when it comes to creative collaboration: “I’ve been thinking of sharing a bit more, as I unintentionally tend to keep it to myself”. Sapling believes that the unsurprising pause of everything has helped highlight this new phenomenon.
As much as Sapling has kept a creative focus throughout lockdown, she is one of those artists who never felt pressured to create. However, she admits: “I think it’s easy to feel a lot of pressure to kind of force yourself to be productive and create something because you feel like you should”. However, at the start of the pandemic, like most people, Sapling felt much the opposite: “I would crack a beer at midday and sit in the sun reading like I was on holiday and not really knowing what to do with myself or the situation”. After a while, Sapling used such invaluable time to reflect, evaluate and patiently wait for that natural urge to sit down and write. She explains that “It’s a part of who I am and what I’ve done since I was a kid, so I think no matter the circumstance I’ll naturally resort to music and letting a lot of my thoughts out through writing and playing music”.
That said, Sapling found that although reflection in lockdown has in essence been an asset in further developing her creative, she can’t help but think that it also poses a grave danger: “Too much time can really mess with you and make you overthink a lot… I think the whole thing has been so mentally draining”. Put into the overall context of life itself, Sapling explains that the time away from an ordinary world will have “…done different things to all of us. It’s made us re-think how we live, who we keep close to, how we spend our time and what’s most important to us”. Sapling further explains: “For me, that’s probably a direct correlation to my art”.
“It’s a part of who I am and what I’ve done since I was a kid, so I think no matter the circumstance I’ll naturally resort to music and letting a lot of my thoughts out through writing and playing music.”
Since it’s only natural for the creative community to evolve, Sapling holds the view that the advent of the pandemic has acted as a bit of a sought after moment for not only the creative but the industry as a whole: “I do have a bit more focus as to where I want to be headed, but more importantly I think I know myself a little bit better which will no doubt show itself in what I write and create through time”. There is no doubt that for long enough, the indispensable working relationship between other artists, producers and other creative collaborators has most definitely been taken for granted - more so in a physical capacity. Sapling who is now more aware that “ …having those moments [with others] where you just kind of go where the music takes you and getting inspired by that, is what I miss”.
Harboring a feeling for change within the music industry, Sapling fears that there are many issues that will survive and be carried through the pandemic and into the new artistic world. Sapling notes that issues such as “how little control artists have over their own music” is one in particular that sorely needs addressed. Considering that’s all an artist has left once met with such times of adversity.
Now the longest she’s ever been away from home, Sapling has also taken the time to reflect on how much her hometown of Dumfries means to her: “I’m usually up and down the road a lot through the year, so I’m really feeling it…” Interestingly, Sapling, like most emigrating local artists still feels a great attachment to the Dumfries music scene. Reminiscing of when she was younger, Sapling notes that as much as there was an abundance of band nights, the problem was that there wasn’t much in the way of utilising and developing the talent that was around. However, she sees those as ‘days gone by’ and nowadays notes that “It’s really nice to see the scene becoming more established and offering some really important support and insight into the local music scene as well as great opportunities for artists and musicians to develop themselves”. She believes that if it wasn’t for the hardened creative platforms such as The Stove and DMC, for example, there wouldn’t be much of a safety net for the emerging creative.
In Brighton, where there is a real need for more infrastructure to support a bustling live music scene, Sapling proudly boasts that despite that, “there is a lot going on musically here which I’m involved in” and as of which, has also helped further explore who she is artistically. That said, it’s these smaller creative communities who are the first to suffer when faced with the long course of a pandemic, Sapling agrees that these communities are the ones who require the most attention.
With the prospect of live performance still caught up in a state of great uncertainty, Sapling is hopeful for a return by early-autumn. As much as it’s a case of “wait and see”, Sapling, like so many others, is keeping focused on writing and releasing new material: “I have a new single out soon called ‘High Notes’, and I’m currently working with a producer/songwriter who writes with some really cool artists so I’m excited about what we’ve been working on”. Considered in some ways a rough love letter home, an account of how the industry needs to re-enter itself and the importance of not feeling pressured to create. Sapling’s words hold great truth and with that, she continues to prove to be a role model for the future of women in music and an ambassador for the Dumfries music scene.