This week I had the opportunity
to interview Michael Tedstone of Manike Music, a Leicester based brother-sister
composition team who have been working with Izzy Fortuin on her upcoming single ‘Home is where
my heart is’.
So Michael, with the intense competition out there in
the music market what was it about Izzy that made you want to work with her
in-particular?
Izzy has a very unique voice
and in the overcrowded arena that is the music industry you need a sound that
sets you apart. I think anyone that has listened to an Izzy vocal performance
could identify it as being Izzy. Izzy also has a great attitude, she always
plays to win and whenever we get her into the studio she's singing better than
she was in the previous session. Izzy is a really complete package, she's got a
great look, she's got a lovely personality which really shines through in photo
shoots but she's also got an edge to her, which allows her to make really great
pop music.
Izzy's already
been in the studio to record her début single, how have you found working with
her?
Working with Izzy is really
easy - she's got a real talent for singing but she also knows when to put her
head down and work at nailing a verse or chorus. Sometimes when a line or phrase
takes longer, some singers can become disheartened but Izzy keeps going and
won't leave the studio until she's 100% happy with the track, even if it means
a session running over.
Can you give us an idea of what kind of material we
can look forward to in the near future?
For upcoming material it's
down to Izzy. It's really important to her that she feels a connection to the
song she's singing. So it's not as simple as just choosing a song or hook that
Izzy wants to work on or we want Izzy to work on - it's got to be something
that she can put herself into. If she's not feeling and understanding what
she's singing about then it's unlikely that the listener will. Whatever Izzy
works on next no doubt it'll sound fantastic and have the inherent hookyness
and great sounding vocals we expect from Izzy.
Can you give us a run down of the process you went
through in writing and producing Izzy's single?
When working on the Izzy's
single 'Home is where my heart is' we started with a very bare bones track. We knew
how we wanted it to sound but really we had to build it round Izzy. Izzy has
such a unique voice that anything we did prior to getting some rough vocals
down would be pointless. We discussed at length with Izzy's label (Mor Music
Group) about who she was, where she was going, what makes her sound special, we
took that and tried to put it into the production elements of the song. Backing
vocals where performed by Maryann (co-founder of Manike Music) and we had
weekly recording sessions with Izzy, working on the melody and discussing the
lyrics.
What are the advantages of working behind the scenes
on a single?
Working behind the scenes on
music albums, EPs and singles has its plus points and negative points. We don't
get to perform the music live which can be an amazing feeling - hearing the
reaction of so many people to something that you've written is beyond anything
else. However there's something to be said for taking a melody, which to begin
with is just some sounds strung together and making that into a fully produced
song with strings, brass and backing vocals. It can be a massive hill to climb
sometimes but when you get to the top it can be as rewarding (and less tiring)
than the gigging, the promotion and performing side of things.
Do you prefer the dynamic of working with artists like
Izzy or working for a company?
In terms of who we prefer to
work with, artists like Izzy or a company, I think we like to mix it up.
Working with companies is great, it can bring in the income that we need to
make sure we can continue doing what we love but there's something special
about working with artists like Izzy. It can be a lot more work, collaborating
directly with artists but it really pays off when it goes right. It can be
really rewarding.
You have a very different approach to pop that
dominates the charts currently, what inspires you to produce a more natural
style of pop?
I think our style of music
writing is built on what classic songwriters have done in the past. We believe
that at the root of song, it has to have a great melody and lyrics that mean
something. Without that, the song is disposable - something that get people
tired of quickly. Performers like Izzy deserve to be singing for as long as
they can be and we not only as writers but as the public that buys and listens
to music should be supporting them in every way we can. Hopefully there are
pieces of our writing that listeners can take away and relate to. It's a
balancing act sometimes, we have to make sure that the way we produce a song is
polished and relevant but also make sure it’s not getting in the way of the
writing and the performance because that's what counts.
And finally what tips can you give to aspiring artists
who want to get into the music industry?
I think the best tip to give
aspiring artists is just to keep going, keep performing, keep writing songs. No
one became a recording artist by watching other people do it.
To find out more about Manike Music or to listen to
their previous tracks you can visit www.manikemusic.com
