“Writing songs has at all times been a method for me to really feel, not regular, however like everybody else,” says drum ‘n’ bass artist Venbee. Unable to learn correctly till the age of 18 because of her dyslexia, the Kent-based musician – actual title Erin Doyle – would freestyle and memorise lyrics “to not really feel debilitated with one thing,” she says. “It additionally gave me a burn inside, like I had a degree to show.”
This private well being situation isn’t the one problem the 21-year-old has needed to overcome, although; Doyle has battled along with her confidence since her teenage years, to the purpose the place she almost gave up on pursuing her songwriting goals. “As I acquired older, I used to be instructed I wanted a backup plan as a result of all of it wasn’t going to work out,” she says, having juggled music with working as a private coach, and doing shifts in her native pub. “However I don’t surrender on issues – I by no means had a Plan B.”
As an alternative of letting the naysayers win, Doyle took to TikTok earlier this 12 months, in hopes that her neon-hued sound would attain a worldwide viewers. Again in March, she uploaded a clip of the then-unfinished ‘Low Down’, her collaboration with songwriter Dan Fable. Regardless of melancholy being its central lyrical focus – “I’m within the deep finish / It’s darkish and it’s scary in right here / Treading water is tough if you’re chained to the pier”, Venbee sings over brooding breakbeats manufacturing – the observe grew to become successful on the app, and allowed Doyle to progress from working as an impartial artist to signing with Columbia Information, house to Lil Nas X and Grimes.
It’s no exaggeration to say, then, that music – which has racked up over 21 million streams on Spotify alone – modified Doyle’s life. As her second single, the “anti-drug anthem” ‘Messy In Heaven’ (with Northampton producer Goddard), breaks into the UK Prime Ten, she talks to NME in regards to the energy and limitations of TikTok, and main the brand new British drum ‘n’ bass scene along with her associates PinkPantheress and Piri.
‘Low Down’, your debut single as Venbee, went viral in March. What’s the story behind that observe?
“I wrote the lyrics at 3am mendacity in mattress, and acquired impressed as a result of I had my outdated iPhone 4 at hand… I used to voicenote my ideas as a diary as a result of I couldn’t write them down. When I discovered [my old phone] that night, I realised I used to be in a darkish place again then. The music is so uncooked; the verses actually go into how low I used to be feeling at the moment, and I believe that translated – a number of folks have felt like that, and that’s why [the track] labored.
Why did you resolve to publish the observe to TikTok?
“I’d simply eaten a sandwich and a few crisps, and was sitting in my mother’s backyard carrying a bucket hat, charity store garments and a few Air Drive [trainers] – after which I filmed the video. I don’t know why I assumed I’d put it on-line regardless of it being unfinished, however as a result of my posts had been solely getting two likes, I put it up. I checked again [on the app] and it was on 10k, then 50k, then 100k… I genuinely suppose I simply acquired fortunate. The success stored me going as I nonetheless wanted to get the music completed. It was essentially the most demanding week of my life, however we managed to get it out in two weeks after which watched it flourish.”
Earlier than you signed with a serious label, you launched the observe independently. Why was it vital so that you can do this?
“Typically, when issues go viral on TikTok, they don’t translate into streams when the music’s out, so I used to be actually nervous about placing the observe on the market. However I used to be centered on releasing it independently as a result of I wished to show one thing to myself.”
Do you suppose going viral on-line can restrict artists?
“I get referred to as a ‘one-hit surprise’ on a regular basis. However if you put your self on the market on the web, not everybody’s going to love it and be a fan. Individuals will say what they need, as a result of they’ve the fitting to their very own opinion. Personally, any hate provides me power to show myself. It fuels the fireplace.”
You’re now main a brand new drum ‘n’ bass scene. Have you ever at all times been a fan of the style?
“I used to be 18 after I went to my first rave, however I listened to drum ’n’ bass so much earlier than that. Rudimental – who I’ve not too long ago been in periods with – acquired me into the sound, then Friction and Hybrid Minds. Drum ‘n’ bass is available in waves the place it’s actually large, then trickles again right down to the group, however now [the sound] having a large mainstream second. It’s additionally pretty to have been totally accepted into the group. I’m only a regular woman from Chatham, coming in all weapons blazing.”
“Individuals at the moment are realising how cool soiled bass is. There’s a great deal of various kinds of drum ’n’ bass however liquid, proper now, is popping; with Goddard, who produced ‘Messy In Heaven’, particularly – it’s gone loopy. It’s a sound that tickles the mind.”
You’re in group chat with different younger, feminine drum ‘n’ bass artists. How vital has that assist community been to you?
“The group chat is named ‘Women Making Noise in London’, and consists of Piri, Willow Kayne, Charlotte Plank, A Little Sound and Charlotte Haining – it’s for feminine creators and artists to assist one another, moderately than be put in opposition to one another. It’s nice watching everybody’s journeys transfer ahead on the identical time, as a result of we’re going by way of all of it collectively.”
“Any hate provides me power to show myself. It fuels the fireplace.”
And also you additionally not too long ago toured with Piri & Tommy…
“It was so enjoyable! I’d by no means carried out earlier than so I used to be tremendous nervous, however if you’re on stage it looks like a blur. It occurs so shortly that you just wish to immediately do it over again. I’ve by no means felt a buzz prefer it. Once I went on tour with them, I didn’t have any gear, so I used my good friend’s laptop computer, Piri’s soundpack, and I had to make use of their gear. Piri is a relaxing particular person, so she was pretty about it. She and Tommy most likely understood how I felt; a mixture of nerves and pleasure.”
What’s the message of your second single, ‘Messy In Heaven’?
“It’s an anti-drug anthem: somebody I’m shut with has gone by way of a very tough time with drug habit. It’s a music about somebody that doesn’t put themself first and finds themself in a very darkish place. Metaphorically, it’s saying that irrespective of who you’re, you’ll be able to nonetheless fall down a tough path – and it’s no person’s fault. I’m conscious it’s a controversial message, but it surely’s additionally a dialog starter.
“The observe is doing very well in the intervening time, and it’s matching ‘Low Down”s development. We’re tremendous enthusiastic about it and I simply wish to see how far the music can go and the place it could attain.”
How vital has TikTok been to your profession to this point?
“I wouldn’t be wherever with out TikTok. It’s such a robust software for artists as a result of now we have nothing else to advertise music proper now. The explanation I rinse my songs on there a lot is to get to those ranges; there’s seven billion folks on the earth that want to listen to it, so I’m going to maintain rinsing it till that occurs.”
What has been essentially the most surreal second of your breakout 12 months?
“I performed at Printworks for Spotify’s altar celebration in September, and earlier this summer time at All Points East pageant earlier than Disclosure, which was the most effective present of my total life. I assumed no person was going to return however there have been so many individuals there. It was loopy, I beloved it. Seeing my face on a billboard in Stratford, London, too; I took my mum and didn’t know what to do after. That was a second and a half…
“All of this has been a giant transition, and clearly my work life has massively modified, however I nonetheless reside at house with my household. Every little thing in my private life is regular and has stayed the identical as a result of I would like it stored that method. I’m not in regards to the ‘excessive life’, I like chilling with family and friends, and my ft are very a lot nonetheless on the bottom.”
Venbee’s new single ‘Messy In Heaven’ (with Goddard) is out now
