By CHERIE DONNELLAN
SCOTTISH singer-songwriter Sandi Thom confesses that creating fourth album Flesh and Blood drew out the sound she had “been searching for”.
“It’s where I want to live musically,” she said of her soulful lyrics and blues rock melodies.
Thom described her lyrics as “honest and truthful” about personal experiences.
“It’s the only way I know how to compose a song”.
Thom spoke to the Independent ahead of her performance at Apollo Bay Music Festival this month.
She said themes of love and loss were woven throughout the album’s lyrics but weren’t indicative of just romantic relationships.
“They’re also inspired by the friends that you thought were going to be around forever or about people you trusted (who) turned their back on you,” Thom revealed.
“There themes I certainly had to work through personally.”
Thom “deliberately” arranged the album’s songs to follow a “journey”.
“You get that closure in the end – a sense you can move on.”
Thom laughed when admitting she enjoyed running her independent label to satisfy her “control freak” tendencies.
“It wasn’t hard for me to slip into that role but I learnt to seek advice from my peers and really listen to what they were saying.
“I learnt a lot.”
Producer Rich Robinson, of The Black Crowes fame, taught Thom to “never doubt” herself, she said.
“Singers and performers are generally behind the curtain people…timid, shy and insecure. Rob taught me there are places you can go musically if you push yourself and don’t doubt yourself.”
However, Thom has never doubted the support of her Australian fans.
She revealed that her commitment to former agency Sony had stopped her touring Australia.
But as a now independent artist she was “really excited” about meeting her “dedicated” fans at Apollo Bay Music Festival.
“I know some of my Australian fans by name – like the ones who are talking to me on Twitter on a daily basis.”
Thom promised festival patrons a “raw and real” performance.
“It’s going to be a take-it-back-to-basics, raw and real one woman show.”
Apollo Bay Music Festival runs from 26 and 27 April.
