How Beth got big
Last updated 05:36, Friday, 25 July 2008
Beth Rowley is speaking on her mobile while striding through the streets of Bristol, on her way to finish the video for her next single, Sweet Hours.
It’s a typically busy day for the singer; she has just returned from T in the Park, plays Maryport on Saturday – her first performance in Cumbria – and then, in August, V festival and Harbour Festival in Bristol.
Warm and down to earth, the 26-year-old talks at great speed in her Bristol accent, peppering her conversation with phrases like “yeah man!” and “it’s all good”.
“Yeah, it’s been full-on, but it’s good fun, it’s excellent,” she says, describing the months since the release of her critically acclaimed album, Little Dreamer.
Beth has been performing for years, but until recently her big, soulful voice was something of a well-kept secret.
She was born in Peru, where her British parents were missionaries. The family returned to Bristol when Beth was two, where she grew up singing at church on Sundays.
She played with several different bands from an early age, and at 17 decided to study at Brighton’s Institute of Modern Music.
“I’d been singing for so long, but had never had lessons. I just thought it was something I’d like to try, and I saw Carleen Anderson [American soul singer] was one of the teachers, and thought, that’s amazing! So I signed up.
“Then I was given the opportunity to do a tour [as a backing singer] with Ronan Keating, and thought, yeah man, why not? It gave me some good experience. I’d be playing in front of 17,000 people at a festival with him, then back doing open mic nights in front of five people.”
After a few more years gigging with bands and playing festivals, she was spotted at an open mic night in London’s Ginglik. She supported David Gray on tour earlier this year, and completed a successful solo tour in June.
Described as having a “sophisticated, gospel-tinged sound”, her music has been winning plenty of fans.
“I’m influenced by a lot of bluegrass, gospel, soul and country, also Latin American.
“I love that old-school sound of PP Arnold and the Ronettes, so there had to be some kind of throwback to that, but we also worked hard on getting the balance right on the album. It’s a real leveller between the past and the present – and somewhere in between my sound emerged.”
Her gender, ability to belt out a tune, and love of soulful Sixties music has invited comparisons to other singers such as Duffy, which Beth views as slightly lazy. “It’s not a story in itself, the press make it a story... it becomes a bit of a self-fulfilling prophecy really, but it doesn’t bother me.”
Her uplifting style of music certainly seems suited to her sunny personality, and she has found plenty of fans, including Keira Knightley, who was quoted as saying: “Beth Rowley makes me happy just listening to her.”
So is she enjoying the fame game? “Success is hard to gauge, and I’m certainly not recognised everywhere, though people in Bristol have started to know who I am.” More laughter: “And sometimes now I get free sandwiches! Which are very welcome, I’m always up for free sandwiches!”
She adds: “I’ve not talked about myself so much ever. But I’m not complaining. I’m really having a wicked time.”
Beth Rowley plays the main stage on Saturday at 8.30pm.
