Spotlight: Billie Flynn

Q. HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR STYLE OF MUSIC?
I would describe myself as an acoustic singer/songwriter.

Q. HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN PERFORMING AND WHERE DID IT ALL START FOR YOU?
I have been performing live since the age of 12 (10 years). I started performing in my school talent shows and concerts. I then began to perform at open mic nights which then progressed to full gigs. I’ve always loved being on stage.

Q. WHERE DID YOU FIRST BEGIN PERFORMING AND DO YOU HAVE PLACES YOU PREFER TO PLAY?
My first proper gigs were in cafes and restaurants in Cornwall. I always loved these gigs because here wasn’t too much pressure as people could listen and get involved as and when they liked. I still love these types of gigs but I now prefer performing in venues where people have come specifically to enjoy your music.

Q. WHAT IS YOUR OPINION ON THE LOCAL MUSIC SCENE IN YOUR CITY?
I live in Cornwall but have just finished studying in Bath so consider both of them home. Both have a very strong music scene, I would say that Cornwall has more venues but Bath is also a great place for live music, and is very close to Bristol which expands it even more. Sometimes music scenes can be difficult to break into but both Bath and Cornwall have great opportunities.

Q. WHAT HAVE YOU BEEN YOUR MAIN HIGHLIGHTS IN YOUR MUSIC CAREER SO FAR?
I would say probably performing at festivals is one of my all time favourite things to do. If I could go on tour and just play festivals I would be very happy. I also put a lot of work into my YouTube channel where I post music and reaching 200,000 views was one of my proudest moments.

Q. WHO ARE YOUR MAIN MUSIC INFLUENCES AND DO YOU HAVE AN ARTIST YOU LISTEN TO A LOT CURRENTLY?
I would say I have quite a variety of influences. I grew up on Fleetwood Mac, Joni Mitchell, Simon and Garfunkel and I would say that kind of 70’s era has a big influence on my music. But I also love newer artists like Julia Michaels, Lennon Stella, Taylor Swift. I’m kind of going through a female pop phase at the minute so I’m loving that.

Q. WITH FESTIVAL SEASON APPROACHING DO YOU HAVE ANY FESTIVALS YOU ENJOY PLAYING OR WOULD LIKE TO BE PART OF?
With the Covid-19 situation going on it’s gutting that festival season won’t be what it usually is. But as I said previously, festivals are some of my all time favourite gigs. I would love to play more festivals in Cornwall as we have a fair few, and Glasto is obviously a dream for any artist.

Q. WHAT ARE YOUR EXPERIENCES OF RECORDING IN THE STUDIO, WHEN DID YOU RECORD YOUR FIRST SINGLE AND DO YOU HAVE ANY FUTURE RELEASES LINED UP?
I recorded a lot of music whilst studying at University. I’ve actually got over 60 demos stashed away waiting to get out into the world. I’m currently working on getting a few tracks together to produce and record fully and will hopefully be releasing my debut music very soon.

Q. HOW SUPPORTIVE DO YOU FIND YOUR LOCAL MUSIC SCENE?
I would say that music scenes anywhere can be quite difficult to break into. However, when you talk to the right people and start getting your name around, musicians in nature are very supportive and I love being a part of my local scene.

Q. WHAT INSTRUMENTS DO YOU PLAY?
I play guitar and my voice would be my main instrument.

Q. DO YOU FIND YOU CAN EARN ENOUGH INCOME AS A MUSICIAN, OR IS IT IMPORTANT TO HAVE A DAY JOB CURRENTLY?
I currently have a day job to support myself whilst I work on releasing music and performing more frequently but I would hope in the near future to work on music full time.