Artist Q&a WITH FAILED TO IGNITE.
What is your band / artist name? (If applicable, please also give a first name for individual members).
Failed To Ignite - I’m a solo project using a band name.
What genre would you say best describes your music?
Pop-Punk/Emo - Basically a mix of Alternative genres
Did you see yourself always becoming an artist or did it happen naturally?
It happened naturally. I used to play Bass in a lot of bands but never saw myself doing anything solo. However, I kept writing songs and decided to just record some demos at home. From there it’s just grown into something I feel incredibly proud of.
Who were your earliest musical influences?
So many! I grew up with a mix of 80s/90s Pop and also Classic Rock. I then discovered McFly, Busted/Green Day and Blink-182 and really found my own ‘identity’.
What was the biggest challenge you faced when starting out?
I was scared of what people thought and was nervous about putting myself out there . However, if anyone is considering doing music I’d say just do it! It’s the most fulfilling thing you can do and it gets easier the more you do it.
How would you describe your music to someone who hasn’t heard it before?
High Energy Emo/Pop-Punk - The music is 90% high energy but the lyrics can be incredibly deep. I’ve always loved having that contrast in most of my songs.
Which song of yours feels the most personal and why?
My latest single (It’s You, Not Me). It’s the first time I haven’t censored myself or overthought the lyrics and it was honestly cathartic to write. Genuinely just raw emotion.
What is something that your community would be surprised to know about you?
I never actually set out to be a singer. I mainly started just to sing basic ideas for songs. I used to actually be really bad at vocals in all honesty. The whole reason I started doing it properly is once somebody told me I couldn’t and shouldn’t sing at a pub. Teenager me took a lot to heart and at the time it hurt. However, it made me start to push myself vocally and I’d honestly say without that I’d probably not have reached the point I’m at. Whilst I’m not the best vocalist around it’s definitely given me the motivation to just work on it. So if there’s anybody out there who’s starting to sing - keep at it! Learning to sing is like building muscle and it gets easier the more you do it.
What is one song (that isn’t yours) that you wish you could say you have written?
There are so many! I listen to a tonne of genres - But if I had to pick one I’d say Angels by Robbie Williams. The power in that song is insane and it’s the perfect Power Ballad in my opinion. Plus that chorus!
What keeps you motivated to keep writing?
Writing has always been a form of therapy for me. Over the last year, I can’t think of a day where an idea for lyrics or melody hasn’t come to my head. A lot of the time the music I write informs me of how I’m feeling and it helps make sense of what’s on my mind even if I don’t fully know myself. A lot of the time it’s writing from my subconscious and it’s almost like ‘so that’s how I’ve been feeling’ or ‘that’s what’s been bugging me’. Even if I wasn’t releasing I’d still probably write music.
What message do you hope that listeners take from your music?
That things can always get better even in the worst of times and to keep going
Do you have any dream collaborations? This can be realistic or on a broader spectrum.
I’m genuinely wanting to do more collaboration with smaller artists as I honestly feel that writing with other artists teaches you something. However, a big dream collaboration is Charlie Simpson. That guy can cover so many genres and his vocal/writing style is just iconic.