Glen Hansard taught me how to write songs. I was 13 then, says Zoe Hayter - INTERVIEW
“I think one of the biggest influences from musicians like Joni Mitchell, Mumford and Sons or Leonard Cohen are the lyrics. If the lyrics of my songs can be just read as poems and still sound good then I know they’re good. ”
Foto Rony Thilakan
Marie: Zoe, you got to music through busking which is how you earned money for your first album. How did you get to writing songs and performing on the streets?
Zoe: Well I come from a theatre background and my grandparents who have their own travelling theatre company have always said performing on the streets was the best way to learn it. Also one of my biggest inspirations, my friend Glen has been busking his whole life and he encouraged me a lot to start performing at a very young age. He was the one who also taught me how to write my own songs, I was 13 then.
Marie: You spent a lot of time abroad, like in France, where you travel and perform with street theatre performers. How would you compare the music scene in Prague and in France or the UK?
Zoe: Well I’d say it is harder to create a name for yourself in France or the UK, Prague is so much smaller comparing to London or Paris, so it’s easier to get a bit known here. Also I love the way musicians and artists support each other there, I think the Czech music scene is lacking that a little bit. Would be amazing to see less competition and more support. :)
Marie: Your recent album was written during your travels in France, where you got to collaborate with Glen Hansard as well. What are the stories behind the songs and what was your inspiration for this?
Zoe: Basically it was a very spontaneous idea, we sat in a very small room one night with not the best acoustics, recorded a few of my songs, some that were just written and still a bit rough but even some older ones. We spent a few hours in that room every day for three days and just played around with them. It’s a very intimate record and I can’t wait to share it with the world.
Marie: Are your songs autobiographical or do they come from your imagination, or both?
Zoe: I always write about what I have been through or about stories of others that inspire me, whether it’s a stranger or a close friend, family. Anything that gives me the right feeling to express it in a song. But it’s always something real, something that happened.
Marie: Which of these have you chosen to play for (A)VOID sessions, and why?
Zoe: I chose a song I wrote partly about spending time with my family in France during the first lockdown, but I was also lucky enough to discover some new faces, sit by the fire and talk for hours with them all. Still it describes how different can familiar places seem during these times, empty and quiet. The song is also partly about questioning actions of a dear friend, that moment where you’re not quite sure If it’s leading to something more.
Marie: You’ve been influenced by artists some people may not be that familiar with such as Joni Mitchell, Mumford and Sons, Velvet Underground, Bob Dylan and Leonard Cohen. How would you identify your conscious and unconscious influences on your upcoming debut album?
Zoe: I think one of the biggest influences from those musicians are the lyrics. If the lyrics of my songs can be just read as poems and still sound good then I know they’re good. Of course musically the influence is mostly the acoustic and folk style and vibe of the album. Very simple, just a guitar and a couple of voices and occasionally a few other acoustic instruments.
Marie: How would you like for your album to be received? Where and when should people listen to it best?
Zoe: I hope people will feel the intimacy and the live feeling of the songs just being played in comfort in a little room, it’s all about the moment, since songs sound different everytime you play them. I will of course release it on Spotify and other platforms, but my ultimate wish is to make CDs and vinyls as well.
Marie: Do you listen to much music on Spotify, and if so, what are the top releases we should check out?
Zoe: Yes, all the time! Recently I’ve been listening a lot to Isaac Gracie for example, or Nick Shoulders, his song Rather Low is definitely worth a listen, then also Hindi Zahra, The Civil Wars or a great acoustic folk girl band The Be Good Tanyas.
Marie: And finally, what are your plans with the release of this album and for life after pandemic?
Zoe: I am actually going to France soon to play a part in a theatre show that we’ve put together last summer with the Footsbarn Travelling Theatre called Crock of Gold. We are planning to have a few shows around France in June and July. And then possibly touring in Ireland in autumn. After that I am going to Paris to study theatre movement. I am not quite sure when I will get to release the album in between all that, but I hope it’ll be soon enough and that I might even be able to play a few concerts with it as well.
