Interview with an ungrateful, impolite person, singer Selina Arch. An interview by email in writing. 

JazzBluesNews.com: – First, let’s start out with where you grew up, and what got you interested in music.  How exactly did your adventure take off? 

Selina Arch: – I grew up in a town called, Reading, about 40 mins away from London, UK. I guess i’ve had a few different musical adventures with the first starting in my early teens. I always had a passion for singing and songwriting from a very young age – loved and appreciated all types of music and almost learnt something from every song that came my way. Music was everywhere in my life and every song had some representation to an event in my life. Most of all it was what taught me how to sing. I would use the great power vocalists as my teachers, playing songs on repeat until I mastered that note or vocal delivery.

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I knew I wanted to do something more than just sing into my hairbrush and write endless songs that never got heard, and actually connected with a few like-minded people in my town also creating music!

JBN: – How has your sound evolved over time? What have you been doing to find and develop your own sound?

SA: – We do a lot of jamming which helps to develop the overall sound. Each musician has got their own influences so when we all come together it becomes a melting pot of creative thoughts and ideas. Some good and some not preferred as taste is subjective. In the end it’s always what’s best for the song that counts.

JBN: – What routine practices or exercises have you developed to maintain and improve your current musical proficiency, in terms of both rhythm and harmony?

SA: – The exercises vary depending and I guess it’s what that person needs to work on. Some are technical exercises and at other times it’s more musicality related. One thing important to me, is being able to challenge myself vocally and make sure Ican continue to be dynamic.

JBN: – Have you changed through the years? Any charges or overall evolution? And if so why?

SA: – Over the years we’ve become a lot closer as a band and have better understanding of where someone is coming from, also in terms of explaining the creative idea of concept behind a song. For me personally, I was always an R&B / soul singer – but over the years my style has developed to be able to sing to other genres, especially with the band where we have such a Blues, Rock, Contemporary sound – evolution is incredible and so proud of where we are at this stage.

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JBN: – In your opinion, what’s the balance in music between intellect and soul?

SA: – If you feel and believe in the music you’re making, that authenticity is going to come through, in the same way if you’re listening – you’ll feel those rhythms and energies through you allowing it to transport you to another place. The world we live in is busy, it’s stressful and if you’re not allowing yourself to really hear and feel the music, this is where things can get blocked. It’s not easy to relax but there’s something to be said about the power of music.

JBN: – There’s a two-way relationship between audience and artist; are you okay with delivering people the emotion they long for?

SA: – We’re inspired by what we see and hear within our own circles or in the wider world. This will always come across in our music, which may be relatable to some but not to others. Sometimes we may not even know what we’re longing for in a song or music until it hits you deep within. If one person uses our music to relate to something they long for, then that’s success for us.

JBN: – How can we get young people interested in blues when most of standard tunes are half a century old?

SA: – The blues genre does perhaps have a stamp on it for being old fashioned but there are an increasing number of bands and artists that are challenging that perception right now. People are re-discovering and revisiting blues just like we did and finding that this is a great genre to be part of. It’s accepting of new influences, willing to explore new ways of musical expression as well as keen to promote new and emerging talents across the whole genre. Both the album and our band’s style of merging genres has been welcomed with open arms by blues radio stations, shows and magazines. It is actually an incredibly humbling experience and makes us immensely thankful.

JBN: – John Coltrane once said that music was his spirit. How do you perceive the spirit and the meaning of life?

SA: – Artists like John Coltrane were highly spiritual which resonated in the music. It’s a skill for some to really allow their full selves to open and be vulnerable in music. But there’s that feeling when you know you’ve done something that’s almost life-changing and for me, that’s making a difference and being assured you’re on the right path.

JBN: – If you could change one single thing in the musical world and that would become reality, what would that be?

SA: – Right now, a better way to surface new and aspiring artists from all genres and of all ages – not just what’s popular right now. There are some excellent musicians who are almost overlooked because of the blinding musically culture and huge social media influence on music and the types that sell. There is so much unrecognized talent under the radar.

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JBN: – Whom do you find yourself listening to these days?

SA: – Influences include Gary Clark jr, Vintage Trouble, Kyla Brox, Jimi Hendrix, Cream, Joe Bonamassa, Jeff Healey, Rolling Stones, Robben Ford, Led Zeppelin and Muddy Waters. But also the power vocalists of our time!

JBN: – Let’s take a trip with a time machine: where and why would you really want to go?

SA: – Oh there’s a few places – take me to the speakeasy bars with the smokey lounges and dimly lit stage listening to the purest of vocalists and a piano. On the contrast – swinging 60 and rock n roll. Every decade tells a story and I’d be happy where ever I landed.

US/EU Jazz & Blues association – We, who have our specific interests in the field of Jazz and Blues, it is natural that not all musicians can be equal for us, we have to pave the way for our musicians who cooperate with us, we buy more stages and festivals, organize and represent them, soon we will also have a very technically equipped and powerful recording studio.

Interview by Simon Sarg

Note: https://jazzbluesnews.com/2023/03/19/useu-jazz-blues-association-festivals/ You can express your consent and join our association, which will give you the opportunity to perform at our Jazz and Blues festivals, naturally receiving an appropriate royalty. We cover all expenses. The objectives of the interview are: How to introduce yourself, your activities, thoughts and intellect, and make new discoveries for our US/EU Jazz & Blues Association, which organizes festivals, concerts and meetings in Boston and various European countries, why not for you too!! You can read more about the association here. https://jazzbluesnews.com/2022/11/19/useujba/