Beatrice Betley
Beatrice Betley is a Jazz and R&B Vocalist, Composer and Producer from Hamburg, Germany dividing her time between her home town and The Hague, The Netherlands. For more information on Beatrice, visit here website.
Was there something (an experience) or someone in your life that was the "catalyst" for you to start writing music? Tell us about it: I was always writing lyrics and music. But what made me get serious about recording my own album was being faced with a Thyroid operation. The vocal cords are so close to the Thyroid gland it was a serious risk they could be damaged indefinitely. So I promised myself that if my voice was not damaged - I would make the album. Let's get this out of the way. What is the CRAZIEST thing that has ever happened to you in your music career? Covid. Recording an album long distance, without ever seeing or rehearsing with the other musicians was crazy. But it lead to a lot of good things. What has been the high point of your music path?: When I got the first review. You just hope someone will notice your songs, but it was really positive! The first review felt he best. So, how do you approach songwriting or what is your creative process like? I usually start with lyrics and a little tune - which I record. That evolves into a song. When I get stuck - I abandon it, work on something else, and then go back to the song to finish. Some songs are finished in a day most take a lot longer.
What do you see as the biggest challenge facing Indie Artists today? Or, if you could ask the music industry to change one thing, what would it be? Pay the creators for their work. It is crazy how little we earn from steaming. Don't get me wrong, I am a big fan of streaming, but for independent artists the system is rigged. On average one stream gets a payout of ½ a cent! And if you are a band you will have to divide that between the members. We artist are the reason the streaming services even exist and that should be reflected in the payout. If you could share the stage with one other artist or band, who would it be and why? Any good Jazz band. I just love improvising on stage and that is the only genre that allows you to do that. What are your rehearsals generally like? Or, how do you prepare for a live show? Vocal warmups, we go through some tunes. Tea. Nice leaf tea, I don't like cold water. Pick one song that was your greatest challenge to write. Tell us about it!: "Words" - I re-wrote the lyrics 23 times before I had them just right. I had lyrics, then I wrote the song, then the lyrics didn't fit rhythmically, so I changed some things to make them fit. And then the feel of the song was no longer there. Took me about a month to get it right.
What's coming up in the future?
I am working on new music and am to release a new album by the end of 2023. this time with other musicians in a studio, please :-) Tell us where fans can access your music. Spotify Bandcamp
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