Hiya Becky Arundel, thanks for joining us in the virtual RGM lounge today. Grab a brew and take a seat.
Thanks for joining us today… Tell us bit about where you are from and how you got into music?
I’m a Yorkshire lass, born and raised in the seaside town of Bridlington, and music has basically been the soundtrack to my life from day one.
My mum was always singing to me and playing music around the house, and my dad is a musician himself. He’s annoyingly one of those people who can pick up pretty much any instrument and somehow get a tune out of it! He plays guitar, drums, B-flat flute and sings too, so growing up, music was just everywhere.
My dad bought me my own little drum kit when I was young, and I think that’s when I discovered I really enjoyed making noise — preferably a lot of it. Apparently, I used to make up little songs while brushing my mum’s hair as a kid too, so I suppose songwriting started long before I actually knew what songwriting was.
I was really lucky to have parents who encouraged me to do whatever made me happy, and for me that was always singing and creating. I’m not entirely sure they realised at the time that encouraging me would result in me singing constantly for the rest of their lives… but by the time they figured that out, it was probably too late!
So there wasn’t really one big moment where I decided I wanted to get into music. It’s always just been part of who I am. Somewhere along the way, making noise as a kid turned into writing songs and becoming an independent artist — which is basically still making noise, just slightly more professionally now.
What’s the live music scene like in Bridlington right now?
I actually started gigging around Bridlington when I was 12. My first paid gig was at The Ship Inn in Sewerby, so I’ve basically grown up watching the local music scene change around me.
One thing Bridlington has never been short of is talent. There have always been brilliant musicians here, and I remember growing up around loads of people writing their own songs and really wanting to get original music out there. At the time though, it sometimes felt like the live scene leaned much more towards covers — which I completely understand. Everyone loves hearing a song they know after a few drinks!
What’s really exciting now is that I think there’s much more of an appetite for original music. People seem more open to discovering a new artist or hearing a song they’ve never heard before, rather than everything having to be familiar.
There are more opportunities appearing for original artists too, which is really encouraging. Bridlington’s got a proper grassroots scene developing, and events like Live at the Queens Fest are putting original artists front and centre.
So for someone like me, who started out gigging here as a kid and is now releasing my own music, it’s really nice to see that shift. The talent was always here — I think Bridlington is just getting better at giving original music a place to be heard.
Anyone we should be looking out for (bar you, of course)?
Oh, absolutely! There’s so much talent around here, but I’ve definitely got to shout out Beth Pilling and The Bootleggers. I genuinely love what they’re doing. They’ve got such a distinctive sound, blending bits of rock, folk and jazz, and it just feels really fresh and completely their own.
Their original track Spinning is ridiculously catchy — one of those songs that gets into your head and then lives there! It’s got a great energy to it, but there’s also a really important message behind the song, which I think makes it hit even harder.
I also have to mention January Jam, who are actually one of the support acts for our release gig. They’re another homegrown Bridlington band and they’ve got this brilliant mix of vintage rock vibes with really current, quirky songwriting.
They’re great musicians and I’m really excited to have them playing the release gig with us. It feels good to be able to put on a show that doesn’t just celebrate our new music, but also gives people a taste of some of the original music coming out of Bridlington at the moment. There’s some properly good stuff happening here.
What’s your thoughts on all this talk about Indie poo going round the socials at the min?
I find the whole “indie poo” thing hilarious, to be honest. I understand what people mean — there are definitely certain vowel sounds and vocal quirks that have somehow become part of the indie singer starter pack!
But I also think we can overanalyse these things. Every genre has its vocal trends, and singers naturally pick things up from the music they grow up listening to. As long as it feels authentic to the artist, I don’t really see the problem.
For me, I’d much rather hear someone with a distinctive voice, accent or slightly weird way of pronouncing something than everybody sounding technically perfect and exactly the same. Those little imperfections are usually what give someone character.
That being said, I’m a Yorkshire lass, so if I ever start singing like I’ve mysteriously relocated to California halfway through a chorus, someone please have a word with me.
Ultimately, sing how you want to sing. Music would be incredibly boring if we all followed the same rulebook.
What’s the biggest thing you hate having to do to showcase your music?
I wouldn’t say there’s anything I particularly hate about it, because I genuinely love the whole process of getting my music out there and sharing it with people.
If I had to pick something I find difficult, it would probably be filming myself for social media. There’s something about putting a camera in front of yourself that can suddenly make you very aware of absolutely everything you’re doing! I can happily get up on a stage and sing in front of a room full of people, but put me alone in a room with a phone camera and apparently that’s where the nerves kick in.
But even that is part of the process, and I’m learning to enjoy it more. My songs are little segments of my life — different experiences, emotions and stories that I’ve turned into music. I’ve spent so long writing them and keeping those stories close to me, and now I actually get to share them with people.
That’s a really exciting feeling. So even when some parts push me out of my comfort zone, I wouldn’t say I hate them. If it means someone discovers one of my songs and connects with a story I’ve told, then it’s worth feeling a bit awkward talking to my phone for a few minutes!
What are your ambitions for the band?
I’d really love for us to start writing together more as a band. Everyone brings something different to the table in terms of their musical background, influences and experience, and I think it would be really exciting to take those different talents and see what kind of sound we can create together.
I’ve written so much from my own perspective, so the idea of walking into a room with the start of a song and then letting everyone put their own stamp on it really excites me. I think that’s how you start to find a sound that feels like a band rather than just one person’s vision.
I’d love for us to get out there playing as much as possible too — more venues, festivals, support slots and hopefully some places we’ve never played before. I want us to build a live show that people remember and, most importantly, have a really good time doing it.
The dream is to keep releasing music, keep pushing ourselves creatively and build an audience that genuinely connects with the songs. If one day we’re standing on a festival stage and there are people in the crowd singing the words back to us, I think I’d have a little “how did we get here?” moment.
For now though, I’m excited to see where we can take it. We’ve got a lot of ideas, a lot of different influences and, luckily, enough personalities between us to keep things interesting!
What’s your view on the Music industry today?
I think the music industry is in a really exciting but quite complex place at the moment, especially from the perspective of a singer-songwriter.
There are more opportunities than ever to put your music out independently and find an audience. You don’t necessarily need to wait for someone in the industry to give you permission to start building a career — platforms like TikTok, YouTube and streaming services mean a song can connect with people very quickly.
At the same time, I think that accessibility has made the industry much more competitive. There’s so much music being released and so much content fighting for people’s attention, so as an artist it can sometimes feel like you’re expected to be a songwriter, performer, content creator and marketer all at once.
For me, though, that makes authenticity even more important. As a singer-songwriter, the thing I value most is creating music that feels honest and actually means something to me. Trends and algorithms are always going to change, but I think people can tell when a song or an artist feels genuine.
I also think the relationship between artists and fans has become much more direct, which I really like. It’s not just about how many streams a song gets — it’s about whether someone connects with it enough to follow your journey, come to a show, share your music or keep listening to you years later.
Whats the biggest thing you have learned recently as you progress with your music?
The biggest thing I’ve learned recently is probably to stop chasing perfection and trust the reason I wrote the song in the first place.
Some of the songs I’m releasing now I actually wrote seven or eight years ago. For a long time, I felt like I could never make them perfect enough to put out — there was always something I wanted to change or improve. But I’ve realised that music isn’t really about making something perfect. It’s about telling the truth of the song and capturing what I was feeling at that point in my life.
That’s always been how I write. I don’t sit down and think, “What can I write a song about today?” I live my life, I go through things, and then I write about them. For me, songwriting is almost a way of processing those experiences.
I think I’ve learned to trust that a lot more. Sometimes the imperfections are part of what makes a song feel human and allows somebody else to connect with it. I’d rather release something that feels honest and means something to me than spend years trying to make it technically perfect.
What’s currently in your ears and on rotation at the moment?
Day in, day out, I’ve always loved Amy Macdonald — she’s probably one of those artists I’ll always go back to. More recently, Luke Combs has become a big favourite of mine, and I’ve also got a lot of Teddy Swims and Jamie Miller on rotation.
I think what they all have in common for me is great songwriting. I love a catchy chorus that gets stuck in your head, but I also really like songs that tell a story and take you somewhere. Luke Combs does that particularly well — his songs can feel really conversational and straightforward, but there’s always a story behind them.
That’s probably what I naturally gravitate towards: a strong melody, a catchy chorus and songwriting that actually tells you something.
What was your worst experience on stage? Any funny stories to share?
I’ve always absolutely loved being on stage, so I don’t know if I’ve ever had a “worst” experience as such. I’ve performed when I’ve not been able to hear myself, when I’ve felt poorly, and even to a room with about two people in it — and somehow I still love it!
The biggest danger to me on stage is actually just… me. Anyone who knows me knows I’m probably one of the clumsiest people you’ll ever meet, so putting me on a stage surrounded by wires is already asking for trouble.
Only last month, I was holding the microphone down by my side between lines and managed to stand on the mic cable. I went to bring the microphone back up to sing and it just… stopped halfway. Obviously, instead of immediately realising I was standing on the wire, my brain decided the best solution was to bend myself down towards the microphone and attempt to carry on singing!
It took me a second to realise what I’d done, lift my foot off the cable and regain some dignity.
That was also the day I decided to get a wireless microphone. I think it was best for everyone.
Got any fun, funny stories from life on the road?
We’ve currently got a running joke about recreating Michael Jackson’s Earth Song on stage. I’m not entirely sure how it started, but it’s escalated to the point where we’ve basically planned the whole production.
So honestly, don’t be surprised if you come to a show one day and there are a couple of trees on stage, a wind machine on full blast and me standing in the middle taking it all far too seriously.
At this point, the only thing stopping us is probably the budget… which is a dangerous thing to say because if someone hands us one, I think we’d actually do it!
I hear you have new music. What can you tell us about it?
Yesss! I have a new single coming out called Silence. I actually wrote it seven years ago on the piano, so it’s been sitting with me for quite a while! It’s out on the 9th October and we have a release to celebrate!
The song came from a pretty difficult point in a relationship, when I’d found out things weren’t quite what I thought they were. There was a lot to process, and “Do you hear the silence?” came from that feeling of everything being so loud and overwhelming that you almost switch off from it for a moment.
The song plays with that contradiction of knowing someone has hurt you, but they’re still the person you instinctively want comfort from. It’s that strange space where part of you is still holding on, while another part is starting to realise you’ve lost a bit of yourself along the way and maybe it’s time to walk away.
That’s generally how songwriting happens for me. I tend to write from an emotional place, so when I really feel something, the song can come almost instantly. With Silence, I sat at the piano, started playing and sang a melody over the top, and the words naturally connected with what I was going through. I’ll go back afterwards and tweak lyrics or be a bit more stylistic with it, but I always want the heart of the song to stay honest.
I think that’s what I’d like people to take from it as well. They don’t necessarily need to have been through exactly the same situation I was in — I’d just love for someone to hear it and recognise their own experience in it. Whether that’s a relationship, a friendship or simply a point in life where you know something isn’t right anymore. If someone listens and thinks, “I know that feeling,” then the song has done what I wanted it to do.
What was the recording process like?
The recording process with my music is always super exciting! I work with a producer called Jamie Sellers, who I actually first met when I was living in London over 15 years ago. At the time, he was working with another artist and I was working with different producers, so we never actually worked together.
Then, years later, somehow we ended up being put together in another studio on the complete opposite side of London. We worked on our first song together and I knew pretty much straight away that we clicked creatively.
Working with Jamie is always really enjoyable because there’s a lot of bouncing ideas around and experimenting with different sounds. With Silence, we played around with how we could build the production around the emotion of the song without losing what was there when I originally wrote it on the piano.
He also somehow understands what I’m trying to achieve even when I’m not entirely sure I’m making any sense! I can describe a sound or a feeling in the most random way, and he’ll somehow know exactly what I mean. I think having that kind of relationship with a producer is really important because you feel comfortable throwing ideas around, trying things that might not work and seeing where the song takes you.
That’s probably my favourite part of recording — hearing something that started with just me and a piano gradually turn into a fully produced track, while still keeping the feeling that made me write it in the first place.
Would you change anything now it’s finished?
No, I don’t think I would. Obviously, I’ve grown a lot as a songwriter and as a person since I wrote Silence seven years ago, so if I went back and started picking it apart now, I’m sure there are things I’d probably write or do differently.
But I think there’s something quite special about leaving a song in the time it was meant to exist in. It captured who I was, what I was feeling and how I wrote at that point in my life. If I changed too much of it now, I think I’d risk losing some of that.
So no — I’d rather let it be a snapshot of that time and appreciate it for what it was, rather than try to make it fit the person I am now.
Is there anything else you would like to share with the world?
There’s definitely so much more to come! I’ve spent such a long time writing and building up this collection of songs, so Silence really feels like the start of finally sharing them.
I’ve also recently been back in the studio recording a new song which will be coming out next year. I won’t give too much away just yet, but I’m really excited about this next chapter and for people to hear more of what I’ve been working on.
For now though, I’m just really excited to finally have Silence out in the world and hopefully this is only the beginning!
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