‘I wish I could go back and tell my baby self that it’s okay to be honest in your songwriting!’

Following her performance at St Swithun’s Church in Worcester last month, and ahead of her latest single ‘Sweet to be Alone’ arriving on Friday 25th July, I caught up with singer-songwriter Genevieve Miles to discuss her musical inspirations, how her approach to music making has developed since her debut, and how she alters her set to reflect the audience.

Briefly introduce yourself to your future fans.
I’m a Birmingham based artist, who creates music that’s psychedelicy, shoegazey indie. I’m all about the community of music: feeling our feelings as a shared experience so that we can heal together, and have a dance along the way.

What are your top 3 inspirations when it comes to writing your tracks?
Nature is definitely the number one, but I think anger is a massive inspiration too. In situations that don’t feel fair, writing a song helps reclaim your voice. And my friends. They inspire me so much, sharing our love for music, going through life together, and writing together.

You’re about to release your new single, ‘Sweet to be Alone’. What do you think it says about where you are as an artist right now?
I think I love this track because it translated well into a studio setting – sometimes it can feel hard to get the energy and feeling of our live show into recorded tracks. However, I think we’ve managed that with this song. The new single shows I’m ready to be honest, not sugar coat things, we’re angry and hurt and we wanna shout about it!

‘When performing, we play the songs we love the most – if we’re enjoying playing it, it’s gonna feel better for people watching.’

Turning to performing, do you feel more at home when combining guitar as well as vocals or being a solo vocalist?
I think I love playing guitar with the band cause it’s like another outlet I guess, and I can still run round pretty fast with the guitar haha.

You have a superb set up of backing musicians. How did you all meet and what were the deciding factors when choosing them?
Aren’t they incredible! I’m so lucky to have hit the jackpot of playing with some of my best mates who also happen to be some of the most talented musicians I know. I’ve sort of picked them up one by one along the way over the last few years. I knew that our live sound was something I really wanted to spend a lot of time working on and I’m so glad you think that’s paying off!

You have a huge stage presence in the live setting. How has this evolved since your first performance?
Thank you so much! I started going to folk clubs and jam nights when I was super young, like 11 or 12. I feel really lucky cause I think it means I got a lot of the awkwardness out the way and all of the learning how to hold yourself in front of people. It means it’s easier to be myself now: to have fun and not be too scared if people think I’m weird. I really believe that gigs are such an opportunity for communal healing, so when you’re playing, you kind of have to lead the way. If you’re open with your feelings, people will follow your lead, and then you’re all just feeling and healing together.  It’s so powerful that it’s therapy.

You’ve played a wide range of venues and festivals. How do these contrasting environments impact your set list decisions?
Ooh it’s always a hard decision, as it always feels like choosing between my babies! I think you can tell from where you are, if people want more of a dance or a chance to scream with you. But on the most part, we play the songs we love the most, if we’re enjoying playing it, it’s gonna feel better for people watching I guess?

What are your pre-performance rituals?
As I’ve got older I’ve got a bit more serious about looking after my voice – steaming and warming up and all that stuff. Other than that, just soaking up where I am, making the most of the fact that playing gigs means I get to hang out with my friends!

What do you think of how grassroots music is supported?
I think it feels like a roller coaster, and you just have to hold on to all the positive parts. There is genuinely a really special community in Birmingham, and we all really look after each other. You just have to remember to be really gentle with yourself cause it all takes a lot of work.

There is real artistry to the accompanying music videos of your tracks. Which part of the song-writing process do you start to consider the visuals?
Wow, that’s so kind, thank you so much! For the last few years I’ve made all my videos with one of my most special friends, Kitty Rowe. We were friends when we were really young and then reconnected in 2020. We have very aligned tastes in music and films and how we feel and see the world, so we have a lot of fun figuring out how to visually get across the feeling of a song. We try and make the process as much like play as possible, maybe cause we would play together as kids, so it’s like a core part of our friendship.

‘I’m all about the community of music: feeling our feelings as a shared experience so that we can heal together.’

Looking back on your earliest releases, is there anything you would do differently today? And if so, what changes would you make?
Oooh, yeah I just wish I could go back and tell my baby self that it’s okay to be honest in your songwriting! It was all so surface level and fake happy, cause I didn’t know I was allowed to tell the truth and speak about all the ugly parts of being a human. I’m grateful I can embrace all that now.

Penultimate question: If someone was watching you record, what would they be most surprised by?
How gassy the band are…

And finally, where will you be performing in the rest of 2025?
We’ve got a load of dates in autumn that will be announced super soon to celebrate my EP which will be out in October!!

Thanks Genevieve Miles for chatting with Listen to Discover