Megan Blyth talks Between The Lines
by Margaret Chrystall
WHEN a 15-year-old Megan Blyth from Beauly began to perform her songs around Inverness, she gave herself a head start on her generation of would-be musicians.
On Friday at the first songwriting festival at Eden Court, Megan will support two-time BBC Radio Two Folk Award-winner Karine Polwart — the third date in Megan’s current tour of Scottish cities.
"Let people know I’m still here!" Megan had joked at the end of an interview looking back on her experiences as a performer and forward to her future in music.
As many young singer songwriters are starting to take their songs out into the wider world to be heard, Megan has already chalked up appearances at Belladrum, goNORTH now XpoNorth, and other local festivals including Brew At The Bog, the MV Festival in Aviemore, Wick’s B-Fest and local venues the Ironworks and Eden Court.
She has regularly brought out EP s of her songs — the latest, The Devil’s Own, showing how far her songwriting technique has developed since the earliest songs she confidently performed with guitar while still a schoolgirl.
But citing influences from PJ Harvey and Janis Joplin and with her voice drawing comparisons to the other-worldly sound of The Cocteau Twins’ Elizabeth Fraser, Blyth has also matured in how she wants to come across to audiences.
Asked what she thinks the years of performing have taught her, the singer replied wryly: "Especially when I was younger, I worried a lot about my voice and ‘more was more’!
"Now ‘less is more’ and controlling my voice a wee bit is something I like to do."
Learning to be more confident about her songwriting has been less straightforward.
"I think I’m quite confident in myself about when a song sounds good to me. But I can get very self-critical — it’s been like that since I started playing.
"I think every musician would say they are their own worst critic. Even after gigs, people can say ‘That was really well played’, but I’ll think to myself ‘Oh no it wasn’t’ if I know I’ve made a mistake."
After leaving school, Megan spent some time in Edinburgh working on establishing a music career, but has returned to Inverness where she works to fund her music.
The singer knows how she would like her career to progress, but when asked about lessons she has learned along the way, there’s a world-weariness beyond her years in the reply: "I have learned a lot about people and the way they work."
But what she wants from her music couldn’t be more idealistic — and yet realistic at the same time.
"At the start of the year I decided I wanted to push it more — and I think I’m a bit more mature now. I’d taken a break for a little while and been under the radar.
"But I decided I really wanted to get back into it."
On a practical level, that means reassessing her music and taking it forward.
"I’ve been looking at some of my songs and trying to rework them and also trying to write new songs too.
"That’s what I’m working on in between gigs at the moment.
"I want to write songs that are maybe another step up from the last EP.
"On that, I wrote about dark, personal stuff especially.
"I was very nervous about singing a couple of the songs live, just because I knew they meant so much to me. But people don’t necessarily know that certain things in the lyrics are experiences from my own life. They interpret them in their own way.
"I know probably my favourite songs in the world probably aren’t about what I think they’re about. But I relate to them anyway."
One of her favourite songs is PJ Harvey’s Desperate Kingdom Of Love.
"I probably first heard it in my dad’s car. We’re probably her two biggest fans!"
But it’s acoustic folk rock trio The Staves that Megan names when the question of potential career models arises.
"I supported The Staves when I was younger and they were starting out. The next year they were headlining a stage with Mumford & Sons at Glastonbury.
"I follow them on Facebook and they are lovely, down-to-earth people, travelling the world and having fun with their music.
"I think they are great role models for women — I’d love to make a living out of my music and see places at the same time."
The current batch of dates mark a turning point for Megan.
"I have played in really great bars around the country, but it’s often been in venues or bars where people are there to get drunk and not to listen to the music.
"I want to have the experience of playing to people who want to hear the music."
Tour dates in Glasgow’s Nice N Sleazy and in Edinburgh’s Sneaky Pete’s are being followed by Aberdeen and Eden Court.
"It’s not good for my music to be playing in pubs with loud bands any more — I’ve done that!" Megan said.
"I’ve played Eden Court before, but not anything like this and I’m really looking forward to it.
"Playing the night with Karine Polwart is ridiculously good!"
Megan Blyth supports Karine Polwart on Friday (July 3) as part of the Between The Lines two-day songwriting festival, more details: www.eden-court.co.uk. For more on Megan: www.facebook.com/meganblythmusic
