“Right now I’m in the moment & young enough to have the luxury not to worry about the future.”
Birmingham born but London based musician HARLEA brings us back to those good old rock-days, – cool guitar riffs paired with a deep and rocking voice and timeless music that is far away from a bog standard sound. Music that sounds as capriciously und strong as the young and pretty artist comes across herself. We had a chat with Harlea about her life decisicions, goals and staying true to herself.
„My goal wasn’t, like, ‘it’s all about women and we’re strong and amazing’ – I think just naturally it comes through because that’s who I am. And I think that’s more powerful than going out with a message. I think already I’ve set a tone by releasing music in a genre that’s very male-heavy and I’ve done it without even focusing on it. „ is what you said in an interview with Dazed about your music. I just love your attitude that you just let yourself and your actions speak naturally, rather than just going out with a message. So your main goal is to create great, timeless music and art, right?
Exactly. I don’t see any rules or boundaries and if I do, I ignore them, so the plan is to steam on ahead and see where it all takes me.
Do you also come to terms with very personal things in your music – f.e is your first release „Miss Me“ dedicated to someone specific?
None of my songs are about anyone or anything specific, but they all have elements of emotions and experiences that I have been through.
Your current release „You Don´t Get It“ is about „living life on your own terms and being true to yourself.“ I love this wisdom and it´s so great to live by it, but how easy is it really to always live by it because doesn´t sooner or later reality, that acquires us to compromise our own terms for society rules and expectations, catch up with us? Especially the older we get and the more responsibilities come up to us?
Perhaps but fortunately I have all of that ahead of me. Right now I’m in the moment and young enough to have the luxury not to worry about the future.
At the age of 16 you left school and moved from Birmingham to London– pretty courageous decision. Were you also a bit scared that you would make the wrong choice with this or that you might regret it one day or you were totally confident to follow your heart in that moment? And how was the reaction of your parents?
I honestly felt as though I had nothing to lose, there was no doubt in my mind about ‘am I making the wrong choice’. My parents were very supportive and if it didn’t work out, I would return home and carry on studying. But London always felt like home and I knew it was where I was going to end up. It wasn’t easy but I made it work.
“I would like to see a movement happen where people realise life is much richer than your Instagram page. I think we could get there, but it will take some time.”
What have been the biggest life lessons that you learned in that time – from the city, the people you met, the things you experienced?
I learnt that you can’t trust everyone you meet. There are many people with agendas but you have to stay true to yourself and what you believe.
I read that there were many moments when you considered giving up on your musical path. In those moments, what made you continue to believe in yourself and your goals and what kept you going? Only because of the feeling that giving up didn´t feel right either?
It was the lack of satisfaction that kept me going. It was very frustrating to search for a sound that other people couldn’t hear, so everything that I created just didn’t feel right. But the thought of giving up just didn’t seem like a happy place.
In L.A. you finally found the sound you were looking for the whole time. Was that related to the place, that triggered something specific, or just due to the fact that you met the right people to work with?
It was 100% the people. They really listened to me when I had ideas or concerns! It was a great team that I got to work with and I learnt so much from them.
Is there a debut album in the works already that we can look forward to?
Yes! I am a bit of a perfectionist so we are taking our time to make sure it is just right.
I was also wondering if Harlea was your real name or just an artist name?
Harlea is an artist name, but it has a lot of meaning to me.
“It was the lack of satisfaction that kept me going.”
Who are your role models – in music and in your private life?
Call it cliché, but I am in awe of Beyonce. I love how she has grown over the years and we have had the chance to see that in her music. She isn’t afraid to say it how it is. I also think, as much as she gives us glimpses into her private life, we still don’t know everything about her. And I respect that.
Are you still also modelling too?
No, I stopped to focus on my music.
Do you get to hear a lot that you have the „Kate Moss looks“ – and if so, do you see it as a compliment or you get a bit annoyed by being compared?
I have had heard that a lot, and I think it would be wrong of me to get annoyed by it. She is an icon, and I am flattered.
You said that „overexposure is a curse of the age“ referring to social media and that you want people to get to know you more through each song or interview rather than giving it all away straight away.“ It´s very refreshing to see someone so focused on her music rather than posting everything about her life. Do you think that this will become the new trend now – that people go back to a more private social network approach not wanting to show everything anymore?
I would like to see a movement happen where people realise life is much richer than your Instagram page. I think we could get there, but it will take some time.
And last but not least, can you reveal us something important about yourself, an important thought you have, something that you want people to know about you or your thoughts, – what you would like to tell to the world out there today?
To me, life is too short to worry about the negativity. I surround myself with good, honest people who carry positive energy. I will never please everyone and not everyone likes my music, and that is expected, but your mean words will never trouble me.
www.harleamusic.com
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