Keep calm and Kerri on
Singer on two-year wait to unleash debut album, coronavirus delay and duet with global star
LOCKDOWN put almost everyone on hold in 2020 but Scots singer/songwriter Kerri Watt knows all about the waiting game.
The 29-year-old is about to release her debut album Neptune’s Daughter – two years after recording it and further delayed because of the Covid pandemic.
The Glaswegian is yet another rising Scottish talent and a welcome new voice in the new year.
Has it been hard to sit on an album for two years?
When I recorded the album in 2018, I decided I wouldn’t listen to it again until it was released. I loved the process of making it so much and wanted to kind of let it be so when the songs did come out, I could relive that experience with my listeners. However, there was one song we worked on that never got finished called Neptune’s Daughter. During lockdown, I called my producer Machine, who lives in New Jersey, and we used some cool software so that I could sing vocals into my microphone in my living room at home and they would record straight on to Machine’s desk in the USA. Once we finished recording, I made a very last minute decision to change the album name to Neptune’s Daughter.
So lockdown was OK for you?
Lockdown has been all kinds of highs and lows but somehow busier than ever. I released two unplanned EPs, filmed three DIY music videos, participated in over 50 live streams and started a Patreon account. It’s brought about lots of fun experiences and ways to connect with my audience I wouldn’t otherwise have had. Oh, and I got engaged. So, while all my shows being cancelled and not seeing friends has sucked, I can’t really complain.
Tell us about your musical journey?
My love of music began with dance aged four. By seven, I was travelling around the UK competing in dance competitions and started piano lessons. By my teens, I’d discovered musical theatre and at 17 went to California for a year to go to a music school before going to theatre college in London. At 21, I was listening to a lot of John Mayer and Mumford & Sons so taught myself to play guitar and found songwriting came naturally. Before I knew it, I was taking my songs to open mic nights around Glasgow and trying to find a way into the music industry. I’ve played over a thousand shows, half of them “toilet tours” mixed in with exciting support slots and now I’m ready to release a debut album I’m proud of.
Keith Urban has become an ally. What was it about him/you that clicked?
Keith very kindly gave me the opportunity to open for him at his recent big London show – his first headline in London in over a decade, I believe. On top of that, he also invited me to duet with him on one of his songs during his set. The day we turned up to the soundcheck and met, both of us were so excited about the upcoming show so there was a great energy in the room. I’m a big fan of his music and it turned out he liked mine.
Why the album title?
I love the ocean. When I lived in California, I learnt to surf and have felt a pull to the water ever since. The song Neptune’s Daughter taps into my love of nature and exploration and felt like the perfect title to pull that imagery together and represent who I am.
You returned to your dance roots for You Can’t Catch Me. Are videos important still?
I do think visuals are more important than ever. Not for the same reasons they were when MTV was popular but now, because everything
moves so fast and there’s such a vast pool of competition, anything that can help you stand out online helps.
You have Placebo singer Brian Molko’s son in your Kissing Fools video. Do you know the family?
We sent out a casting call and Cody Molko was put forward – it just so happened he was the perfect fit. Once we found out who his dad was, that helped a bit with promo.
What are your plans for 2021?
Besides my debut album, I’m currently working on writing a musical and I’ll be launching a new business in Glasgow which is going to be something really exciting for coffee AND music lovers alike!
Kerri’s Neptune’s Daughter is out on January 15.