FEEKA
Photo credit: Claire Bouédo
I first interviewed Feeka when he was the frontman of English band The Tailormade. This felt like many years ago and I almost forgot about this interview until I received an email from Feeka. He’s now a solo artist and I’m proud to support him in this new beginning. His debut single “Portland Street” is one of the most beautiful songs I’ve heard in a little while and Feeka might be my one of the most promising artists featured on my blog. I’ve missed hearing real songs like these. It is emotional, honest and authentic. “Portland Street” introduces Feeka as an amazing vocalist and a brilliant songwriter. An artist to watch for sure :)
Let’s please support Feeka and his debut single “Portland Street” - available now :)
Photo credit: Claire Bouédo
Introduce yourself - what's your story?
It feels like a million years ago but straight out of Uni I moved to London to form a band. We were roughing it for years on my aunties floor and then finally had a bit of luck and started getting some decent gigs, we picked up a wicked fan base but unfortunately it doesn't always work out. When the band ended back in 2018 the next week I jumped on a plan to Australia and spent the next two years just travelling about and writing tune. When covid hit it was time to come and I was like right it's time to focus on music again. I knuckled down and started writing more and more tunes and a year later, here we are.
You're about to release your debut single as a solo artist. How does it feel like?
It feels mental, I wrote this song a year ago just as a bit of a release, never thinking i'd release it and here we are. I write every day. 9/10 it's awful, or sounds like something you'd hear in a commercial for cat food but it's nice to have songs i'm proud of. I've always been in bands since I was about 15 and for years everyone always said i should give it a go on my own, it never really felt like an option, I guess covid just gave me the balls I needed.
What's the inspiration behind "Portland Street"?
I was living in Miami up until March 2020. When covid hit and i had to come back my best mate had a room in his house and told me to come here until I decided where I wanted to go next. I'd been talking to a girl for about a year from Manchester so I was like, this is sick. We can finally give it a go. The month before I moved it all messed up so I was stick in this brand new city during lockdown and nobody told me that it literally always rains in Manchester. I think it was one of those big sad songs written whilst looking out of the window with the rain pouring down.
Could you describe the songwriting/production for this single? Who helped you create it?
It was so odd how i found my producer. I was volunteering for Salford city radio and getting new artists to send me their tunes. I listened to so much music that didn't really hit and then this guy sent me his tune and it was so sick. His name was Redlake. I messaged him and was asking him who produced it, it was him. We had a quick conversation and then a week later we were laying down guitar in his studio. Redlake brought the song alive and he's one of these uber talented people who does things with music I can't even comprehend. It was like that scene in love actually with Rowan Atkinson. The song was the necklace and he packaged it all up for me. Wait, does that make sense?
What did you feel when writing this song?
I kind of go to a different place when I’m writing. I love Manchester and i am glad i came but in that moment there I had a thought of, what am i doing here. I'd just got out of a taxi and the driver shouted at me cause there was mad traffic and i didn't know my way home. I was like, you're the driver, it's your job. So you question your decisions.
What made you want to release "Portland Street" as your first single?
I showed a few tunes to different people and everyone just kept buzzing about Portland Street. I wanted to start afresh with my best foot forward. I've got some really nice tunes to come but there's something special about Portland Street. It feels like new beginnings in many different ways.
What can you tell us about the artwork?
The artwork is so so sick. I wish could take credit for it. One of my childhood friends Fred Ashton is an amazing artist. I follow a lot of artists on instagram and I got really into minimalism and less is more. I had an image in my head and Fred brought it to life. It's part of a collection of four, and they're all gorgeous. I wanna get them on canvas and hang them on my front door.
What does it mean for you to be an artist?
I think in the past with music and being an artist i've compromised myself and done things and released stuff I didn't really want to. This time I just want to be completely authentic. I want beautiful art and visuals to compliment the music. I just wanna write songs till i'm an old man sat in a rocking chair on a Nashville porch. I think you've got to be true to yourself and write the stories you want to tell, not the ones you think need to be told.
What are your thoughts on today's music industry? If you could change one thing, what would it be?
It seemed like fun in the olden days when record labels would just take a punt on you and throw a load of cash at you with no real expectations. The industry is ever changing. I think it's changed so much in the two years that I've been out of it. I'm excited to get back involved and see what's going on. Bring back live music!
What biggest life lessons have you learnt so far?
Be kind to people. Life is beautiful. I travelled the world and met amazing people. Talk to people because you can learn so much from others from different walks of life. There's a lyric in one of my upcoming song called The Water where I say "I had all the friends I needed." It's so easy to get into a bubble and think the world around you at the moment is all there is, there's a crazy world out there for the exploring. Life goes on beyond your hometown and your circle of friends.
In your opinion, what would make the world a better place?
Distributing all the wealth so nobody has to starve.
What message do you want to deliver to the world?
I don't think it's about me delivering it. We all have to just do stuff that brings us peace on a daily basis. Call it what you will... Excitement or happiness, it all boils down to peace. My favourite film is a Frank Capra classic "It's a wonderful life" As daunting as it can be memento mori is a latin phrase for "Remember that you must die." We'll only be here for a short while. Make the most of it.
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