Faded Gold
When did the project begin?
Faded gold began back in summer 2011 when I spent a summer in Montreal, Canada. I was surrounded by very artistic people at the time and this inspired me to experiment with music. Whilst i’d always played my own compositions at the piano, i’d never recorded anything before and it was a big step for me to allow my music to be heard by others. I learnt to compose using computer based programmes such as Lmms and Logic and started to share my music online.
What song of yours is the one you like the most?
Homelands is my favourite Faded Gold track and as daft as it sounds, each time I hear it, I do stop and wonder how I composed such an epic piece.
How do you write your music?
When i first started recording, I used a programme called ‘LMMS’ and no external instruments however since updating my laptop, i now record using Logic, a Novation midi keyboard, a Koassilator pro and a simple microphone. When i’m feeling creative i’ll put together a melody on the piano and and then record layers of vocals over it. I like to create the melody first and then build the overall sound using a variety of instrument plug ins and vocal effects.
What influences do you have?
I love many different styles of music and can happily listen to folk, psychedelic rock or electronic music however I do have a fondness for music that builds to a crescendo. Looking back, Arcade Fire was probably one of the first bands to inspire me to write music. I was at university when a friend from Montreal suggested I listen to them and I was instantly in love. Their album ‘Funeral’ was so different to a lot of the guitar-heavy indie bands that were popular at the time and i loved the way their tracks featured a variety of different instruments.
At the moment i’m inspired by a lot of modern musicians, in particular Lydia Ainsworth and Hundred Waters, who are female singers using keys, vocals and electronic sounds in interesting ways.
What plans do you have this year?
My next EP ‘Tides EP’ is ready and will be released towards the end of June and in the coming months I’m releasing my first EP for my new fully electronic side-project called ‘Echo Projector’.
Mention something you don´t like about your project.
I often feel I would enjoy the experience more if I performed with others rather than alone. It’s quite daunting taking the stage as a solo musician and as a relatively shy person, it takes me a lot to get up and perform.
What band, music project or solist from your city do you like?
There are lots of fantastic bands in Liverpool right now. The music scene here is better than it’s ever been and we’re lucky to have so many talented people here. Some of my favourites include AGP, DROHNE and an old favourite, Mugstar.
If your project was a word, what would it be?
-Daydream
– Stefanie Chew aka Faded Gold, answering questions on a rainy Sunday afternoon on the Wirral.
