Let me preface this blog by saying I love the difference between the indie folk sound in the US versus the UK. You get such clearly defined roots in both it takes almost no time at all to figure out where a group is from. That’s not to say a sound will be predictable or boring, just that folk music has a beautiful timelessness to it. Okay now that I’ve vented my snobbery let’s talk about this week’s artist spotlight Vanessa Forero.
Forero has a great gentle touch with the music she plays. With a subtle finger picking style and a warm breathy voice, she is proving to be an exciting rising talent out of England. Her latest release, “Heaven Knows” is a perfect representation of the British indie folk scene today but with understated hints of her Colombian roots providing a dynamic and distinctly different sound. The tune has a dark almost mystical feel to it, using sparse but extremely well placed harmony and what sounds like an indigenous war chant, the song is simultaneously soothing and rousing.
She is still in the beginning of her career but it is clear that Forero is a talent to watch, there is an obvious future in her music. We’re in a great time for singer/songwriters, these independent musicians are releasing some of the best quality music in decades and Forero has the potential to add an impactful piece to the overall scene.
Her social media presence is a skill unto itself. I discovered her through Twitter but it’s her Youtube channel that is really impressive. She does a video recording diary where she shows the creation of her music through small clips and posts them for all to see. This new connection with the audience is a wildly important tool that can really add a new dimension to the artist audience relationship. The videos are extremely quick, just snippets really, and are great for anyone interested in the creative process.
Here is a link to her website for anyone interested in doing some more research. The site has a fantastic bio outlining her various cultural influences as well as her musical history. In an effort to “show not tell,” in spite of my already telling you how good she is, here is a video of her Ont Sofa performance (I’d never heard of Ont Sofa before and to be honest the word Ont makes me confusingly squint every time I read it… Brits man). Check out her new single, “Heaven Knows” filmed al fresco in the sunny UK!
-Ryan Schmitz
