Freya Beer and I had a chat over a cuppa and a packet of dark chocolate digestives, this is what she had to say… 

Hello Freya how are you?
Hey, I’m doing great thank you!

Congratulations on the release of “Write Her Off (WHO)”, how does it feel? 
Ahh it feels so bloody good to be releasing my work into the ether again, nothing beats that feeling.

What’s the story behind the song?
Write Her Off is a song about going after your crush and the feeling of rejection because they don’t feel any romantic connection to you, so you come to the conclusion of realising you should dismiss the love – almost as though you have to ‘write them off’ to move on. 

You’re an artist from West London, how did it all begin for you?
I’ve been putting music out for years, I was a young teenager when I started and I only did it for fun. Writing has always been a huge part of my life, whether that’s to write a song or poem or even just to vent! It was really in 2019, when I teamed up with my amazing management and released Dear Sweet Rosie that my journey into the industry began. 

What did you listen to growing up?
I listened to various styles of music growing up. What I was really drawn towards was Country music and French music, an interesting combination but I was obsessed. From Johnny Cash to Serge Gainsbourg, I was sold.

You are inspired by art, literature, alternate fashion and music, have you ever been in the middle of something unrelated and it’s sparked off something creative?
Yeah for sure! I try to cut myself off from any negativity which may come into my life, people come and go but sometimes naturally it can take a toll on you, and writing a song about it felt like the only way to rest my mind during those times.

You also did some lockdown cover versions — what was your favourite to perform?
My favourite was Happiness Is A Butterfly by Lana Del Rey. I thought the song showed off my voice, and it was nice to sing something slow for a change.

You’ve also been featured on BBC Introducing Live Lounge, what was that like?
Incredible. Truly grateful for all the support the BBC and BBC Introducing has given me over the past few years. It felt very rewarding doing a live lounge for them.

You’ve got some live shows coming up to support the release, how are preparations going for that? 
All good! Prepping set lists as well stage costumes.

What are you listening to at the moment?
I’m currently listening to the French band Juniore. The lead singer, Anna, her voice reminds me of François Hardy, who I absolutely adore. Also! I had the opportunity to support them a few years ago and they gave me a cassette of their album which was very kind.

What top three things are you looking forward to doing in 2024?
Gigging but not just in the UK… Also will be supporting Dr John Cooper-Clarke on a couple of his UK tour dates doing spoken word. The London Palladium is one of those dates and I can’t believe it, complete madness that I’ll be performing there soon.

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Photo by Ola Mahmud