Del Osei-Owusu sits down with artists on the FOTN radar and gets them to tell their origin over tea and biscuits. This week, Amelia Coburn is in the hotseat and she brought Foxes Viennese biscuits.

Hello Amelia how are you?

Hello! I’m doing well thanks.

Congratulations on the release of “Something Wild”! How does it feel?

It feels brilliant to release something new for the first time since my debut album came out, and to have such a great response to it.

What’s the story behind the song?

I’ve always been fascinated by fairy tales, but I’ve noticed how often the women in these stories are passive characters, waiting for their prince or enduring hardship. I wanted to flip that narrative on its head, in the spirit of Angela Carter, who had a gift for turning familiar stories inside out. In Something Wild, the woman is the big bad wolf. The song is about shedding the skin of society’s expectations and embracing the wilder, untamed parts of ourselves that we’re expected to hide.

It’s been a year since you released your debut album “Between The Moon And The Milkman” what are your favourite memories of recording it?

Spending 3 weeks in West Kirby, where Yawn Studios is based. It’s the most beautiful seaside town with lots of quirky cafes and shops down the high street, and everyone is so friendly. I was lucky enough to be there during summer so I’d spend my evenings having fish and chips watching the sunset on the beach, looking out towards Wales. The album was quite nautical themed in places too, so it felt fitting.

You worked with Bill Ryder Jones on it, what did you learn from those sessions?

Working with Bill was, and still is, such a special experience. He has this really intuitive way of working. He seems to know exactly what is in my head for a song, without me having to articulate it. I learned to trust his creative instincts – sometimes he’d have an idea that I wasn’t initially stuck on, but once the song was finished and all the ideas came together, I realised exactly why I needed to trust his opinion. He came up with arrangements I’d never have thought of myself, but now I can’t imagine the songs without them!

What’s your favourite track on it?

See Saw! I finished writing it on the way down to the studio so I had absolutely no idea how it was going to shape up. I love how spooky and carnivalesque it became by using the glockenspiel and organ. I really love sinking my teeth into those more gothic soundscapes.

You’re a singer songwriter from Middlesborough, how did it all begin for you?

I got a ukulele when I was 14 and used to play covers of The Jam, The Specials, Kate Bush etc. I posted them on YouTube and also played them at local open mic nights and it went down well, I picked up a small following from it and started getting paid for gigs. Within a few years I was writing my own material and the rest is history.

What did you listen to growing up?

A very eclectic mix! As a kid, it was the soundtracks of Rodgers & Hammerstein musicals and Disney films, but later on in my teen years I got massively indie and post-punk. Think bands like The Smiths, Joy Division, Pixies and Radiohead.

You’ve got live dates coming up, how are preparations going for it?

Chaotic in the sense that it’s very difficult to pin down 4 different musicians and get them in the same room at the same time to rehearse, but otherwise, very well! I’m trying to add a few surprises to the setlist.

What song are you looking forward to playing live?

I’ve never played Something Wild with the band, so definitely looking forward to bringing that to life on stage with a full arrangement (except the string quartet, ha!)

What are you listening to at the moment?

I’m in the studio at the moment so I’ve been listening to some things that have inspired production or writing, including Broadcast, Pentangle and Radiohead. I also am really loving Stan Pratt’s latest singles, who I met on the Chris Difford songwriting retreat. He uses interesting melodies and chord progressions to sing stories seldom told in the pop genre. He’s a really exciting songwriter.

What’s next for you?

A headline gig at The Royal Albert Hall on 24th October, a support tour with Rianne Downey across the autumn and a solo headline tour in January. Beyond that, hopefully releasing some more new music!