By Em Marcovecchio

I recently spoke with the incredible Freya Ridings ahead of her appearance at Isle of Wight Festival next month. Discovering Freya Ridings about a year ago was magical; her beautifully honest and raw ballads are heart-wrenching, they hit home and make the listener feel just a snippet of the pain Ridings sings and writes about. When ‘Lost Without You’ came up on my Instagram feed as a sponsored post and I felt instantly compelled, my breath was taken away. I’d just come out of a relationship myself; I wasn’t necessarily destroyed however it was a fitting time to listen and discover such a talented artist.

Em: Did you ever think ‘Lost Without You’ would receive such a huge response?

Freya: Writing this song isolates and heartbroken sat at my little old upright piano I never dreamed in a millions years that this song would have changed me life this much. I’m so genuinely humbled by how people have taken the song into their lives. 

Em: Has there ever been a pinch me moment?

Freya: So many pinch me moments. I have to keep a journal every night before bed which helps me stay grounded and living in the present. Playing on The Late Late Show With James Corden in L.A was totally surreal, I’m such a huge fan of Carpool Karaoke.  

I was at a family friends BBQ this summer and heard my song playing in their kitchen. I thought they were playing it to be kind but it was actually just on the radio. That was a very weird and humbling moment. I pretty much had a little dance every time the remix came on in every Uber I’ve heard it come on. 

Listen to ‘You Mean The World To Me’ here:

Em: What can we expect from your debut album?

Freya: Still piano ballads at its heart but also a more fiery side to the isolation of heartbreak and coming out of that pain stronger. Live string quartets and gospel singers were such a dream come true to work with!

Em: What put the fire in your belly to write such honest and beautiful ballads?

Freya: Firstly that you for saying that. Being a shy tall redhead at school made me turn to the piano and sign writing as an escape from the loneliness. Turning the pain and heartbreak into thy inner fire and determination has always meant everything to me. 

Em: How does where you live and your surroundings affect you musically?

Freya: Growing up in North London, Adele and Amy Winehouse were huge idols of mine, for their raw honest and fiery lyric writing and of course stunning voices. I think the grey clouds of London inspire the slightly more melancholy side of songwriting. 

Em: Favourite dinner/lunch eat on a Sunday?

Freya: Sunday roast with my family, hands down my favourite meal of any week I’m at home.