“Be careful, you’re carrying my heart”: Shelley Byron on their new EP, their history, and motherhood
We caught up with Shelley Byron ahead of the release of their EP yellow drawn shades, which is out today. If you’ve never heard of this artist, you might be thinking, “who’s she?; you might even be conjuring up images of a historical figure; the lovechild of Mary Shelley and Lord Byron, perhaps?
Although just as talented in their songwriting as the two poets, Shelley Byron is in fact the name of the grouchy-pop Sheffield five-piece. In latest release, yellow drawn shades, the band treat us to tales of late-night curries in opening track ‘When My Lover Makes a Curry’, which also discusses consequent feelings of being simultaneously annoyed and appreciative with said lover. This contrasts with the feelings of guilt that are discussed in ‘Slow Reply’ in reference to the attempt at maintaining friendships when struggling to communicate well through a screen.
When you listen, the relatable tracks really do hit you hard in the feels and whilst there’s definitely some earworms, the EP manages to convey a wealth of emotions in such a light-hearted way. I’ve been laughing at some of the lyrics, yet I’ve also been on the verge of tears.
A stand-out track sees ‘Bubblewrap’ discuss the fear of losing a loved one to the dangers of the road. We all have these anxious thoughts sometimes when you realise this is a big, scary world. Humorous lyrics such as “there could be a sneak attack while you’re just in an anorak” are followed by “be careful, you’re carrying my heart”, making the track playful yet poignant, whilst emphasising that these silly little irrational fears are valid.
With all but one of the EP’s tracks already released into the wild, it’s clear to see that the overarching theme of these songs is basically ‘relationships’ with the EP exploring all the different aspects of relationships – good and bad. We had the pleasure of chatting to lead singer Oriana about their official EP release, who Shelley Byron are and their inspirations as a band, as well as her experience of juggling music, and motherhood.
Shelley Byron are: Oriana Franceschi (lead-singer & keys), Julie Bellemann (guitar), David Cuthbertson (guitar), Ollie Hayes (bass), and Lucy Cambell (drums).
Hi Oriana; first off, I need to ask: how did the name Shelley Byron come about?
So originally, I was just writing songs with a kind of character in mind. On the first EP that we wrote, I was channelling some inner Frank Sinatra and Billie Holiday and that's who I had in my mind - I named her ‘Shelley Byron’ from Mary Shelley (I love Frankenstein) and Lord Byron (because he’s just incredible). I combined those two and then when the band got together, we became ‘Shelley Byron and The Poison Sleep’. Over time, I started writing more as myself and the songs came together in a much more kind of collaborative way. Also, people kept calling us ‘Shelley Byron and The Poison Sheep’ - We were like, all right, let's just be ‘Shelley Byron’.
I love that story, and the poisoned sheep - mystery solved!
This should be in writing so that no one else can use it, but I think we should have been called ‘burnt garlic’. Every time I burn the garlic I think “you could have made some lemonade out of these lemons”; should have been called ‘burn garlic’, but we weren't, but hopefully now that I've told you no-one else can.
Don’t worry, we’ll copyright ‘burnt garlic’ so you can use it in the future! How many people are in burnt garli- sorry, Shelley Byron, and when did you form?
I think it was 2019, we had our first gig and 3 weeks later lockdown happened. So that was a shame, but it was quite nice in a way because our first EP ‘Arms of Night’ was sort of a lockdown project for us. I sent the songs out and everyone recorded their individual parts and then Dave and I were in a bubble so Dave mixed it with my input. We made the most of it, but it was not ideal timing. We were in a very privileged position that we were able to do that.
Do you all live in Sheffield? Where abouts are Shelley Byron from?
I’m originally from Edinburgh. The rest of us are from scattered areas around England, apart from Julie, who’s Norwegian.
So, you've all come together in my home city and I'm not going to be biased, but what is your favourite thing about Sheffield’s music scene?
My favourite thing about Sheffield music scene…hmm, it's difficult. Over the past couple of years in particular, I feel like it's become very welcoming. Obviously, there's a lot of talent there and it does feel like there's a really lovely DIY scene and whether you're playing or attending a gig, it just always feels like there's so much goodwill in the room. It’s like everyone wants the band to do well and have a nice time - just the spirit of it, I guess, I really enjoy it.
I agree, everyone at Sheffield gigs just seems to really enjoy the live music but they just love supporting each other - I know what you mean. Just love to love.
It's a city that loves to love.
Have you got a favourite gig you've played so far?
Jarred Up have been so supportive and we've been very privileged to play some really great gigs. We also played a gig in London and that was great. You mentioned Get Together Festival and we've played a lot of really lovely shows, but we played a gig at the Community Bike Project – oh my gosh, it was so cute!
The venue itself, everyone that worked there - it was just the kind of community-minded spirit that I really love. Pagodas were on before us and they were ace. When we went on, we got the disco light going and it was a really fun little party - somewhere between a house party and a lock-in which I think it's a sweet spot for a party. I think it was effectively my first night out after the baby so it was extra special - oh my gosh, it was exactly what I was in the mood for. They're such a great project and we really loved that gig, that was really fun!
Oh, amazing. That does sound like a lot of fun. How have you found juggling being in a band and motherhood, because I can only imagine it's been quite a challenge?
You know, I think it's a challenge in terms of organising your time. I think that is outweighed by the value of getting out of the house and doing something that is a through line to who I have been and who I am creatively, and something that I really didn't want to lose. I was quite scared of the idea of having a baby and losing my sense of identity, but I think continuing with the band has really helped me to keep in touch with myself, and I guess, what matters to me. My husband and I are very 50/50 in all of the childcare so that's enabled me to keep that going.
Lead-singer Oriana Franceschi
Yes, I feel like it would be very easy to slip away from yourself when you are literally giving everything into being a parent.
Our drummer Lucy has two wonderful little girls and they come to our gigs. I can see how proud they are of her and one of them is getting into music herself. She likes playing about with the drums and so on and I think it would be so sad for my daughter to grow up and just see me as a mum and not anything else.
I feel like a lot of musicians get their first taste of music from their parents as well, and to be inspired by your parents would be very special.
Yeah, it's just one way of encouraging their creativity and it can be modelled on your own creativity and passions.
When did you first become interested in music? And as a band, what are your inspirations collectively?
I grew up in a musical household in the sense that we always had music on in the background. I started writing songs when I was at school, but then there was a big gap when I went to uni and worked really hard in the arts. Then in my late 20s I realised that I used to be interested in stuff that wasn't just working really hard and decided to get back into it. Our inspirations as a band - there's a multitude. We talked quite a lot about the fact that we are never as a band like ‘oh, we would like to make a song that sounds like whoever.’ Each of us is bringing their own inspiration.
And that's five people's worth, isn't it?
Yes, exactly - it's a real hodgepodge. But I know Pixies have been an influence on Dave and Ollie certainly. I believe that Lucy, like me, grew up in a Beatles household. So that's in the mix. Julie's an enigma, who knows?
For me, I guess when I'm sitting down to write songs, I'm not thinking I want to write a song like whoever - but when I listen back, I can hear my own influences such as David Berman (of Silver Jews)'s Purple Mountains as well as Dory Previn who I love so much! I can definitely hear where they've had an impact on the way that I think when I sit down at the keyboard.
Moving onto the new release, usually with an EP you’ll release a few singles and keep the rest a mystery – what’s the story behind yellow drawn shades, and why have you decided to release these songs collectively as an EP?
Basically, it was me. I kept changing the goal posts on what I wanted the EP to be, which songs I wanted on it etc. Ultimately, it’s just a group of songs that need to find a home together. We’ve already started writing for our next collection and these songs all very much live together in a way that became clear to me in hindsight, and I want to give them a nice little home before we move on.
The cover of Shelley Byron’s newest release, yellow drawn shades, which has come out today.
That makes sense to box them off and then people can listen to them in a space where they’re altogether, one after the other.
I may be a bit old-fashioned in that I really enjoy listening to an album or an EP from start to finish so that you feel like you’re being told the story of what was going on in that person’s life at the time. When we put these songs together and I listened to them, I thought it really captured a moment in time for me, in the way that the albums I enjoy the most do. That’s been nice.
Can you tell me about ‘Moon Song’, because that feels like a really powerful and emotionally-charged track; what was the meaning behind that one?
It’s a very personal experience that’s probably only happened to me… I was struggling the get a man to talk about his feelings. I suppose it’s about the frustration you feel when you know that someone has something they need to talk about, and they can’t seem to find a way to do so. You’re trying to offer solutions to them, to encourage them. Then at a certain point you realise: I’ve spent however long trying to understand and I actually think that I do, but in a way that doesn’t require words anymore because we’ve come to know each other so well that the frustration has sort of given way to a new kind of intimacy.
If you had to pick a favourite song off the EP which would you choose, and why?
A real Sophie’s choice. It’s difficult, it’s hard to be objective I guess. I think probably if I was a listener coming across the EP for the first time, I think ‘Bubblewrap’ would probably be my favourite because it is a bop – if I do say so myself. But I guess I have quite sentimental attachments to a few of them.
I think ‘Silly Goose’ I wrote right around the time when my husband and I got engaged, I remember performing that for the first time at the EP launch we did back then and it was just me and a keyboard with Ollie our bassist singing backing vocals – it was a rough example of what we were working on at the time Seeing him hear it for the first time and being touched by it - that’s a lovely memory.
Then also when we recorded ‘Take The Train’ I was very pregnant – I think I was 2 weeks out – you know what, not good, I don’t recommend it - it was too much! When that was going on we recorded that song and my husband Chris came in and recorded the saxophone that you hear on it. Having him there and the band there who you know, we’re all so close, made that a very lovely memory as well.
It's quite hard to separate out – they could all be terrible and I would have no idea. There’s this song by The Magnetic Fields where he says “you may not be beautiful, but its not for me to judge, I don’t know if you’re beautiful because I love you too much”, as soppy as it is, I’m too close!
Music is obviously very useful for you, do you find it’s a bit like therapy, using music to channel all the emotions that you might be feeling?
Yeah it is very cathartic - I tend to just be writing about my feelings. I mean I wouldn't say it's like therapy because that would be kind of a blind-leading-the-blind situation, but I do know what you mean, it's really good. Recently I had some conflict in a relationship with someone, a friend that I really care about and I care too much to be angry to her. I want to talk productively to her, but I could go and sit at the piano and write a song that releases those feelings. I guess some people write a text or an e-mail that they don't send and my equivalent of that is writing an angry pop song.
A chance to play and celebrate the EP, you’re playing at Sidney&Matilda a couple of days after the release on Sunday 26th October. Do you have any more plans for the rest of the year that we should know about?
We have a gig coming up at The Harlequin next month. I'm really looking forward to it and I think it'll be a really lovely venue - it's happening on Saturday 22nd November!
Shelley Byron released their EP yellow drawn shades today, and you can listen to it here. Make sure to catch the band live supporting folk-duo lilo at Sidney&Matilda on the 26th October, and at The Harlequin on the 22nd November.
Words: Megan Wood
