Exclusive Interview With The Hidden Lyrics Founders Rachel and Sammi
Last week, The Hidden Lyrics hosted its very first writers round event at the intimate Acapela Studio venue in Pentyrch Cardiff with six fantastic performers taking to the stage for the showcase founded by Rachel and Sammi from Scarlet River PR and Follow Your Arrow UK respectively.
Here we chat exclusively with the two women to discuss the event and its future:
Congratulations on hosting your first Hidden Lyrics event, how did you find the overall response to the evening?
RACHEL: Thank you so much!! We were both very nervous about hosting our first event, but the response was incredible. To see a packed room where the audience listened so tentatively was amazing.
SAMMIE: It truly felt magical and we’ve had some lovely messages since the night.
What was it that first made you decide to co-host this showcase together?
SAMMI: We both loved going to writers rounds and wanted to do something closer to home and we’re both passionate about giving a voice to new talent as well as established artists.
RACHEL: We had already worked on a songwriter’s event in Bristol prior to lockdown which we sold out, so we knew that we wanted to do it again. But, since 2020, I started a PhD in Cardiff and Sammi moved to Cardiff, so that’s why we hosted this event at Acapela Studios. We also wanted to showcase the incredible talent on our doorstep in South Wales.
You held it at the Acapela Studio, how did you feel the intimate setting lent itself to the writers round?
RACHEL: Acapela Studios is a quaint, converted church building, with beautiful natural acoustics and a setting that really lent itself to the event.
You had six fantastic artists on the bill, how was the process of bringing those acts together for one night?
RACHEL: We had a short bucket list of artists that we really wanted to approach – artists that we had seen before or knew would be perfect for the round based on their songwriting capabilities (and being Welsh!) But, we also posted a lot on the local Cardiff music groups to see if anyone would be interested in taking part in the event. That’s where we came across Jake Weller…. What a find!
SAMMI: We were so lucky as each person was unique but they complimented each other very well. We wanted to have a mixture of artists that all write their own music and we wanted to show different types of songs and writing as well.
Are you currently planning any future Hidden Lyrics events?
SAMMI: Yes, we’d love to, this was the first event and we learnt a lot from doing it. Hopefully, we can do something in the spring or summer when we both have some more time. We’ve had some lovely feedback and other artists are now approaching us, which is fantastic!
Are you looking to make this a residency of sorts at Acapela or will you take it to different venues/cities?
RACHEL: In all honesty, it’s not something we’ve thought about an awful lot yet! I love the idea of touring it across the country, but there is something to be said for basing ourselves in Wales and really establishing this event!
SAMMI: We loved working with the Acapela team, they’ve been so supportive but like Rachel said, we need some time to review the first event and see where it can take us.
Looking ahead, what else does 2022 hold for Scarlet River PR, and Follow Your Arrow UK?
RACHEL: I am heading to Nashville for a couple of months to do some networking! I really want to push my company and work on my own branding, working with people across the globe on PR! I am also working on some digital products which I’ll begin promoting in the new year!
SAMMI: Like Rachel said earlier, I am doing a Chartered Institute of Marketing diploma to become a Chartered Marketer and it’s been an intense year of working and studying, the course finishes at the end of the year then a nice break over Christmas before looking at new plans to continue promoting more artists and music next year.
Did you enjoy our interview with Rachel and Sammi? Let us know your thoughts across social media and in the comments below!
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