Interview with Murdo Mitchell.
The singer songwriter from Glasgow has recently won the accolade of Best Unsigned Scottish Acoustic Act at the Unsigned Scottish Pop Music Awards and has a series of slots at Belladrum 2015. We managed to ask Murdo a few questions..
From busking to touring via the intriguing prospect of G in the Park, what have been your highlights of the summer so far?
Touring was great fun. Playing in a different city almost every night was fantastic. I loved meeting lots of people along the way too. G in the Park was amazing, as was the atmosphere. I loved performing for people that want to hear the music.
Given that you have been busking since the age of 11, how has this aided you in your development as a singer over the years?
Busking was a great way of starting out. I looked at it as paid practise. As I was having fun at the same time it didn’t seem like it was practising. Also, through busking I’ve been offered lots of other gigs. You just never know who is watching! It’s good to see people smiling in the city centre, I think it livens up someone’s day when they hear music whilst they’re doing their shopping on a Saturday.
What are the challenges / benefits of being a young singer/song-writer?
A good thing about being young is that you are a have a lot more freedom to go out and do what you want. The downside would be that sometimes you’re not always taken seriously. Bookers often believe that to be any good you need to have a few extra years on your side. Having said that, I’m happy that this is what I’m doing full-time at this age.
What is the drivers behind your choice of pursuing a career in music?
I’ve always loved performing. One of my earliest memories is being in the back garden and putting on a show for my parents and singing along to a Now compilation! It’s such a great feeling hearing people sing your song back to you and there’s also a sense of accomplishment that comes with that.
You have talked about following up on your 2014 release ‘Better Than Me’, how is that coming along?
I’m currently recording my new single ‘My Jealous Side’. There’s a demo version on YouTube and I hope to release it officially in November.
Are you going to be catching any other acts while you are up, if so who are on your “must sees”?
Definitely The Proclaimers. I’ve got big love for their music. Their harmonies are absolutely spot on. Also, JP Cooper. I’ve watched a good bit of his stuff online and think it’s really creative. His voice is so unique that you just can’t mistake it for anyone else.<
Murdo will be playing on Friday 1.30pm on the Milk Float Busking Stage & 6.45pm on the Shipping Forecast Busking Stage and on Saturday at 3.45pm on the Funkadelica Busking Stage.
You can keep track of Murdo via his Facebook page.
Check out our coverage of Belladrum, also get what’s left of the tickets and upgrades for Belaadrum 2015.
