Ahead of their new single being released, Ewen Watson of Be Like Pablo chats to Chris Lemon of IGigs.
There is something clearly adorable about Be Like Pablo, their bubble-gum pop tunes, ooze sunshine, joy and smiles. They have burst back onto the scene, after what appeared to be a period away (see below), with new track ‘There She Is’. We had to catch up with Ewen Watson to talk about the new track and what the year holds for them.
Chris – You have said that the new single ,‘There She Is’, is the “best Be Like Pablo song to date” what is it about the song that makes you feel that?
Ewen – There She Is is the definitive Be Like Pablo single – the kind of song I’d show to people to demonstrate exactly what we do. I like to think that all of our songs are really catchy, poppy and polished but I think this one in particular excels in all of those areas. I think it’s the strongest narrative I’ve come up with for a song so far and it’s got a real summer-feel to it which I love.
Chris – There doesn’t seem to be such a thing as a “simple” Be Like Pablo video with a feeling that it is as important as the music itself, how important is the correct visual representation of your music?
Ewen – I have always felt that music videos go hand-in-hand with singles and, when I write songs, I try to come up with imaginary music videos to accompany them in my head. Music videos can be a really great way for a band to get noticed. A video, when done well, can enhance a song and we’ve tried to do that with this video. Our band has a really strong sense of identity and we try to put as much of our personality as possible into our music and a video is a natural progression of that. Dating back to our first ever single, Julianne, Be Like Pablo have used video to put across what we do. It’s such an important tool for us.
Chris – Ignite Moray Youth Arts Hub supported the making of the video, how important was this, and how did it come about?
Ewen – Ignite Moray Youth Arts Hub were a huge help in making this video as they co-funded it. I really wanted to get young people in Moray involved in making music videos and, with Ignite’s help, we were able to recruit young people to get involved in the filmmaking process. We delivered workshops to help young people understand how to develop simple ideas and turn them into completed music videos. From there, we allowed them to visit the film set and get first-hand experience with areas such as set design, costume and makeup. It was a great experience for them to work with a professional film team. Most of our band have ties to education and we are continually trying to engage with creative young people and help them develop their crafts.
Chris – Where does ‘There She Is’ fit in with the plan for the future of the band?
Ewen – There She Is will be the first of several new music videos we release. We plan to release four this year and, if that goes well, we will continue this pattern in the years that follow. Without ruling a second album out at some point, I think singles are definitely the future for Be Like Pablo. Our sound and approach to music seems suited to one-off songs with really cool videos. There She Is will be released on all major digital platforms on 17th
Chris – You have announced gigs in your home town and Edinburgh, is their an intention to increase your live profile again?
Ewen – We have dates in Edinburgh and Forres confirmed and shows in Aberdeen and Glasgow in the works. These Scottish shows will be our first in quite some time and will help us launch our new single and live show. We haven’t announced anything beyond that but I can exclusively reveal that we plan on releasing another single ahead of summer which could lead to a string of summer shows and, if everything aligns, some festivals.
Chris – Whilst Be Like Pablo have had periods where they are not as active (or at least publicly so), what do you think holds the band together?
Ewen – So, the thing a lot of people don’t realise is that we’re always active behind the scenes. Like ALWAYS. It’s been about three years since we last released anything but, in that time, we’ve written a bunch of new material, been to a studio in Belfast to record it, completed two music videos, started work on another two music videos (which are currently in production), organised photoshoots, created new artwork and branding and worked out a year long release strategy.
On top of that, we’ve signed a publishing deal recently which also entails co-writing sessions with other artists and we’ve been working with other partners to make sure these releases make an impact. Plus loads of other stuff. It’s super busy being in a band but I would never complain as I’m really lucky to be able to do what I love with the coolest people around. And to answer, your question, that’s what holds the band together: the power of friendship. Awww.
Be Like Pablo will be playing in Edinburgh on 22nd April, with more gig announcements soon.
You can catch Be Like Pablo on You Tube, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Be Like Pablo.
