Meet the Mentees: Jodie Robertson
Today we chat to Jodie Robertson - a singer-songwriter and acoustic guitarist from the West Coast of Scotland. As part of DMC’s yearly mentoring programme DMC FUTURES, Jodie is undertaking the ‘Songwriting and Establishing a Musical Career’ Mentorship with Sarah Jane Scouten, a three-time Canadian Folk Music Award nominee.
In this mentorship, Jodie is working with Sarah Jane to learn how to cast a critical eye over her song writing process, gaining key professional and tailored insight into sustaining a career as a musical artist and learning how to establish a brand and identity.
Find out more about Jodie and her mentorship below!
Hey Jodie! Can you tell us a little bit about yourself..
Hey! Well, I’m a singer-songwriter and acoustic guitarist from the West Coast of Scotland. I’ve played in multiple locations across Ayrshire and Glasgow, mainly during the course of 2019. I’m also an actor and a member of Dumfries and Galloway based theatre company ‘Performance Collective Stranraer’. I’m currently working through my third and final year at university studying business.
What sparked your interest in music and how did you get started in playing guitar and songwriting?
Although I don’t come from a musical family, music has always been a prominent part of my upbringing. Around the age of ten, I had a guitar teacher that was intrigued by the way I spoke (I’m still not really sure what he was getting at) and encouraged me to sing. He loved what he heard and from that moment was adamant that I perform in front of the school.
I started song-writing at age thirteen but was rekindled with my love for performance and writing at the end of 2018. I later bought a new acoustic which triggered a lot of musical inspiration and opened so many creative doors for me. I took what I learned from guitar tuition and taught myself different styles and became a lot more comfortable with my instrument. I experimented with song-writing on a regular basis and realised that I was starting to enjoy what I was creating. I played a small, informal gig in a bar and from that came a lot of gig opportunities.
Although I wasn’t living in a music capital, I was lucky enough to be surrounded by like-minded and creative people that were often looking for an acoustic artist for support slots, open mics or even background music at bars. Ever since, I’ve continued to develop my own style and progress as a song-writer.
How important do you think it is for people to engage with local projects to further their own skillset or career?
I think it’s so important to stay engaged with musical and creative projects, especially right now. Sometimes just working on a new project or tuning into panels/discussions can get your creative cogs turning and spark inspiration. You can learn new or different ways to work and develop your craft through whatever the project or workshop is offering and it can really offer a new perspective.
Aside from what the project is, it’s also an incredible way to meet and network with new people which is a huge part of developing your career. From projects and the people you meet, you can learn a lot about your craft and ways to improve and enhance what you do as well as learn a lot about the industry you’re in. I would always encourage people to attend workshops or projects, especially if they are wanting to further enhance any part of their skillset or knowledge or even if they want to connect with people.
You’ve been sharing a lot of your own music through social media throughout the pandemic – do you feel social media has been a useful tool for you as a musician over the last few months?
Definitely! One thing that social media and music have in common is that they connect and bring people together. Musicians have unfortunately lost not only a source of income, but a huge part of what made them fall in love with their craft: live performance. And so, we’ve sort of been forced to adapt in order to get even a fraction of the satisfaction that playing live brings.
One of the only ways to mimic that is by sharing what you have with people in one of the only ways we know how - online. I believe its useful as it still brings that connectivity and people generally feel a sense of excitement when they see others perform - even if it’s a 3-minute video online. As controversial as the use of social media is, I’m honestly not sure how well we would have been able to keep the arts alive without still being able to sharing it with others in some format.
It’s also helped me in connecting with other artists by giving shout outs or just writing a personal message to say how much I love their new track. I feel like I’ve become part of a wider community by properly engaging on social media with other musicians and developed genuine friendships with people through discussions about our music.
“I believe Dumfries has a very strong and diversified music scene and is an area I believe may be overlooked due to the larger music/art cities in the central belt. I believe it offers a lot of opportunities and there is a strong sense of community – I met a number of artists through attending a workshop with DMC last year and its allowed me to learn from other musicians and about the industry itself. ”
Are there are local or national acts on your radar right now?
I’ve recently been really enjoying listening to more local and national musicians at the moment. There is so much undiscovered talent and so close to home.
To name a few I’ve enjoyed listening to Kate Kyle, who has such a beautiful voice, Scarlett Randle, as well as a Glasgow-based band The Roly Mo. There’s a band from the Leeds music scene who I’ve been listening to repeatedly and actually bought merch from called Edited People.
That’s only a few of the countless musicians I’ve discovered recently but I’ve found that by following local blogs or music reviews, you can really find some hidden gems!
What do you think of the music scene in Dumfries? And in Scotland?
Generally, by referring to my own experience, there is a huge support network in place for pushing independent and local artists and giving them the exposure they deserve, especially in smaller towns. Musicians are always willing to pass on their knowledge which is also really encouraging for those just beginning their careers.
I believe Dumfries has a very strong and diversified music scene and is an area I believe may be overlooked due to the larger music/art cities in the central belt. I believe it offers a lot of opportunities and there is a strong sense of community – I met a number of artists through attending a workshop with DMC last year and its allowed me to learn from other musicians and about the industry itself.
Jodie took part in the Songwriting Masterclass at DMC 2019, hosted by 23rd Precinct.
What are you most looking forward to in your mentorship? Any goals you’d like to achieve?
Honestly, I’m excited that I get to properly discuss and break down the art of song writing with someone who has been in my position in the past. I’m able to hear a personal and honest take on the different elements of the career of an artist and song-writer. I’m always looking for ways to improve my craft and I believe Sarah Jane really offers this and provides a different perspective on the writing process. I’m excited to learn more about the industry, opportunities, ways to effectively showcase your brand and music and generally establish yourself as an artist.
How would you like your career to progress in the next few years?
I hope to have songs released beyond the use of online video content so that people can properly grasp a sense of my music and connect with it. I want to keep working and talking with like-minded people within the Scottish music scene and hopefully, if things work in our favour, play at larger events and venues. But generally, I hope that in the near future I will be able to pursue music full-time and establish a stronger sense of musical identity.