Following the release of her latest single ‘Awkward Social Situation’ LOCK caught up with Edinburgh-born Berlin-based indie singer-songwriter Ailsa and the Seahorses (Ailsa McEwan), to discuss her latest single, inspirations and future plans. Be sure to check out the playful ‘Awkward Social Situation’ at the end of the interview.
“Awkward Social Situation” feels so relatable for anyone who’s experienced online dating. What inspired you to write this song, and how much of it reflects your own personal experiences?
Well to be honest it’s 100% biographical and there are some oddly specific references in there that I hope one guy in particular never hears. I went on a string of Tinder dates back in 2020 and I think I was overanalysing things one evening, feeling particularly strange. At some point I just realised the hilarity of it all and that maybe the truth is everyone is weird, nobody really cares, and most of the time people are just busy thinking about themselves. None of it really mattered, so I just laughed and wrote a song about it. I finished the song then I headed out on my next date, who was extremely weird. It was a lot of fun.
You describe the song as both whimsical and humorous. How did you go about blending humour with the more awkward, sometimes uncomfortable aspects of online dating?
Sometimes you just have to laugh. I guess it comes naturally to me – responding to uncomfortable situations with humour; it’s kind of a way of life/some may say a coping mechanism… The song turned out a bit ironic, but also honest and I had fun with it all. I think the song simultaneously laughs at myself, and arrives at some kind of self-acceptance, embracing the whole situation and it’s absurdity. Life is absurd, how can it be taken seriously? I’ll always try and find something positive in difficult situations, and a lot of the time that means getting some laughs out of it.
You’ve said that this song is for the shy ones and introverts. How do you hope the track resonates with listeners who might feel out of place in social or dating situations?
Maybe they can find some solace and self acceptance too, and realise that they are not so strange. I hope they can find joy in the whole thing, see how funny it all is and just enjoy it. Sometimes you just need to get some perspective and realise that, in the best way possible, nobody cares.
The track started as an acoustic composition and evolved into a full-band recording. What was that transformation process like?
When writing my songs, I always imagine them as something bigger. So although I wrote it on an acoustic guitar, I kind of already had some rough idea in my head of what it could sound like with a band. We tried out different ideas together, trying to reflect some awkward and quirky characteristics into it with the different instruments. I remember at one point we had different characters/stories for some of the instruments – one guitar part was a hopeless drunk person falling up their stairs and there was a very shy sounding synth who was the really timid neighbour who didn’t know how to deal with the situation. When the drummer joined us, the whole thing really came together. By the way, I met the bass player on Tinder, and that’s how the band started. So at least something good came from all this awkwardness…
You’ve been part of the Berlin music scene for several years. How has living and performing in Berlin shaped your growth as an artist, and what impact has the city had on your music?
Berlin definitely toughens you up. It’s a cruel place – the big city definitely has a way more competitive feel to it on the scene and I never felt a sense of true community here, if I’m being honest. It feels as though people are very much focused on themselves and can be a bit insincere. For a while I think I tried to play this game before realising it wasn’t what I want to be doing. I don’t think Berlin has so much influenced my music genre-wise, but I think the experience of being here has helped me know myself a bit better and grow into a more authentic version of myself. It helped me realise what is important to me and what is not, and what kind of artist and person I want to be. And living here has also given me enough weird experiences to write songs about…
Your music combines elements of folk, shoegaze, and dreampop. How do you navigate blending these genres, and what is it about this combination that speaks to you as an artist?
Well I think the atmosphere and ethereal/dreamy quality of shoegaze and dreampop speaks to me – I feel like a very dreamy person, it’s all about the vibes. But at the same time I’ve always been a big fan of more traditional songwriting and great lyricists, so I think these two things just naturally came together. I’ve listened to more Tom Waits and Leonard Cohen than is probably apparent from listening my music! I mainly write alone with just me and an acoustic guitar, so the emphasis is largely on the songwriting side of things at this stage, but the chords I am drawn towards are generally very dreamy so that already creates an atmosphere. When the other instruments are brought in that’s when it can become super dreamy, and production choices contribute a lot. And excessive amounts of reverb…
“Awkward Social Situation” is taken off your upcoming debut album Hermit. What themes or stories can fans expect from the album, and how does this single fit into the larger project?
Funnily enough I would say that, for me, “Awkward Social Situation” actually feels like the one song on the album that doesn’t fit so much theme-wise. But I think having a more lighthearted, slightly comical moment on the album is important – we need those moments. The album has some mystical themes and generally it just follows the journey of someone going out into the world alone and kind of getting lost to find their way. I suppose they eventually wind up back where it all began. The name ‘Hermit’ is after the title track, and is in reference to the Tarot card, The Hermit. It’s all about soul searching.
You’ve mentioned that “Awkward Social Situation” is possibly the least serious song you’ve written. How important is it for you to include a sense of playfulness in your music, especially with more introspective or personal topics?
It happens in my music from time to time, I wouldn’t say it defines me as an artist, but it comes out in the right moments. It’s good to break the sad dreampop recluse stereotype sometimes – I may write very sad music but I have a lot of fun actually! If I didn’t have this side to my music I would probably be excessively emo. I think when artists can be a bit playful/less serious with their work it shows a very human side to them, something very real.
With “Hermit” on the horizon, how do you feel this album reflects your personal and musical growth over the past few years? What has changed for you as an artist since you started working on this project?
It is a long way from my first EP that I recorded in a wardrobe back in 2019! Having the band on this album really helped me achieve the sound/genre I’d always wanted for my music and come into myself as an artist. And I think the process of making an album definitely provided some valuable experiences and insights – like I definitely have some obsessive and perfectionist tendencies and would try and do things differently in the future; albums are really just a snapshot in time, there is no perfect result and at some point you have to let things go as they are. Mentally and spiritually I moved on a while back and my mind is on new projects! I think now I am trying to focus more on the here and now and create intuitively.
With the release of this single and the upcoming debut album, what’s next for Ailsa and the Seahorses? Are there any other exciting projects or plans you’re working on that fans can look forward to?
I’m heading back to my homeland of Scotland where I hope to first ground myself after the craziness of the Berlin years. I’m looking forward to performing more in Scotland and hopefully throughout the UK. The main thing is to write some new songs! I’m actually thinking of doing something a bit more DIY and have rekindled my love of home recording. The songs I’ve been writing recently have something a bit more raw about them and I think this emotion is something that could be captured well through this way of working.
Listen to ‘Awkward Social Situation’ below