Lazy Day Interview – “Songs let me say things that are sometimes hard to say any other way”

Lazy Day started out life back in 2014 in Tilly Scantlebury’s bedroom, but after posting self-recorded tracks on Soundcloud it was clear Lazy Day were destined for bigger and greater things. Blossoming quickly into a full four piece band they releaseed their debut EP, ‘Ribbons’, in 2017 to critical acclaim.

The band are now set to unleash their sophomore EP ‘Letters’ on 22nd March, which includes already released tracks ‘Double j’ and ‘Mumma’. The EP and their forthcoming Latitude appearance has been supported by Festival Republic’s ReBalance programme, which helps female-led bands and solo artists to take the next step in their careers.

We caught up with Tilly Scantlebury to dive deep into what inspired the ‘Letters’ EP, how the ReBalance project has helped the band and who she’ll be watching at Latitude 2019.

You’re releasing a new five track EP ‘Letters’ on 22nd March on your own label Weird Cool Records. What can people expect from the EP?

They can expect five fabulous songs and a lot of modesty.

You’ve already shared the tracks ‘Double j’ from the EP, which is about your best friend, as well as the track ‘Mumma’ which is an ode to your Mum. Where else did you look for inspiration for your lyrics on this EP?

I looked at more of my relationships and I rinsed them for content. Each song is kind of addressed to a particular person who is or has been important to me for lots of different reasons, and the songs let me say things that are sometimes hard to say any other way.

You’ve said you see each track on the EP like “a letter to each person”. If you could write a letter to anyone living or dead or would it be and why?  

I’d bend your rules and do some time travel and write something to younger Tilly and be like, don’t worry so much you’re doing okay.

What is your favourite track on the EP?

That’s like asking a parent to choose between their children! ‘Mumma’ and ‘Baby’ feel special because I produced them myself and because they’re about two of my favourite people, ‘Double j’ makes me happy because it’s about my best friend, ‘Mostly Me’ is really cathartic because it felt like I let something go when I recorded it, and ‘Tell Me’ is like a secret-not-so-secret way of standing up for myself against The Man.

The EP was supported by the ReBalance project. How has the support of ReBalance helped you so far as a band?

I was really happy to be accepted onto the ReBalance project, and already so much cool stuff has come of it. ReBalance gave me studio time to finish recording a collection of songs that I’d wanted to release for a while. I got to work with Steph Marziano, an amazing producer and now a really lovely friend. We recorded three of the five songs that are on our upcoming EP, Letters. Having that time and attention in the studio was something I hadn’t had before, and it made a massive difference.

Why do you think it’s important for projects like ReBalance to exist in today’s industry?

The music industry feels pretty impenetrable from the outside, and still is for a lot of people, so projects like ReBalance need to exist to give people a platform, and make more things possible. Giving womxn and non-binary people the space and resources to make things is crucial. Otherwise the world is going to miss out on a lot of cool stuff.

You all have jobs outside the band (Tilly an art history PhD student, Beni a gardener, Liam works in visual effects). How if at all do your other careers inform your music?

I think having other jobs makes us appreciate the time that we get to spend on Lazy Day even more. But also my PhD is about feminist and queer art, and I feel like that informs everything I do, including all things Lazy Day.

You’ve cited a number of iconic female artists as inspiration: PJ Harvey, Patti Smith, Sleater Kinney, Karen O, Kate Bush and Beach House’s Victoria Legrand. What up and coming female artists are you inspired by?

Jay Som, The Orielles, Sasami and Dogeyed – listen if you know what’s good for you.

Have you been to Latitude festival before? What was your favourite memory?

None of us have ever been before! So this will be our first time – we’re all gunna spend the weekend enjoying it. Like a group staycation.

Who are you looking forward to seeing at Latitude 2019?

Cat Power, Anna Calvi, Nadine Shah, Girlpool, Julia Jacklin, Nilufer Yanya, Lana Del Rey, Lolly Adefope, Ider. See you at the front!

Describe what people can expect from your Latitude set in three words

Synchronicity, excitability, loveability.

If you could create a whole new area at Latitude Festival, what would it be?

Lazy Latitude: the Chill Zone.

Where would you like to be as a band in three years time?

Hopefully playing music in a world that doesn’t look so scarily like it’s coming to an end.

Finally, what is your ideal ‘lazy day’?

Post-Latitude festival, in my pjs, watching reality TV with Stanley my puppy.

Join Lazy Day and our headliners George Ezra, Stereophonics and Lana Del Rey plus many more for Latitude 2019 in the magical surrounds of Henham Park, Southwold, Suffolk on 18th-21st July 2019.