Plus One

Stephanie

You've been working through a tour of the U.K over the past week or so, how has the experience been for you so far?

It's been good. I actually moved over here in February and I've done a couple of tours around the area, so it's my third time here. I love it!

How have the shows been going?

They've been good. Nobody has died or anything...

That's definitely a good thing. Any stand-out shows?

Let's see...Birmingham Glee Club. It was just kinda cool, the audience was very lively. But I don't really want to 'single out' any show, it's always an adventure, I mean I played London last night and that was really fun as well.

I've read several enchanting descriptions of your music around various web pages and press releases, and I'm sure I could give one of my own. But how would you describe your music?

That's a tricky one..I would say it's like when you open up a purse and inside it's like maybe velvet. Then inside you see little trinkets and things like that. Maybe opening up a beautiful purse and seeing little rubies and things inside. It's dark when you go in, but there's something soft inside there..

Tell me about your history, growing up on a farm..

Well I think I was really lonely growing up. I spent a lot of time kind of isolated. Where I grew up there were about 15 boys, and so I was the only girl. They would always say: 'Oh let's play war, and you be the princess. Go in your room and we'll come find you.' But then they would never come. So I was in my room alone. I grew up around all guys so I didn't have the company of female friends until much later. So I think that's why I was introspective and a little bit sad. It was really cold where I was and the sun didn't come up for a long time..

So how did you get involved with music?

I started when I was really little, I was singing Olivia Newton-John to my family. [laughs] Stuff like that you know?

Do you hold a defining memory from your childhood?

I guess sneaking out of my room every night to go to the woods at night. I did a lot of sneaking out to the woods late at night by myself. Before I was scared!

What dreams did you hold back then? Did you hope to make it in music or was music more of a creative escape for you, a chance to build up your own secretive 'world' even?

Yes, it was a lot more of an escape sort of thing. Obviously, as you get older and you want to pay the bills, eventually you think of doing it for a living.. Not many people can do that. Right now I'm pretty comfortable with the travel, the flying out and just being comfortable with exactly where I am.

Do you need those escapes in your life, is it something that you thrive upon?

Yeah, I really need to be alone in my room. Even if I just want to play video games or see my friends I have to really cut myself off from the whole world and get my little books and my little fairy things and my rocks. Go into my own place you know?

What inspires you the most, be it in music or just life itself?

I think growing up I had this longing..I mean everyone feels it. It's kind of defining. Living with something you can't have.

Keeping with the theme of inspiration. What location, anywhere in the world, inspires you the most?

I think anywhere. I love when I'm driving and I pass the forests. I'm not so good when I get out of the car! I love to drive by and see it all.

How was the writing and recording for your latest release 'A Lilly For The Spectre' compared to your debut album 'Ghosts, Mice and Vagabonds'?

I started writing while I was doing my other record and I was staying in a haunted factory at the time. So everything that I was going through at that time came through, it was kind of magical, and lonely. I was staying in a house that I was squatting in, that means like 'hiding out' and all that I had was a mattress, and a lamp...and I had a mouse. Then a tape player with me when I was staying all by myself.

Are you happy with the end result?

I'm happy to just keep going on.

Do you listen to your own music often?

No, not really. When I first write a song I play it to myself a lot when it still has meaning, it still means something to me. Then after it's gone through the machine I can appreciate it but I can't really hear it in the same way.

In terms of the lyrics you write. Do you sometimes find it hard to find the write words to match the music?

I write the music first and then I try to take all of the lyric stuff from my own journals.

Talk to me about the process for the video you made for 'Only Getting Better' made by Soy Un Cabello, from your latest release. What were you trying to convey with it?

It's a ghost ship, and there's a ghost. It's about how time is transparent so everything that's ever happened in the area is still happening. The interaction just between the curtain of now and yesterday. How things can sort of co-exist together at the same time.
So you have like spirits, ghosts and things like that. The other side of time where five minutes ago those people were still there and in a way they still are. The filming was really interesting because I would stay in a one by one square and I wouldn't move. I was in front of the green screen. When it looks like I'm sitting down I'm just walking like this. [Demonstrates] It looks like I'm moving around but I'm staying really still for, I think two hours or something. Also, the dress was two hundred years old and so I was afraid of moving when I put it on!

What have been the most memorable shows you've performed?

That's hard because I play a lot of shows. I'm always just along for the ride..

What kind of atmosphere do you hope to create in your performances?

I hope that people would feel happy and that they're having a good time. I want to connect with them, and hope that they'd sing along. With no pretension whatsoever. It's not about that. I'm not a 'cool' band. A lot of bands are just like 'we're cool' and that's not what I'm trying to do at all.

Reading through your Myspace entries I was wondering if you have a journal which chronicles the life of Stephanie Dosen which you write in as you go on?

I have tons! Some are for early, early, in the morning, some at night and then I've got my journal for my art. They all meld together so I have constant words in little books which I hold onto.

What could you see yourself doing if you weren't involved in music?

I would be happy working in clothing, because I knit. 'Fashion' I guess. I'm really into designing clothes.

How's the hunt for the hamster named Jamster Newton-John going?

I don't have him yet. But I will.

What with your love of nature and wildlife have you ever thought of putting on a show in the middle of one of the forests which inspired you, surrounded by animals and the like?

Well I did the Latitude festival and that was in the middle of a forest and there were squirrels so that was close! The end of the road festival had peacocks wandering everywhere. They would wander right up to me as I was singing even..

So to close with, what lies in the future for Stephanie Dosen?

I want to have a pen and collect a lot of animals. I like to collect animals. Koala's! Make sure you get Koala's in there. I'd like to become a Koala collector..

Delightfully dressed and speaking with a constant enthusiasm Stephanie's personality complements her dreamy music to perfection. Speaking rapidly she gushed with refreshing honesty and a heartwarming charm answers which raised a smile and that were scattered with humour throughout an insightful interview. One which presented a confident woman settled within her surroundings and at ease with where her musical direction has taken her so far. Having honed her sound with a defining second album and keen to keep on with the ride, Stephanie Dosen is a name we can expect to hear plenty of in the future.

Interview by Jim Hall