Interview with Artist SJ Denney


By Mick Michaels






The Cosmick View: Hello, and welcome to The Cosmick View/MBM Ten

Pounder! Thanks for taking some time to chat with us! 
SJ Denney: Thanks for the interview Mick.  The pleasure's mine.  I always love to talk about music. 

CV: Describe your definition of your sound and style and how does

that definition uniquely describe the music?
SJ Denney: I think my music is alternative folk rock with a twist.  My main influences are The Beatles, Neil Young and Talk Talk.  Think of all of those artists being blended in one big melting pot and add some unconventional instruments.  That's my sound! 

CV: Today, everyone talks about artist and audience connection. Is such a

level of connection actually achievable for an artist and if so, how have you made the connection to your fans?
SJ Denney: I'm always looking for answers in this department.  It clearly is possible, as there are some very popular artists absolutely killing it.  However, I think the music industry is over saturated at the moment.  The internet has made it easy to get out there, but difficult to stand out.  When I have success in this department, it's usually the result of something quirky that doesn't outstay its welcome.  With so much entertainment on tap, I think it can be difficult to hold people's attention.

CV: Is fan interaction an important part of your inner culture?
SJ Denney: My culture as an artist is to keep writing better songs and put them out there.  I see myself as an artist's artist.  Like most musicians, I am striving for audience interaction, but my songs are the most important thing…people relating to my content is an added bonus.  I'd obviously like more and more people to relate to my music as I progress.

CV: Can an artist truly interact with its fans and still maintain a level of personal privacy without crossing the line and giving up their “personal space” in your opinion?

SJ Denney: With social media, I think this is very difficult.  By doing music and craving attention, you can't really push it away.  You're either popular or you're not.  If you are, privacy is difficult to maintain. 

CV: Is music, and its value, viewed differently around the world in your opinion?  If so, what do you see as the biggest difference in such multiple views among various cultures?

SJ Denney: I think it is.  In the UK and the US, there seems to be more focus on the commercial side of music.  A lot of other cultures use music for other things.  Popular music is less of a thing in these cultures.  It seems to me like music is a way of being for some cultures.  It's just something you do.  For me, in Western cultures, making music seems like more of a conscious choice.

CV: Do you feel that an artist who has an international appeal, will tend to connect more so to American audiences? Would they be more enticed or intrigued to see the artist over indigenous acts because of the foreign flavor?

SJ Denney: I think so.  Personally, I always try to write things about personal experiences, but say them in such a way that they have universal appeal.  Over the years, artists that sing about experiences very specific to their own culture seem to struggle with 'making it' overseas, including America.  A song needs to be something that anyone can relate to.  That's the art... to make it feel like it's personal to them. 

CV: Has modern-day digital technology made everyone an artist on some level in your opinion? Have the actual lines of what really is an artist been blurred?

SJ Denney: I think it's made it easier to make music, but it's maybe taken away some of the artistic credibility.  People can edit music or tune vocals, meaning that a lot of artists have gotten lazy.  Almost as if they don't have to work as hard at playing in time or singing in tune.  However, I think if you take the humanity out of these things, they become pretty sterile.  Additionally, because there's such a focus on social media now, it feels like people are more interested in getting likes than improving their craft. 

CV: How would you describe the difference between an artist who follows trends and one who sets them?

SJ Denney: I think if you follow trends you're already too late.  Why would I want to listen to someone who's an imitation, when I could just listen to the original?  Strangely, I think those who set trends probably have a wider range of influences, meaning their output becomes more unique, as it incorporates more of those influences.  I think trend setters care less about what the audience thinks.  They make music for the right reasons.  Quite often these artists end up popular by accident.  I guess artists who follow trends are less confident in themselves. 

CV: Has music overall been splintered into too many sub-genres in an effort to appease fan tastes in your opinion? And has such fan appeasements, in actuality, weakened music’s impact as a whole by dividing audiences?

SJ Denney: I actually think one of the massive positives of the world we live in is that fans don't have to pick a genre.  You can listen to any genre at any time.  On the flip side, I think too many artists try to put themselves in a pigeonhole, as it's easier to associate yourself to a narrow set of genres.  I think this definitely weakens the emotional impact.

CV: What can fans expect to see coming next from you?
SJ Denney: I've got several singles and EPs in the pipeline.  Each one is a progression on the one before.  I feel like I'm beginning to strike gold and I'm hoping that all of this new music is well received.

CV: Thanks again for taking some time and talking. It is greatly appreciated.

SJ Denney: Thanks for asking such interesting questions.  Let's do this again sometime.


Check out SJ Denney at:

Website: https://sjsongs.co.uk/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sjdenney

Twitter: https://twitter.com/S_J_Denney

SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/s-j-denney

Spotify: https://play.spotify.com/artist/1FP1NqTt8PHRXVA6kHWhpm

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/SJDenney

Instagram: https://instagram.com/s_j_denney/

 

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My name is Mick Michaels...I'm an artist, music fan, songwriter, producer, show host, dreamer and guitarist for the traditional Heavy Metal band Corners of Sanctuary. Writing has always been a creative outlet for me; what I couldn't say in speech, I was able to do with the written word.  Writing has given me a voice and a way for me to create on a multitude of platforms including music and song, articles, independent screenplays, books and now, artist interviews. The Cosmick View is an opportunity to raise the bar and showcase artists in a positive and inspirational light. For me, it's another out-of-this-world adventure.




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