Vicky Nolan is a professional female vocalist based in England. She can do incredible covers of any of your favorite songs, but her true passion and self-expression lies in the music that she creates. Read my interview with the singer below.
Please tell me about yourself? When did you first start singing?
I started singing when I was very little. I was a hyperactive child and loved to show off. I was always roping my four younger sisters into some sort of stage production that I had written; performing in the living room, the garden or the playground at school. I could make anywhere a stage! Over the years my passion grew and I just wanted to do more and more singing. I went on to train classically, competed in competitions and then started recording and writing my own songs with producers that I found online.
What are your goals for your singing?
My goals are ever-changing, but I’d love to share the music I have written over the years to coincide with the story of my book, Scrapbook of an Unfound Songstress. It’s a collection of stories from my journey of trying to make it as a pop star and the trials and tribulations along the way.
I talk about the expectations I had versus my reality, the highs and lows and the pressures we all face when things don’t quite go as planned. I think we all put so much pressure on ourselves to ‘make it’ but what happens if you don’t?
It’s great that we have more of an awareness for mental health now, but I still think we need to talk about the growing pressures a lot of people feel to live a successful life and show it off in this Instagram world we live in.
Do you ever think that your ambitions and your desire to have a successful life/career make you feel down at times? Especially if it’s not happening as fast as you would like? If so, how do you deal with it?
It’s definitely an easy trap to allow yourself to feel down when things aren’t happening as quickly as you would like. I think social media can amplify these feelings because we can see what everyone else is doing at any given time. I used to be very impatient, but I believe that you can create your own destiny and that in itself can be a scary thing because it gives you all the power!
I always give myself both small and big goals to work towards which I find keeps me motivated and I try not to compare myself to others. There’s room for everyone!
Have you ever felt pressured/influenced by social media in a negative way? If so, how did you overcome that feeling?
I think we’re all still trying to find the right balance with social media. I can easily get addicted and spend hours scrolling into an Instagram abyss which can make me feel like rubbish – mostly because it’s just a waste of my time.
I follow people who inspire me and make me feel good, and in turn, I try and share the real me, flaws and all.
What inspires you to do what you? What motivates you to write your own songs?
Anything can inspire me; a thought, a feeling, a word or something someone might have said. Sometimes songs can evolve into something you didn’t quite expect. I wrote a song called “You Look Good in Love” with Ellie Wyatt and Phillipa Sen. It started out really playful and silly but after some rearranging by Stefan Ekstedt and production by Ken Caillat (who produced Fleetwood Mac), it turned into one of my most heartfelt songs.
Writing my own songs and collaborating with other musicians is cathartic to me. I always learn so much and it allows me to share a bit of myself through my performances and makes it much more personal.
What are you most afraid of right now?
I still have a fear of failure. I have had to re-train my brain to let things go and not to let my inner perfectionist control everything. Sometimes my perfectionism leads to procrastination. It’s a daily struggle!
What is the best advice you have ever received?
I have received lots of great advice over the years, but one thing that has always stuck with me is remembering that everything you do or experience has value. My parents would always tell me this, and it’s so true. Even if you think something was a complete waste of time – it’s always a gain.
You can always learn something from every experience whether it was positive or negative.
Did you have any struggles as an artist and if you did, how did you overcome it?
The main struggle I have had is the struggle I have with myself. Self-doubt and fear are always in the back of my mind even if I manage to silence the voices. I think a lot of people feel the same way and it’s a common theme in the book that I wrote.
What advice would you give to a stranger? Maybe something that you have learned from your life and the things you have encountered?
Try not to overthink things too much, follow your instincts and do what feels good! These are things I try and remember myself.
Life is too short to be doing things that make you unhappy.
We all have the power to create a life we want to live for ourselves. It’s not always easy to achieve, but anything is possible.
For more information, please visit Vicky’s website.
