Ines The Vessel Interview

Inês Releases Sensual Lead Single 'Hands' From Debut EP 'The Vessel'

Future Soul singer-songwriter Inês releases her lead single 'Hands' from her debut body of work 'The Vessel' .

Fresh from touring as a backing vocalist with Matt Corby and Thundamentals, 'Hands' marks a highly-anticipated release for Inês, which includes haunting melodies, sweet vocals and sensual pop grooves.

Of the lead single, Inês says " I wrote it for my partner. It's about letting yourself be present for pleasure rather than being braced for disappointment. He is the one who can coax me out into the open where we can dance together. He taught me to let go. I wanted it to be something that would charge our intimacy when we heard it." Overflowing with lyrics, breathless with anticipation and set over manically driving bass & percussion, the first verse teases us toward a sweet release and a heavy groove - in other words, baby-making music.

"Where my last single 'Head' was about an unrequited fantasy, 'Hands' relishes communicating openly with your lover."

Through The Vessel EP Inês offers herself – more specifically her body - to us. This can be seen in her song titles and autobiographical lyrics as she explores her "Hands", "Head", 'Lashes' and 'Hair'; each are metaphors for traversing relationships. The EP concludes with 'Storm', a love song written for her band.

Alongside the release, Inês will also be throwing launch parties in Sydney and Melbourne in June. The launch will feature her incredibly accomplished band of handpicked musicians - and some of her most lauded friends - with whom she recorded the EP. Between them they have performed, produced and written for Sampa the Great, Boy and Bear, Ngaiire, Montaigne and many others.

Inês was born in Portugal and raised in Sydney's Inner West. As a child, her mother's love of poetry, Brazilian samba, American Jazz and the profound, melancholic moods of the haunting solo female singers of Fado began shaping her own musical experience.

Inês embodies all the sensual exoticisms of these European goddesses with the blatant, upfront, no-nonsense attitude of Australians descended from thieves and cutthroats.

Performing since childhood, Inês first explored her talents as a dancer, then lent her voice to countless bands, recording artists and even some well-known animations, honing her craft in Sydney's live music scene. She hosted the Jazz Hip Hop Freestyle Sessions, guiding aspiring musicians through the world of improvised music, and hosts Slow Release, a late-night RnB show on Sydney's East Side Radio.

With so many fingers in the artistic hot pot, Inês has developed wholly unique artistry through her physical expression and commitment to music that is deeply imbued with mystery and depth thanks to a life of rich cultural indulgence.

 

Interview with Inês

Question: How would you describe your music?

Inês: Track to track it's pretty varied. It's a recorded live band, guitar, bass, drums and keys with not much added production or very few over dubs so the sound is for lack of a better word, live. I myself am heavily soul influenced in terms of my melodic phrasing and song structure. Musically you can hear elements of modern jazz, blues and 70's pop.


Question: Which is your favourite song to perform live and why?

Inês: Our live shows use the songs as foundations for improvising with a lot of the show improvised on the spot so it's different every time. I love giving the space to the boys to really explore the lead in and out of songs so the in-between bits are my favourite moments. They improvise and lay it down for me to explore vocal lines and lyrical ideas that haven't yet been fully formed, that's where special musical moments happen, in the unknown… sometimes they train wreak (laughs) but that's part of the excitement.

Question: If you could have anyone, in the world, attend a show, who would it be?

Inês: I don't think there's anyone one person or group of people who I'd specifically want to see it.

I'd love to share our live performances with as many people as possible. The musicians I work with are sick, sometimes I don't really wanna sing I just wanna watch them so I want everyone to see it.


Question: Do you prefer performing live or recording?

Inês: They both bring about different releases for me. Performing live, in the moment where 'it' is finite; once the note or the line has come out, it only remains in the memory, that is exciting because it doesn't last. I love the idea of being there to witness it, be a part of it. Recording gives you perspective. You can refine an idea and work on it till it best represents what you are trying to communicate and lives on for you to rediscover over time. I enjoy both processes.


Question: What motivates you most when writing music?

Inês: Release. Physiological explorations of relationships and personal musings. It's rare that I'm in a sate of contentment and peace when I'm writing. I guess I'm motivated to get thoughts out so I can look at them and have a better understanding of what's going on in my inter personal relationships. Usually I end up realising I've still got a bit of work to do.


Question: Which music/artists are you currently listening to?

Inês: I always come back to Nina, Coltrane and Chopin they really calm me down. I'm really digging Stella Donnelly new album, Milan out of Sydney is incredible, GODTET (yew!) Anna Wise is on high rotation, Shafiq Husayn, School Boy Q, Smoke DZA, SZA, Laneous, Nail Palm, Vjay Iyer, Flylo and Hot Sugar.


Question: What or who was your inspiration to go into the music industry?

Inês: I wanted to play sax cause I loved John Coltrane, so I started playing when I was eight years old, then in high school I was playing barri sax in the stage band and the singer fell sick during a tour so they asked me to fill and that was it. I was a singer from then on. Straight out of high school I started getting asked to do choruses for MC's around the Inner West and then just kept on getting booked on all sorts of gigs. I'm really fortunate that it just flowed so naturally I was able to quit my hospitality day job and become a full time working musician. It a pretty lush life.

Question: If you could collaborate with another artist, who would it be?

Inês: I'd love to write with Anna Wise, get into some mad harmonies and vocal stacks, she improvises a lot in her live gigs, I dig her writing.


Question: Did you have any pre-conceived ideas about the music industry?

Inês: Because I've closely working with musicians at all stages of their careers with various levels of success since high school I feel like I'd heard a lot of do's and don't early on and learnt not to hold any expectations. Really, it's about our music and performing as much as possible to give people access to our art. The industry is board there's lots of avenues to explore from chasing radio play to selling out o tour, mostly I just wanna create cool shit with my friends. I do feel a huge sense of community when it comes to discussing the ins and outs of our industry between the musicians I work with. We all work together on different projects and have become a closely knit family, we take care of each other and are mostly all very transparent with each other; sharing our experiences, discussing fees, managing each others expectations and sharing useful information help everybody get the most out of their creative projects.


Question: What's a typical day like?

Inês: When I'm not on tour I'm pretty much in my kitchen, the heart of our house. I live with four other musicians and across the road from anther musso house in Marrickville. There's definitely not schedule, but most nights I'm gigging.
I wake up to Jan figuring out soul tunes on the piano, while I make breakfast, meanwhile my partner composing in our bedroom while Dave plays electric guitar for his original project upstairs.
We actually all did yoga together this morning (laughs). Mornings are long in our house, we walk up the road for a coffee and always run into other mussos on the way.
Everyone goes off to their own space to work: write/practice. I'm usually at my computer learning scripts or heading off to voice over sessions. I do jingles and a fair bit voice for animations.
I do backing vocals for a few artists so there's a lot of listening and lyric learning.
In the evening I'm running off to play a gig so I'll chill in the arvo with a book in our garden or do a massive cook up.
There's always musicians coming in and out of the house for rehearsals so that sometimes turns into an impromptu writing session, it's different from day to day.


Question: What has been your favourite part of becoming a music artist?

Inês: The people. You are exposed to the most open and diverse group of humans, it's awesome.
You get to hang with all styles of artists, visual, musical, creative, builders, people who generally work nights and relish the day. I love that my industry gives me so much free time to create and that it's my actual job. So grateful.


Question: Can you tell us five things required for a happy healthy and enjoyable life?

Inês: Sharing delicious pastas, stories and cuddles with people you love.
The pursuit to act with integrity and humility always, it's a life long practice.
Walks in the bush, swims in the ocean, sleep ins.
Read, watch and listen to things that make you question, challenge you and inspire you.
Spread love, thick, like butter.


Question: Can you share your socials?

Inês: facebook.com/inestheiny
@inestheiny
inestheiny.com
soundcloud.com/inestheiny


Interview by Brooke Hunter