Spotlight On... Brooke Combe

Edinburgh-born singer-songwriter Brooke Combe's star has been on a steep incline over the past year and it's been exciting to watch. From a very classy cover of Baccara's Yes Sir, I Can Boogie to the singles which have followed, it's clear that Combe has a knack for relatable lyrics and infectious hooks, with latest single Miss Me Now probably her catchiest song yet, turning bad decision-making into an earworm of a bop. “I wrote Miss Me Now after seeing an old flame when I was on a night out and thinking it was a good idea to leave the club with them," she says. "It’s never a good idea… but it makes for a good tune.”

With an impressive array of successes gathered in such a short period of time, from selling out King Tut's and signing to Island Records to winning Best Female Breakthrough artists at the 2021 Scottish Music Awards, it's mad to think that Combe's journey is only really just beginning. With all that in mind, we shine a spotlight on Brooke Combe to get to know her a little better before she becomes a household name.

You’ve been playing music in some form or another since you were five years old – who would you cite as your main musical influences and what inspires your music writing?
There are a lot of artists and bands that inspire me musically, but I’d say some of the main ones growing up were Stevie Wonder, Whitney Houston, The Temptations, Marvin Gaye, Amy Winehouse... the list is endless. However, the main theme throughout them all is soul. I’ve got a really soulful voice and it's important to me because that’s what moves me the most when listening to tunes. I’d say lyrically my biggest inspiration is Arctic Monkeys. I love the endless use of metaphors throughout their tunes. It just always gets me thinking about ways I can incorporate metaphors in my tunes. It’s quite a difficult thing to do.

It must’ve been quite weird for you coming into prominence with your music amid a global pandemic – what have the last couple of years been like for you?
The last couple of years have been sort of crazy, but in a good way. A lot of people saw the pandemic as a hindrance to my development which is somewhat true in terms of performing. I wasn’t able to get out and gig for a long time, which is something I was probably most nervous about considering I’d never really gigged before. However, it also gave me a lot of time to focus on writing tunes and lyrics and bettering myself as a songwriter. I’ve grown a lot over the last two years and being a fairly shy person, I’m excited to push my limits and see how far I can go with everything.

You’ve got a really busy summer ahead of you – what are you most looking forward to?
This summer will be a busy one but I am really excited for it. There's loads of festivals lined up and I didn’t ever really go to festivals until I started getting into gigging, so I’m excited to see other great artists I love performing. I’m trying to work on a really fun, energetic and soulful setlist for this summer and I’m excited to share it with everyone. I’m opening for Miles Kane on his UK tour as well for a month so I’m looking forward to being out on the road and really getting a taste for the touring life. 

What festivals are you most excited about playing this summer?
I am so buzzed to be playing some of the big UK festivals this year – I've just announced Reading and Leeds which is madness to me and the response has been great. As well as Neighbourhood festival, a big one for me is TRNSMT in Glasgow. Playing at home in Scotland alongside some unbelievable company is definitely going to be a highlight of the summer. I can't wait to be back on the stage and doing what I love and I'd love to see as many people as possible there enjoying it with me.

What does the rest of the year hold for you?
I have just released my first single of the year Miss Me Now, which feels insane; I tried something a little different and I’m super proud of this one. We had such a laugh filming the video and the outfits were amazing; I’ve been so excited for everyone to see what I’ve been working on. Throughout the rest of the year I’ll be releasing more tunes and hopefully getting myself out on the road doing my own little headline tour around the UK. It’s going to be an exciting year and opportunities keep coming up, I can’t wait to steal everyone's hearts…That’s the main goal.

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Brooke Combe plays Dalkeith Miners Club, nr Edinburgh, 29 Apr; she supports Miles Kane at O2 Academy, Glasgow, 20 May

You can also catch Combe at several festivals this summer including: Sound City, Liverpool, 30 Apr; Neighbourhood Weekender, Warrington, 28 May; TRNSMT, Glasgow Green, 8 Jul; Truck Festival, Abingdon, 21 Jul; Tramlines, Sheffield, 22 Jul; Deer Shed Festival, North Yorkshire, 29 Jul; Kendal Calling, Cumbria, 30 Jul; Y Not Festival, Derbyshire, 31 Jul; 110 Above Festival, Leicester, 14 Aug; Reading and Leeds Festivals, 26-28 Aug