Spotlight On... philomenah

Shetland-born, Edinburgh-based R’n’B artist Hannah Hastings, who performs under the name philomenah, released two singles in 2021 and is set to self-release her debut EP white dove tomorrow. A collaboration with producer RJ Cherry, whose credits include Stefflon Don and Lady Leshurr, white dove tackles some big issues like emotional abuse and sexual empowerment, all wrapped up in gleaming production.

Ahead of white dove's full release, we shine a spotlight on philomenah to find out more about her and her music. We also have an exclusive first listen to the EP for you, available via the below Bandcamp player (click here if it's not loading correctly).

The Skinny: We first caught you a few years back at Sneaky Pete’s when you were performing under the name SMUT. Tell us a bit about yourself and what/who inspired you to start making music...
philomenah: That was a great gig! So I'm a singer, writer, musician and producer that's been writing songs since the age of 13. In my teens I was predominately inspired by artists like PJ Harvey, Patti Smith and Kurt Cobain. I had a somewhat turbulent adolescence, so having the ability to transform feelings of angst and despair into music was something I really loved and I spent a lot of time writing and singing.

My musical taste has fluctuated over the years; where I once used to write grungy songs on guitar, I now write R’n’B songs and work with hip-hop producers. At the moment, my main influences are Mariah the Scientist, Summer Walker and Drake.

Your debut is a collaborative project with producer RJ Cherry – how did that partnership come about?
I performed at a hip-hop night at Leith Depot a couple of years back and a friend of RJ's saw me perform and suggested to him that we work together. He reached out on Twitter and then from the start of 2021 we began working with each other fairly consistently on new material.

It's been a cool experience for me because prior to this I'd never recorded in a studio before. With most of my SMUT. material, I recorded, produced and mixed everything in my bedroom. Working from a studio alongside a talented producer with a similar taste to mine has been a game-changer. It's definitely allowed me to cultivate the kind of sound I've been trying to create.

white dove is a very assured sounding debut – tell us about some of the themes you cover on the EP and why it’s so important for you to tackle them in your music?
Thank you! I've always written about relationships and difficult feelings because they inspire me the most, but the subject matter for the EP is a bit different because it details my first experience of abuse within a romantic dynamic. I rarely write because I feel like I ought to, it's usually because I have to in order to stay afloat; which was definitely the case during the writing process of these songs. I think that's why it's more cohesive than my past material – the situation is so specific and the feelings so visceral.

Like most, if not all, victims of narcissistic abuse, I was gaslit and made to feel crazy and irrational. Through writing about my feelings and experiences, and connecting with others who've been through similar situations, I was able to validate myself and start rebuilding that trust in my own perception of reality again. If this EP achieves anything, I hope it validates the feelings and experiences of other survivors of abuse.

Your EP is out tomorrow. What are your plans for the year ahead?
Once the EP is out I'll be happy to draw a line under this chapter and fully move forward with my life and my music. I'm currently working on some new material and may or may not have a follow-up single in the pipeline already. My goal is to stay as consistent as possible and keep honing my sound. I don't feel totally ready to perform live again with the current state of things, but maybe later in the year you'll see my name on a few bills. 

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white dove is released on 25 Feb
find philomenah online at Instagram, Twitter, Bandcamp and Spotify