Bristol born singer-songwriter Rothwell released her catchy electro pop anthem‘Quarter Life Crisis’ just last month, produced by luminary pop genius, Tim Powell, renowned for his work with production house Xenomania where he helped craft classic hits for Girls Aloud, Paloma Faith and the Pet Shop Boys.
“’Quarter Life Crisis’ is about feeling completely and utterly lost,” says Rothwell. “Growing up in the times that we do; no money, shitty jobs, mental health issues and with the vast impact social media has on our lives, I feel like my generation has had it pretty rough. Its about how crippling it can be to be thrust into a world you know nothing about but are expected to excel and know exactly who you are all whilst looking like you’re having a fabulous time.”
As for her playlist: “All the songs in this selection of music have resonated with me from the first listen. They’re the type of songs that I’ve heard once and have then listened to them inside out and upside down until I need to not listen to them again for a little while. Be it the music, the lyrics, the melodies, there has been some aspect of each track that has drawn me to it, made me take a step back and really appreciate what music is and the effect it can have on people.”
1. Paul Simon – ‘Diamonds On The Soles Of Her Shoes’
“I’ve always been obsessed with Paul Simon and this song is home to one of my all-time favourite lyrics ‘She makes the sign of a teaspoon / he makes the sign of a wave’. I just think it’s the most poetic way of describing a greeting, something so simple, delivered so imaginatively.”
2. Billie Holiday – ‘I’ll Be Seeing You’
“Billie Holiday has been such an inspiration for me throughout my musical life, and this song does nothing but bring an effortless smile to my face. Her voice is like no other.”
3. Baaba Maal – ‘Traveller’
“I’m a huge lover of African music and luckily stumbled upon this album on one of my many Spotify adventures a couple of years ago. I remember when I first heard this song; it was like nothing I had ever heard before, the language, the passion and the music. Amazing.”
4. Foy Vance – ‘She Burns’
“Foy Vance is incredible, but I love the way this song describes the blatant admiration he has for whom ever this song is about. The way he describes her in the opening line; ‘She is a little explosion of hope’. The lyrics in this song are what made me fall in love with it.”
5. Dierks Bentley – ‘Burning Man’
“A bit of a random one here, a nugget of country for everyone with this track. I absolutely love the melodies in the pre-chorus of this song and I challenge anyone to put this on full blast whilst driving an open road and not singing it at the top of their lungs (along with air drums, obviously).”
6. Christina Aguilera – ‘Dirrty (feat. Redman)’
“The song responsible for me falling in love with pop music. I got the Fighter album one Christmas and must have listened to this song on repeat for an entire six months. A nostalgic anthem for me.”
7. Jade Bird – ‘My Motto’
“HER TONE. In fact, the entirety of her self-titled album is magnificent. The rawness in this song is beautiful and I just think it’s great.”
8. Bon Iver – ‘Blindsided’
“The For Emma, Forever Ago album is an all-time classic and I remember putting this on, on my first edition iPod during long car journeys whilst staring out of the window pretending to be in some awfully sad yet romantic music video. Again, nostalgia at its finest.”
9. Matt Corby – ‘Resolution’
“Matt Corby. ‘Nuff said. One of the first songs I learnt to play on guitar (I’m sure there’s an ancient version somewhere floating around the internet from back in the day). This man’s voice is like nothing else I’ve heard and the string of songs he released alongside ‘Resolution’ will always hold a place in my heart.”
10. Dixie Chicks – ‘Not Ready To Make Nice’
“I will forever love the weight this song carries. What it stands for, what the Dixie Chicks stood for by putting it out and the courage that took.”
‘Quarter Life Crisis’ is out now via Bright Star Records. Listen to it HERE.
You can listen to all Ask the DJ playlists on the FMS Magazine Spotify CHANNEL.
Find Rothwell’s playlist below and HERE.