Blues songstress Sister Cookie has taken London by full force with her powerful voice and now she’s about to bring that energy to Birmingham! The powerhouse will be performing at The Night Owl on Saturday 23rd April for her ‘In The Blue Corner’ UK Tour. She will be performing some special numbers off her debut album ‘In The Blue Corner’ alongside special guests Reece Downton Trio! 💃 

 

We had the opportunity to sit down with Sister Cookie and get to know her a little more! Check out the interview below 👇

 

Q1. Tell us a little bit about yourself, What drew you into the music Industry?

“Honestly, making music was the only thing that made sense to me when I was a kid. I never felt respected until I got on a stage & people paid attention. Performing helps me step outside of myself momentarily, & for an hour or so I’m someone else & anything is possible.”

 

Q2. What do Sister Cookie’s rehearsals look like?

“They’re either very serious, or start-to-finish tomfoolery & hijinks… there is no in-between. It largely depends on what we’ve got coming up. Rehearsals close to a tour or an important gig tend to be a little more structured, with a focus on  running through the setlist. Other times, our rehearsals can be a lot looser. Sometimes we’ll literally just be jamming & quoting lines from films & gossiping about people. It all adds up & helps the live show & the band  – because ultimately, if you can’t have a laugh & get on with each other, you’ll never lock in as a musical unit.”

 

Q3. Would you say that you enjoy incorporating your fashion style into your music? 

“I guess so! I like to wear a lot of dark clothes with a touch of trashy flash. I don’t really dress 100% “vintage” anymore, but some shadows of bygone days remain. I like velvet, satin, real/fake leather, PVC & animal prints, decorative prints, mostly dark tones with a pop of colour… sequins, lurex, sparkles, metallic tones… cool & understated with a bit of drama.  It’s a paradox & so is my music, &, I’m told,  so am I. Maybe it’s all connected. Style is an expression of one’s soul, like any form of creativity.”

 

Q4. “What excites you the most about going on your Tour?

“Seeing all the different people, new faces, new places, new accents, new food discoveries, hanging out with the chaps & of course, the show! The moment it’s all been leading up to. Anything can happen at the last minute & I guess that’s half the fun.”

 

Q5. Do you have any special routine that prepares you before you go onto stage?

“I do my hair & make-up & then I squeeze into my outfit.  I do my warm-ups and sing along to some of my favourite songs to psych myself up. Lately, to cope with my nerves, sometimes I’ve been trying a bit of reverse psychology (it’s not reverse psychology but that’s what I’m calling it), listening almost exclusively to The Doors & Guns ‘n Roses back-to-back, in the hope that some of Jim Morrison’s or Axl Rose’s confidence will rub off on me. I don’t know if it’s working, but wailing “break on through to the other side, repeatedly into the reflection of my half-done face is certainly an experience.”

 

Q6. What would you say is your greatest strength as an Artist?

“I freak out & flap a lot in private, but I think I’m reasonably good at appearing calm on the surface when it counts.”

 

Q7. Do you remember the first performance you ever did and how was that experience?

“I don’t remember the first performance I ever did, but I can remember the first paid gig I ever did – I was 18 or 19 years old. It was at the George Tavern in east London. I did really bad versions of songs by Little Richard. I was terrified. Some people liked it, though. & I was hooked thereafter.”

 

Q8. Where did you get inspiration during the process of making the ‘In The Blue Corner’ Album?

“Loads of places, really. Sounds & sights I’d known all my life but kept going back to & rediscovering. Thoughts & feelings that return in the dead of night & disappear in the morning, playing tricks on you.”

 

Q9. What is your favourite song to perform off “In The Blue Corner’ and why?

“You Know I Do. I love the groove, I love the beat, I love doing the little back & forth with my sax player, Alex – it’s always different & you never quite know what’s going to come out.”

 

Q10. What song best describes you?

“It Don’t Come Cheap.”

 

Q11. So what’s next for Sister Cookie? Are there any upcoming events that your supporters should keep a lookout for?

“As well as the UK tour (my first ever!) we’ve got some awesome festival dates lined up that will be announced soon so I’m very much looking forward to that. I’m super excited to be returning to Birmingham in July for the Mostly Jazz festival – the lineup is insane & I can’t believe I’m part of it. There are other things on the horizon that I can’t mention right now, but all I can say is that I feel very fortunate & am looking forward to the future.”

Catch Sister Cookie performing at The Night Owl Saturday 23rd April! Tickets available in the link here 👉 bit.ly/sistercookienigtowl