Being a true multi-hyphenate isn’t the easiest feat for a musician to achieve. however, is showing how to do just that. Some readers may recognise the Glaswegian artist (aka Amelia Kidd) for her work back home with , who recently returned with new music after a four-year hiatus. She has also become the latest addition to the globally acclaimed goth-rock outfit, .
Now, further fuelling this purple patch, Sin Clair has taken the leap to unveil her first batch of solo material (after plenty of initial trepidation). “I’ve been secretly working on my solo stuff for about four years, and it’s never quite felt like the right time to share it,” Sin Clair admits. “I’ve spent so much time hesitating, then at the start of this year, I was like, ‘for fuck’s sake, I need to just get my shit together and do this!’”
Sitting with Sin Clair ahead of her sold-out, debut London headline show, it’s clear that she’s come a long way from her early days in Glasgow’s gig circuit, where this Clash writer first encountered her and her Ninth Wave bandmates’ visceral live performances. Yet, the city’s ferociously creative spirit remains palpable in her artistic approach. “I grew up in Glasgow playing in all kinds of different bands at once,” she enthuses. “I was 14 when I first started with The Ninth Wave, but I was also in a ton of folk bands and indie bands. I spent most of my time in clubs though; I love Sub Club, The Berkeley Suite, La Cheetah… there’s an incredible electronic scene in Glasgow.”
It’s among this mish-mash of scenes that Sin Clair’s music finds itself at home. Her debut double release, ‘Affirmations #2 / Exhale’, offers a masterclass in contrast, shifting from esoteric club beats to lullaby-like piano and vocals. It may sound like an unorthodox pairing, yet Sin Clair delivers them both in seamless fashion, thanks to her intriguing writing process. “90% of the time, my vocals start out like they do on ‘Exhale’ – piano, vocal, ballad,” Sin Clair explains. “Then, I record them, forget about them, come back to them three months later, hate them, chop them up, put them into my sampler, and make them into something completely unrecognisable like ‘Affirmations #2’”.
The tracks are out via New York indie label , headed by of . As an artist primarily used to being part of a group, Sin Clair performed her first solo support slots whilst on tour with The Wants a few years ago. Her Horrors bandmate, lead singer , quickly noticed her solo potential, and was instrumental in urging Sin Clair to pursue it further. “I never really wanted to do solo stuff,” she professes, “but when I started getting into production, I fell in love with how vulnerable I could be, and how much I could wear my heart on my sleeve.” She adds that these new approaches have allowed her to tap into a different side of herself. “I’m a lot angrier when I’m on stage with The Ninth Wave, for example. I’m a different person when I tap into that headspace. Whereas with this solo project, I’m a lot softer; I feel like I sing in a slightly different way, and I’m enjoying playing around with things to see what suits me best.”
A ‘bigger project’ is in the works, but Sin Clair keeps details of this tightly sealed for now. A support tour with Gilla Band is lined up for October in the meantime. And whilst she admits it’s nerve wracking starting over again, by drawing from her array of musical experience, this solo pivot has the potential for Sin Clair to make a name for herself, firmly on her own terms. “With The Horrors, we’re on massive stages with massive teams. There’s big stages with The Ninth Wave too, but with more of a DIY approach. Starting solo… it’s terrifying. But to see the support of people and to know that I can do this by myself is an insane feeling. I always thought I’d be someone who’s part of a band, but it’s so encouraging to see that I can do it.”