News Sŵn 2013: Pawws: ‘The Buzz At A Festival Like This Is Contagious’

DIY is really bloody excited about this year’s Sŵn festival (read our interview with co-founder John Rostron), mostly for self-important reasons such as the fact that we’re hosting a big, royal stage at the Cardiff fest on Friday night (18th October). It contains a ridiculous amount of bands, namely Drenge, Wolf Alice and Bo Ningen (and that’s only a third of who’s on the bill). One of the newer faces playing this year’s fest is Lucy Taylor aka Pawws. Her super-sheened pop is only a couple of singles in, but it’s one of a kind. In what’s readily being labelled a ‘showcase’ fest where lots of promising new acts play one of their very first sets, Pawws is a standout exciting name on the bill. We caught up for a quick pre-Sŵn chat.

Pawws plays the DIY Stage at Clwb Ilch Bach, Sŵn Festival on Friday 18th November, 7.30pm.

You played your debut London show back in July - what was that like as an experience?
It was amazing - I had a lot of lovely support from friends and it was a great way to showcase the songs. Birthdays was the perfect venue for it and the sound in there was great. I was incredibly nervous during the day, but once I got there I really enjoyed myself.



You’re just about to head out on a European tour - how much are you looking forward to it?
I can’t wait! It’ll be really interesting to see the differences in the crowds between countries and also venues, as we’re playing some club nights in the early hours of the morning which is quite different to the set up in the UK. It’s incredible to have people wanting to come and see the show at all these amazing cities.

-You’re also going to be on our stage! at SWN fest. How do you view these sorts of showcase festivals, like SWN and Great Escape?
I think these kinds of festivals are really important, especially for acts that are just starting out, as there is such a fantastic and varied line-up. It also gives people a chance to catch a band that they might not have heard of and be pleasantly surprised. The buzz at a festival like this is really contagious.

Is it exciting to think that this will be an opportunity to garner a wider audience?
Oh yes definitely. I’m playing alongside so many amazing acts so hopefully some of their fans will enjoy the set I’m doing. It’s such a great way to try to gage interest from people that won’t have heard the songs yet. Hopefully seeing them live as well will add a special element to them as well.



You’ve also just unveiled a brand new track in the form of ‘Outside’. What did you want to say with the song, and how do you think it connects, or differs, with ‘Slow Love’?
A few things inspired me to write ‘Outside’. It’s about how much easier it is to see how things really are when you’re detached from a situation, as an onlooker maybe. It differs from ‘Slow Love’ in that it’s more about when a relationship is ultimately doomed, whereas ‘Slow Love’ is about the optimistic aspects of a relationship.

What comes next, after you’ve wrapped up the tour dates?
Well, in November I’m doing a few European dates and at the same I shall be working towards an album which is very exciting. I hope to mainly be concentrating on that in the next few months.