Q&A - Simone Seales
Intersectional Cellist
Originally from Florida, Simone Seales is a Glasgow-based cellist who completed their postgraduate studies at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland in 2021. They focus on free improvisation, both tonal and atonal, and devising music for theatre.
Simone is passionate about exploring sound, how sound can reflect emotional states of being and how emotions are embodied. Their creative influences come from Black feminist leaders such as Audre Lorde, Assata Shakur and bell hooks. Within Simone's creative work, they centre Blackness, sexuality, intersectional feminism and anti-racism. They believe Western Classical musicians are capable of making meaningful social change.
This week we caught up with Simone after the release of her debut album ‘I Believe in Living’. Read & listen
Simone, your debut album is out now. Can you tell us more about this project ?
I recorded this album 2 years ago as part of my final assessment for my Advanced Postgraduate Diploma at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland. I chose to respond to Assata Shakur's poem Affirmation because, after a year of lockdown and anti-racism chats with organizations, I wanted to communicate in the best way for me, which is through music. I read Assata Shakur's autobiography during my last year of study, and her poem really spoke to me, the language is incredibly evocative and filled with hope, anger, and grief.
In preparation for the recording, I chose bits of text that really spoke to me and thought of the sounds I could use which corresponded with the way they made me feel in my body. So, the title of each track is what I am responding to from the poem.
Where did you grow up ?
I grew up in Tampa, Florida. I was incredibly lucky to attend public schools with amazing teachers who supported my creativity. Florida is an interesting place, as a Black, gay, non-binary person, I didn't always feel safe there. Coming to Glasgow was really impactful for me, and allowed me to settle into myself both musically and personally.
What's your favourite pass time ?
I'm currently obsessing over the author Patricia Highsmith. I love the movie Carol (2015) and the book it is based on, The Price of Salt. I'm currently reading all of her novels (she wrote 22 books) and I've read 15 of them so far. Hoping to finish them all this year!
What inspires you the most ?
I'm most inspired by visual art. I love photography, painting, film, sculptures, anything that isn't solely sound-based. Whenever I'm feeling stuck creatively, I like to go to a gallery or museum and read all the little placards and stand staring at a piece of work for however long until I get bored. I find it incredibly exciting that people are able to communicate in ways other than music or text, and it helps me to connect threads of ideas that float around in my brain.
What goals do you have for your music career ?
I feel very grateful that I can make a living playing a wooden box with strings! What I'd like to do next is perform my own poetry/music shows more frequently, and perform more internationally. Big dream-wise, I'd love to perform with Missy Higgins, and Andrew Bird who are two artists that have greatly inspired me.
What do you think of Scotland's musical landscape ?
Scotland's musical landscape is vibrant. There is so much happening, in Glasgow especially, that it's hard to keep up with it all. I didn't know anything about Scotland before I moved over for my master's, and I couldn't have been luckier to end up here.
What is your artistic practice?
My arts practice has foundations in improvisation, collaboration, trauma-informed psychology, poetry, intersectional feminism, and queerness. I would probably be an academic if I didn't hate grades and writing papers. I love thinking about the intersectionality of art forms, how people respond to sound, and how improvisation can create space for freedom and new experiences for the performer and the listener.
I am not interested in entertaining people. I want to create and expand on environments where people can sit with themselves and reflect on how they are feeling, and how feelings can shift in short spaces of time. I'm interested in creating safe moments where people can truly be with themselves and accept the discomfort it may bring without judgement.
Listen to Simone Seales new album ‘I Believe in Living’ here: I believe in living - album