Interview: Misty Galactic
Edinburgh based dark/alt-pop musician Misty Galactic is making waves in the music industry with her distinctive sound comparative to Lana Del Ray, Banks or Velvetears. With her last single achieving the title of Herald's Top 100 Scottish Releases of 2020 on Christmas Day last year, Misty has been hitting new highs with every release. When she’s not creating the next atmospheric experience for us in a new song, she tells us she’s planning her next tattoo, having failed ‘talking stages’, and drinking plenty of rum.
Misty was originally inspired to get more into her musical career through the drag scene in Edinburgh, visiting many bars and clubs in the scene as she is openly bisexual. When discovering drag shows in 2016 she really felt she had found her place, and after releasing her first singles on Spotify some of the drag queens suggested she perform her songs and covers regularly there.
“I’m so, so grateful for the platform I've been given through my community, and the way they made a space for me and saw value in my work as one of their community members who isn't a drag queen, but is still a performer. Having a space where people can be themselves, unapologetically, around people they can connect with on a really deep level, is a very special thing and one that we must protect.”
Since putting out those first singles back in 2017, Misty has really developed and found her signature sound within the last year. Her production skills, songwriting abilities and overall understanding of the music industry have all been enhanced, and she tells us she’s a lot more comfortable with it all now. While her past work may not still represent where she is currently, it still represents who she was at some point and looking back on that growth and development is important to her: “I think that's why I've kept the old songs up - but maybe it's because I've got a fondness for them too. They were my first music babies!”
After almost a year since her last release ’The Worst,’ Misty’s back releasing her newest single ‘I’m Done’ that openly discusses many personal experiences of partners who would continue to treat her terribly, yet every new low would somehow still be just as surprising. While primarily featuring raw and painful circumstances, it reflects on how these bad times will ultimately allow you to back out of toxic situations sooner and to truly know your worth. Encompassing a much more light and upbeat sound than her previous releases, this new song also highlights the positives that come with finally saying ‘I’m done’ to a toxic person in your life while still featuring her staple dark tones. There’s still some residual anger within the release, but overall she’s thrilled these people are no longer in her life and feels that the song is more about taking back that power.
“Finally telling someone you're done can be really empowering, especially when you've not been very good at that before. So really, I guess I was inspired by myself and my new found strength to stand up for myself!”
As a fast song-writer, Misty tends to throw herself into the writing process for every new release spending a few days non-stop working on each song. ‘I’m Done’ is no exception to this, with Misty going back and forth with her producer on ideas and pieces of music before hearing the final arrangement soon after. The song was written in two hours and shortly after recorded in the studio. This timeframe may sound short, but Misty immerses herself entirely in her writing process and every new release brings something new to the table.
Like most artists, Misty would love to turn her music into a full-time career but has a lot of doubts due to the challenges around income from streaming, and how many even bigger artists still can’t make a career from their work. But still she tells us, “Hopefully it will once again become a viable full-time career for more musicians, and I will be one of them.” Despite her passion for music though, Misty is a self-described polymath and loves her work in digital communications, social media management, website building, graphic design and even more. She loves to have many projects on the go while still planning other things for the future, and thinks that maybe she prefers to keep busy so she’s not often left alone with her thoughts.
Looking to the future, Misty hopes to one day release an album and experiment within a longer body of work. She’s also raring to get back to playing gigs, and would love to go on tour. To keep up with all these exciting future projects with Misty, check out her Instagram and Twitter @mistygalactic - and don't forget to stream ‘I’m Done.’
Interview by: Tatiana Whybrow-Price
