Sound of Modesty: The Rockstar Rebelling Against Perfection
As 2020 came to a close, Reform The Funk launched it’s International Artists Day competition in a bid to celebrate, inspire and motivate creatives working across the field. Amongst an awesome line up of submissions was our winner, Sound of Modesty; a young, ambitious singer-songwriter from London whose music is a magical blend of Japanese inspired heavy rock and modernist electronic pop.
When listening to Sound of Modesty’s music, we’re taken on a dynamic journey of sound. Each track races at it’s own speed, refusing to conform to any one style. Rumbling guitars are layered amongst drums crashing out high tempo rhythms; sweet melodies are flipped on their head and transformed into chilling, evocative vocal cries. Sound of Modesty doesn’t give just one version of a song either, oh no, she reinvents tracks through either recording them in two languages or providing nightcore versions that result in experimental utopian soundtracks.
TOP: AI MEI LI @AI_MEI_LI // JACKET & TROUSER: FASHION CROSSOVER LONDON
One might anticipate that the woman behind this work would be as loud and energetic as the musical force she presents. But off stage, Sound of Modesty is the epitome of her artist name; humble, kind and calmly quiet. This suggests that through music and performance, Sound of Modesty has been able to unlock the door to a freer, louder, liberal form of expression on her own terms. We spent the afternoon getting to know Sound of Modesty, catching moments in between her photoshoot, to discuss the transition she made from classical music to rock, and how her love of Japanese culture influences her style.
““Music is there for you to have fun and enjoy, over stressing about processes, time signatures, if something is harmonically accurate is pointless. If it sounds good then just do it!””
Growing up as a twin, and being the second of three sisters, Sound of Modesty tells me that her world was saturated in classical music training. Weekends and evenings were spent moving between piano lessons, orchestra rehearsals and violin practise. Despite these experiences informing Sound of Modesty’s vast knowledge of music, it was a path that came with pressure and strains. “My sisters were naturally adept at [classical music] whereas I always felt like I was behind. I had been learning long enough that I had the skill but it felt like a struggle. I ended up being pitted against them when it came to practising our instruments and teachers would compare us. You don’t realise the pressure that builds up”. Recognising the need to break out from the confines of her musical training, it was aged 16 that Sound of Modesty turned her attention to writing poetry, and joining an indie band. Very quickly her poems became lyrics and a process of songwriting began. This was a moment she describes as an epiphany, explaining how “with Classical music, if you’re not playing something perfectly then you’re playing it wrong and I found that so suffocating. But with joining the band it was fun, I could put my own spin on the music.”
““with Classical music, if you’re not playing something perfectly then you’re playing it wrong and I found that so suffocating. But with joining the band it was fun, I could put my own spin on the music.””
With this new found freedom to engage in music purely for pleasure, Sound of Modesty started to exercise her musical abilities, experimenting with sound, language, and culture references. To begin with, Sound of Modesty wrote music that was softer, reflective of pop ballads. But with time, a more progressive identity began to emerge inspired by her new found love for rock music. “Rock became a way for me to present my louder persona. With the character I’ve made, she’s a lot more fierce, sharp and intentional than my day to day way of being. I am a quiet person, I don’t speak a lot so my natural instinct is to be modest”. By embodying the character of her music, Sound of Modesty has been able to resiliently kick back, refusing to conform to any one style.
DRESS & GLOVES: RAQUEL DECARVALHO
““I have a lot of appreciation for Japanese culture. I love their music and the syntax of language, it offers up so many different melodies than what we’re used to hearing in western music.””
TOP & SKIRT: YEBIN MEANG // TEXTILE PIECES: EFFLUROSCENT
Over the last year, Sound of Modesty released four new tracks full of intense, raw emotions, providing an appropriate soundtrack to the heaviness of 2020. Classical piano solos are heard amongst hard hitting guitar riffs and heavy drum patterns move energetically alongside catchy choruses. Describing this versatility of music and lyrics as her strongest skill set, Sound of Modesty explains how “with every song, I find my character morphs into whatever fits that track best. I’m always changing and it’s exciting that way. It means I can’t be stagnant, I have to keep evolving.” Part of this evolution is Sound of Modesty’s voice, explaining how her default is to have a smooth, polished, gentle voice. Although we hear these tones shine through, the transition into rock has allowed Sound of Modesty to continue playing with her body's instrument. “I’m always trying to push the boundaries of what my voice can do. Having every other aspect of my music be experimental, I think it would do my music a disservice if I didn’t experiment with my voice too.” This is something we hear in the explosive vocals and mixture of languages Sound of Modesty incorporates.
TOP: AI MEI LI @ai_mei_li // JACKET: Amy Barrie from @FASHIONCROSSOVERLONDON // SKIRT: Timothee Gleize Quai
““With the character I’ve made, she’s a lot more fierce, sharp and intentional than my day to day way of being.””
A noticeable reference in Sound of Modesty’s music is Japanese rock; a style that is typically understood to be more hardcore. A chillingly relatable scream in her track ‘As All Things Should Be’, and bass guitar melodies speak to the J-rock style. When asking about where this influence stemmed from, Sound of Modesty explains that “I have a lot of appreciation for Japanese culture. I love their music and the syntax of language; it offers up so many different melodies than what we’re used to hearing in western music”. Having recorded the track ‘Warm Floors/Cold Bodies’ in Japanese, a language she’d never spoken before, Sound of Modesty tells me that “with the genre of this track being very much like anime music, I felt it would only be appropriate to sing the song in the native language.” With an obvious level of respect, Sound of Modesty explains how in Japan, their pop music has always been rock music, placing them at the forefront of the industry and allowing sub genres such as visual kei, indie rock, and math rock to be born.
Having actively connected with artists and producers both in the UK and in Hong Kong who resonated with her sound, Sound of Modesty explains how her process of working has taken some time to adjust. “I was very intent on doing everything by myself because after so many years of having people tell me how to play, I wanted control.” However, by working with a session band, Sound of Modesty decided to encourage the musicians to add their own colours to the pot, stir it and see what is created. “I’m still super protective over my music but I have learnt that trusting in other people's creative intent and relinquishing that control is liberating for my mental health.” It is obvious that the support Sound of Modesty has felt from her fellow artists and producers is helping her grow into a shape and sound that is aligned with her own intentions. As a result, this has led Sound of Modesty to deliver a more confident, dynamic repertoire of work. We very much look forward to seeing Sound of Modesty take up more space, believing she will stay true to her vision and continue doing things her own way.
You can follow Sound of Modesty on Instagram @thesoundofmodesty
Credits: Photographed by Kim Lang / Stylist: Milam Huynh / Words & Interview: Bethany Burgoyne Makeup: Yolanda Dohr / Hair Stylist: Selasie Ackaku / Styling Asistant: Chaniel Abwola / Produced by Mariam Mugambwa
