Interview: Elle Exxe
With this year's event fast approaching, we caught up with Elle Exxe who showcased at Wide Days last year to find out what she's been up to since the event...
What have you been up to since Wide Days 2016?
Wide Days started off a whole string of festival showcases for me. I played Great Escape (Brighton), Mondo (NY, USA), CMW (Canada), Liverpool SoundCity, Zandari and Mu:Con (S. Korea) and SXSW (TX, USA). I released my debut album and I won an award for Best Female Solo Act at the Unsigned Music Awards. It’s been a crazy year!
In three words how would you describe your experience playing at Wide Days?
Freakin fabulously good.
How important do you think it is for musicians/bands to attend networking events?
I can’t count how many people who’ve told me that it’s all about “who you know”..it’s nice to think that your music will be heard worldwide just because it’s good, but in reality the more help you can get the better and networking events are an important part of forming those relationships. Unfortunately the word “networking” sometimes conjures images of suits, schmoozing and social-climbing and creatives don’t like to associate themselves with it. But in reality these “networking” events are simply relaxed parties (often with free food/drink) filled with motivated people with the same passion and with “networking” in the title you’ve got a free pass to talk to anyone you feel like. Strangers can become friends in minutes. A lot of artists/managers/bloggers in the early stages of their careers go to places like this and form long-lasting communities and friendships and support each other - what can be better than that?
What has been the highlight of your career so far?
Winning the Unsigned Music Award. It was a tear-jerking moment of recognition for all the hours my manager, myself and the rest of the team put in. We all love what we do but we face rejection daily and the uncertainty of whether we’re going to be able to pay the bills at the end of the month - so having our efforts appreciated in front of thousands of people was unforgettably emotional and inspiring for all of us.
What have you got planned for 2017?
I’m looking forward to hitting the festivals. I can’t announce them all yet but a couple of highlights are Isle of Wight, Sziget (Budapest) and Carnival 56 in Dundee. I also have a release planned for later this year and am constantly in the studio writing/recording new material. Life is a dream.