Saffron

Saffron

Saffron is a visionary producer and multi-instrumentalist based in Nottingham, UK. Starting her musical journey in Dubai, she recorded her first singles, "Chewed Up" and "Green," in Auckland, New Zealand, in collaboration with Red Bull (Middle East and Africa) at just 16 years old. Upon returning to the UK, Saffron found a home in Nottingham's vibrant music scene, collaborating with local artists and establishing her unique sound rooted in Neo-Soul, Jazz, and Hip-Hop influences.

Her latest EP, Disconnected, is a creative exploration of the modern digital age, featuring collaborations with Indira May and Franky Bones. The EP tells a story of navigating online connections in a world where genuine relationships can be hard to find, blending abrupt musical transitions with introspective lyrics. The project was recorded at home, with Saffron taking the lead in production and her bassist, Beau, providing crucial mixing support.

Known for her captivating live performances, including standout gigs at Rough Trade and Hockley Hustle, Saffron's music is a fusion of self-produced tracks, jazz-infused instrumentation, and soulful vocals. As a DJ, she brings a diverse mix of electronic, house, and breakbeat vibes to her sets, drawing inspiration from artists like Kaytranada.

Saffron continues to push boundaries in her music, with new releases planned for late 2024, including her upcoming single "Strings," a hip-hop and R&B-influenced track showcasing her evolution as an artist. With her distinct style and creative vision, Saffron is a rising star in Nottingham's music scene and beyond.

We met up with Saffron for a quick chat.

So, how did you start, Saffron? Where did it begin?

The way I play now kind of took off in 2021. I met Beau, Giuseppe, and Will Rabjohns over lockdown. I used to visit Sneinton Market during that time and met loads of people there. I connected with those guys, and we did our first gig as Saffron at The Chapel in The Angel, supporting Jonjo, a local rap artist. It was such a fun experience, and things progressed from there. The music I make is all self-produced — I play guitar, bass, and sing. When I met Giuseppe, he really helped shape the structure of my songs and figure out where I wanted the music to go. I was looking for jazz transitions, and he had a great feel for how my music should evolve instrumentally. We developed a strong musical synergy, which has been a big part of my sound now. Before moving back to Nottingham, I was writing and making music solo as a singer-songwriter with just my guitar. It's a process I still keep in mind when I'm writing today. I love playing with the band, but it's hard to organise since my band members are busy and some live in different cities. I'm planning some gigs for next year or possibly an acoustic set in December with stripped-back songs. It's good to have both options, I think.

Tell me about your musical influences.

It depends on what I'm listening to at the time I make music. Right now, I'm heavily influenced by "Archetype" by Joe Armon-Jones and Maxwell Owin. It's a really electronic album with lots of jazz elements. One of my favourite tracks on it is "Don't Tip Me Over" — it's been a big inspiration for my production lately. I love Amy Winehouse; her album "Frank" still resonates with me because of her honest lyrics and incredible artistry. I've also been into "Club Cute" by Ben Hauke, a dancey electronic album. There's a great track with Katy B called "Made to Measure." Those are some of my recent influences.

Tell me about one of your favourite gigs you've done.

Probably our most recent gig at this year's Hockley Hustle. I was amazed by the turnout — it was absolutely packed! We played upstairs at The Bodega at 7:30 pm, which was a great slot. We had a two-day rehearsal beforehand, and it ended up being the tightest we've ever played. We really connected musically on stage, which was surprising after just two days of rehearsing! We've got a new drummer now, Louis Chapman, and he's fantastic. Playing with them is a joy; they're all so talented.

Tell me about the creation of your EP, Disconnected.

It all started with a voice note from Giuseppe saying, "Hey man, do you wanna play Beyblades?" I made a hip-hop beat out of it, and that became the track "Hey Man." We wanted the EP to tell a story about how everything is online these days, making it hard to build real connections. It explores the reality of those forced connections we experience through social media. I wanted the instrumentals to reflect the lyrics, using abrupt changes and interludes throughout the EP. It was a fascinating project, taking two years to complete due to travel between Nottingham and London. It was recorded at home, and my bassist Beau helped with the mixing. We even got a play from Jamz Supernova on BBC Radio 6, which was amazing!

I wanted to ask about your DJ sets — tell me about that.

I'm currently doing Swing Dash shows. I started DJing during lockdown but ended up selling my decks on Facebook Marketplace for a really low price. After that, I left it for a bit but started back-to-back with people again, and I realised how much I missed it. I enjoy mixing different genres, with a focus on bass electronic around 130 BPM. I love house and breakbeat as well, so today I'm doing a house, tech-house, and garage set. I was nervous about DJing again because it feels like everyone's a DJ now, and there's pressure to prove yourself. But I do it for fun, and it's great to push myself out of my comfort zone. The rush you get from it is amazing!

Does DJing influence your other music projects?

Not so much in terms of the band, but it definitely influences my production style. It's becoming slightly more electronic. I've always been inspired by producers like Kaytranada, who's one of my favourites. He pushes me to be more technical, especially with drum production.

How do you feel about the Nottingham music scene? Any local bands you love?

Yes, I love Sancho Panza's vibe! I haven't seen them live yet, but I really want to. GoodGoodbye are also great — they're very cool. There's also an amazing artist called Pheb with a beautiful, soulful voice.

Do you have any future plans for recording or releasing music?

I've been sitting on a song for about two years now! It's completely finished, but I haven't released it yet. It's currently being mixed and mastered again, and I'm hoping to put it out in December or January. It's called "Strings," a hip-hop-influenced track with lots of R&B bass elements. I'm really excited to release it.