Introducing: Indiana

Earlier this summer, we here at PlanetPrime Planet found ourselves transfixed by ‘Smoking Gun‘, the most recent single from Nottingham-based vocalist and songwriter, Indiana. Built from the ground up, the track’s spidery guitar lines and static beats were the perfect grounding for the young singer’s meandering, softly spun yearnings. That is, until ‘Smoking Gun’ suddenly finds itself overwhelmed by purring, demonic synths that twist and writhe with all the primal, pent-up agony of a dejected lover.

Prime Planet’s Ally Russell fired a few brief questions over to the fast-rising songstress about her origins, inspirations and, most importantly, her future. Check out a brief selection of these below:

PlanetPrime Planet: Your introduction to music seems to have been quite fortuitous. Was it always something you’d wanted to do?
Indiana: I have had some good fortune, the right people finding my music online perhaps, but I have worked really hard since deciding that this is what I wanted to do, which was about two years ago.

PP: You’re named after Indiana Jones – what was the connection between that great cinematic hero and your music?
I: There isn’t at all, actually. When choosing an artist name I wanted something that had some connection to me or to my past. My boyfriend James and I brainstormed for weeks and nothing was sticking so he asked me who my idols were and what films I watched as a kid. My dad was a huge part of my life growing up and I lost him when I was 17. I remembered watching Indiana Jones with him. James called me one day at work and said “I’ve got it, Indiana”. It instantly felt right.

PP: Who have been your greatest musical inspirations and why?
I: My influences range from The Weeknd, Frank Ocean, The xx, James Blake, Portishead and Radiohead to Gary Numan and Kraftwerk.

PP: Can you tell us a little bit about the thought process behind the ‘Smoking Gun’ video? Is it at all autobiographical?
I: No, the video is a narrative of the song, which is fictional. I prefer to tell stories through my lyrics rather than draw from past experiences.

PP: What have you got lined up for the rest of the year? Anything we should be excited about?
I: I’ve just had my last gig this weekend at Secret Garden Party and then I’m going into hibernation as I am expecting a little girl on the 7th of September! I’m concentrating on writing in the time I am at home. I have a single due out in October.

– Alex Cull (Interview by Ally Russell)

Indiana’s Smoking Gun EP is available now on Sony. You can purchase it here.