Songzap Artist Series
Claudia McKenzie
The artist
Claudia McKenzie is a uniquely versatile musician, celebrated for her eclectic blend of folk, jazz, blues, and rock influences. Her musical journey has led her to perform at esteemed UK venues and festivals including the Cambridge Folk Festival, Secret Garden Party, London’s Shepherd’s Bush Empire, O2 Academy in Sheffield, and the Cambridge Corn Exchange.
In August 2021 – under the name of her solo project ‘I, Claudia’ – Claudia released her debut album, “Storms & Silver Linings,” an eclectic mix encompassing elements of folk, jazz, blues/rock, and classical music. The album has been lauded as a “thing of beauty” and a “tonic for the world we live in today,” reflecting her ability to craft music that resonates deeply with listeners. Claudia’s singer-songwriter music generally sees her performing vocals with acoustic guitar, but she is also an established and well-known bass guitarist too; currently playing bass for rockers 4th Labyrinth and all-girl rock band Gig-L.
We caught up with Claudia while she was working through ideas for her eagerly-awaited second album and took a deep dive into her songwriting, collaboration and demo recording processes.
Stay up to date with Claudia’s projects on: www.iclaudiamusic.com
In addition to the interview, we also captured a breakdown of Claudia‘s ‘Rain Down Hell’ production – a song that she performs for us on acoustic guitar and voice, before recording herself using only an iPhone, adding bass and leveraging Songzap’s Arrange feature to beautifully shape the song’s narrative. Watch the ‘making of’ video below and enjoy Claudia’s dynamic performances as she gets to grips with Songzap’s many production features.
And why not check out Claudia rocking the bass guitar live with 4th Labyrinth too!