H I
ave you seen those Google ads where a young boy gets a video camera for Christmas, films his
mum shrieking behind her kitchen cupboards for a bit, then becomes Jamal Edwards with his own YouTube channel
SB.TV? Te thing is, it’s real – it’s a true story and it’s not unlike that of Ria Ritchie’s. Te olive-skinned beauty, brimming with raw talent, sister to actor Reece Ritchie [Te Lovely Bones / 10,000 BC] followed a similar blueprint, swapping Jamal’s camera for her guitar, amassing a huge following that caught the eye of Plan B and Jay-Z’s business partner, Jay Brown. Best of all – girl’s from Lowestoft and proud.
So Ria, we’re doing this interview ahead of your Sundown performance - you must be excited to play, ‘cause it’s a kind of homecoming gig for you – - Yeah, I played there last year and I don’t think they usually repeat acts, like, have them play a second time, so I wasn’t expecting to play this year, so I was really chuffed about that, because obviously it’s a bigger and better line- up. I got my stage time through the other day and I’m on at quarter to 4, sort of slap bang in the middle, which is a good little time to play really, ‘cause I can see everyone else play after.
So you’re gonna stick around and enjoy it? Oh yeah, definitely; all my family and friends are gonna be there, so we’ll have a little drink and watch everyone afterwards, I’m sure.
I can only begin to imagine what a homecoming gig might feel like – is it a bit spine tingling? A bit of a goosebump moment?
16 /August 2013/
outlineonline.co.uk
Yeah, last year I was really nervous but as soon as I got up there it was cool; because I think it’s local, a lot of the people in the crowd knew my songs and were singing them back - like, it was really good to hear them singing back my single. Also, it’s gonna be a different setup because this year I have a full band instead of the acoustic type setup. Tis year I have two guitars, bass, drums and I’m playing as well, so it’ll be a bigger and better sound, more of a festival vibe.
Do you get a lot of support from Lowestoft, and the wider region?
stuff and we’ll go.’ So I
packed my whole life in his car and just drove home that night!
Pack your
Yeah, loads. I play near enough every weekend, whether it’s in Lowestoft or Norwich – like Oulton Broad in Lowestoft I usually play at and it’s always a really nice crowd. Like, I had my EP launch at Bar 11 in Norwich a month or two ago and that was a really good turn out. I had loads of people coming to buy CDs and stuff. Yeah, I always get really nice support and you always see friendly, familiar faces in the audience. It’s good to know you’ve got dedicated fans.
And you’ll be able to vouch that there’s some tremendous talent coming out of the region. Raevennan Husbandes is from Lowestoft as well – I think there’s something in the water… Tere’s certainly more talent in the region than people give us credit for. Yeah, yeah, when I signed my publishing deal, at the time one of my managers was from Norwich and it was sort of a joint venture between them and Tinchy Stryder, and his manager’s from
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