Anita Blay, aka thecocknbullkid, has apparently been writing and recording music for 23 years now, so it's about time she started getting some recognition for it. Thankfully, she has been over the last few months, with various media outlets slowly clocking onto her sound, which has been described as a mix of Neneh Cherry and Morrissey. With her new single, 'I'm Not Sorry', out this week via Moshi Moshi, she looks set to take yet another big step towards the big time. So, without further ado, we hit her up with the Same Six Questions.

Q1 How did you start out making music?
It sounds clichéd but I have always been involved with music. I entered loads of talent shows and sent out demos to various places. Then at 16 I joined a studio where I learned to use software, took vocal lessons and wrote music every day. It was a great discipline to have, it taught me a lot of what I know now. I left after four years and put my stuff up on MySpace and it went from there really.

Q2 What inspired your latest single?
That curious feeling of not feeling guilty about hurting someone. It happens and it's fascinating discovering more and more people who feel like you! I enjoy exposing my own flaws because people will usually open up about theirs. That's what I've always thought music should be about.

Q3 What process do you go through in creating a track?
There is no set process. But often I will have a stream of phrases or unrelated words, random thoughts and I'll scribble them down. Sometimes my lyrics come from misheard words I've heard off the TV or from passers by or even in songs. One of my songs, called 'Lovers Jeans', was inspired like that. I think 'The Antiques Road Show' was on and I thought I heard someone say "Lovers jeans". I liked the sound of it and based a whole song around it. Those are my favourite types, the accidental ones. Musically, sometimes I'll start something at home, sometimes it's structured, sometimes not. Mostly I'll try to do as much of it as I can until I realise "right this needs a chorus that's going to do this justice" and sometimes I just can't make that chorus, you need that honesty. So I'll take it to one of the guys I work with to make it into a record.

Q4 Which artists influence your work?
Oh god Björk, Morrissey, David Byrne, Peaches, Annie Lennox, MIA, Michael Jackson, Bowie, George Michael, Rufus Wainwright and Dolly Parton. I think the reason is because they sound like no one else but themselves and most importantly are all writers. True writers. That's the most inspiring thing for me.

Q5 What would you say to someone experiencing your music for the first time?
I'm not instant. I'm a grower.

Q6 What are your ambitions for your latest single, and for the future?
It's just meant to be a taster, something for you to feast on whilst I finish this album. Once that's done, I want people to hear it and like it. The long term plan is to become prolific, grow fearless, get better and pave the way for other artists. That's what we all want.

published march 2009