Rebecca Downes Talks Her New Album, Her Voice And More
Words by Glenn Sargeant
Feature Image Photo Credit: Mal Whichelow
Rebecca Downes is an English blues rock singer, guitarist, songwriter and vocal coach. Her sixth studio album ‘A Storm Is Coming’ is released on Friday 31st October 2025. We sat down for a lovely chat here:
What is your earliest musical memory?
Music being played at home and hearing the artists that my parents listened to, such as Ella Fitzgerald, Frank Sinatra and Sammy Davis Jnr.
When did you begin song-writing?
I used to make up songs to amuse my friends in the primary school playground when I was very young. I started more seriously as a teenager and my most recent phase of song writing began when I met Steve Birkett in 2012.
You have your sixth studio album ‘ A Storm Is Coming’ released on Friday 31st October 2025. How did you want to approach the making of the album?
Steve and I write all the time. The songs move through a process of development at the end of which we have a demo version that gives a good overall feel of the song, the instrumentation and the arrangement. The best of these tracks are then selected to go forward to recording, mixing and mastering, taking account of how they fit together to make a logical collection. So, the songs came together over the last couple of years and the recording, mixing and mastering was completed this year. In Series 1, Episode 5 of my Downes Your Way podcast, we explore the creation of the song Stand On My Feet from the More Sinner Than Saint album. It sets out the way Steve and I work in some detail.
Where did you record the album and who produced it?
We record in various studios. Much of the work is done in Steve’s own studio, but we also used facilities elsewhere to enable us to capture the right sound, especially with the drums. Steve was the overall producer, working with his son (also Steve) for all but one track, and with Gavin Monaghan of Magic Garden Studios, Wolverhampton for the track These Days.
Do you have any interesting, funny or memorable stories from the recording sessions?
Because of the way we record, we don’t spend a lot of time together as a band in studios, but I do recall one session where I was having an in-depth discussion with Liam who works with Gavin Monaghan at Magic Garden Studios about our respective dogs while everyone else present was basically drumming their fingers waiting for us to finish so we could get on with the mixing of the track.
Did you use any particular instruments, microphones, recording equipment to help you get a particular sound/tone for the record?
Steve used a Kemper Profiler (a leading-edge digital guitar amplifier and all-in-one effects processor) plugged directly into his recording software in stereo. It gave him a huge variety of tones from heavily-distorted, rock lead guitar to clean bluesy rhythm guitar.
We also used the Electro-voice RE 20, an all-purpose microphone for instruments and vocals. It really suits my voice because it smoothly handles the wide dynamic range of the performances.
Which of your new album tracks hear you at your a) happiest, b) angriest and c) most reflective?
Happiest – Falling Into You
Angriest – probably A Storm Is Coming though there are other candidates!
Most reflective – These Days
Who were the musicians who were on the album with you?
Me: Vocal and backing vocal.
Steve Birkett: Guitars and Backing Vocal; Keys; Bass and Hammond on all tracks except Hit The Ground Running
Neil Ablard: Drums
Nigel Darvill: Hammond on Hit The Ground Running
James Peterson: Bass on Hit The Ground Running
Does the album’s title have a specific meaning/significance?
The album has been described as ‘a ten-track journey from tension to release’ and ‘turning turmoil into anthems.’ It’s about various journeys that we’ve been on in our lives, but it also resonates with the broader mood of life today. I only hope that we as a species have the same capacity for resilience, self-preservation and honest resolution that is explored in this collection of songs. The storms around us could clear the sky, or, sadly, they may destroy it.
Was it a difficult album to write?
Any music that has meaning is arguably difficult to create, but to be honest these songs were all born spontaneously and then very quickly grew organically. If there was any difficulty, it was in the quest to deliver the best versions of the songs, working with the resources we have, which is a challenge facing almost every artist at our level creating this type of music. We have worked very hard on the tracks and we are very happy with the end product.
Who designed the album artwork?
That was a joint effort between me and Colin Speller, who is basically the manager of our music business, but who also does a lot of the design and composition work (amongst many, many other things). So, I designed the main icon (which is based on an image of my eye) and Colin composed the sleeves.
Where is your hometown and could you please describe it in five words?
Wolverhampton, which is in the West Midlands region of England called the Black Country. Its most famous musical acts are Led Zeppelin and Slade. It has a proud railway and industrial heritage, but these days is more famous for its tech industry, its football (soccer) team and its relatively new City status (although we all still call it ‘town’).
Five-word description: Industrial history; football-loving, proud city.
How do you look after your voice?
Before each performance I take great care about what I eat, avoiding anything that is too spicy or ‘clingy’ (e.g cheese). I quite often use a steamer, and I always go through warm-up vocal exercises. Shameless plug – I am lucky to be endorsed by Vocalzone, and I am a great fan of their pastilles and specialist vocal teas. The pastilles are always part of my gig routine. See also my comments below about using in-ear monitors.
Do you have any live dates planned in the UK/Europe in 2025/2026?
We have an ever-evolving list of gigs which can be seen on our website at www.rebeccadownes.com, starting with the album launch event at the 100 Club, London on Tuesday 28th October 2025. We’d love to do more, especially in Europe, but it’s not always easy to get the right offers and there’s a limit to which we can afford to take financial risk with regard to gigs.
What two things do you hope to have achieved once you have left the stage?
To have left a repertoire of music of which we can be proud (I hope that’s a box I can tick already) and to see one of our tunes being used in a significant TV programme or film would be amazing.
Do you have any favoured stage instruments, effects, pedals, microphones etc?
I am fortunate to be endorsed by Blackstar Amplifiers and my trusty HT Club 40 is my current amplifier of choice. I use a Shure SM 58 Beta microphone, but the most important part of the stage set-up is my Sennheiser in-ear monitors (IEM). As a singer, I need clear monitoring to allow me to control my vocal and manage my voice properly. If the monitoring is poor, there’s a tendency to push the voice harder, and this is where a lot of vocal damage can be done. When we do a headline gig, with the fantastic support of Neil Ablard, our drummer, we take our own monitoring system and set it up so that each of us can control our monitoring mix via a tablet device. It’s a game-changer.
You are given the opportunity to write the score for a film adaptation of a novel that you enjoy. Which novel is it and why?
It would be the novel Sand by Hugh Howie. I love dystopian fiction, and this is one of the best examples by an author who has a powerful and evocative imagination.
One of the tracks is ‘Waiting For The Morning’. What was the story/inspiration behind the song?
It’s about going to sleep with the person you love on your mind and wanting the morning to come so that you can be with them.
Who are some of your musical influences? Do you have any recommendations?
I did a ‘musical influences’ top ten for a podcast and the artists I chose were Chris Cornell, Ella Fitzgerald, John Mayer, Nazareth, Queen, Bruce Springsteen, Rickie Lee Jones, Soundgarden, Bonnie Raitt and Joni Mitchell. I would add Melissa Etheridge to that list, and – more recently – Two Feet. Two Feet is especially interesting because though the music is not described as ‘blues’ it has very significant blues influences.
What makes Rebecca Downes happy and what makes you unhappy?
Things that make me happy include times spent with those I love and (especially) my senior rescue-dog Ralph (who I share with a dear friend), performing on stage, and teaching my lovely pupils both privately at two University colleges in Birmingham.
Things that make me unhappy include injustice in any form, the ludicrous state of politics across the world where reason, logic, facts and data are being abandoned in favour of bizarre theories and wild beliefs, and also anything that adversely affects those I love.
Feature Image Photo Credit: Mal Whichelow
Rebecca Downes sixth studio album ‘A Storm Is Coming’ is released on Friday 31st October 2025.
Pre-Order the album here: https://www.rebeccadownes.com/a-storm-is-coming-new-album-pre-order
For live dates and more information visit: https://www.rebeccadownes.com/
