Sidney Bishop, lead singer of soul band The Bishes, talks to TATJANA HARRINGTON-STEWARD about making music, BIMM Brighton and funky disco vibes.

Could you tell us about the formation of the band?

The Bishes are a nine-piece band who met at BIMM Brighton. After playing one of my original songs with a house band I asked the drummer and the keyboard player if they would help me with an audition that was coming up. The rest of the band was made up of friends from my class who were more than willing to help me out and who liked the style of the song I was auditioning. The Bishes are made up of myself as main vocalist, amazing backing vocalists Niamh Jones, Phoebe Wilson and Sam Temple, guitarist Ali Bain, bass player Harvey Dent, saxophone player Tom Wanless, drummer Freddy Lovett and keyboard player Cameron Williams-Hill. The audition went really well and from there The Bishes were born.

How does BIMM inspire you guys as a band?

BIMM inspires us as we are doing music all day, every day. It pushes us to be better as a band and more proactive with what we’re doing. What also inspires us is our songwriting styles and genres lesson, which teaches us different ways of writing and performing. The lesson gives us ideas on how to better ourselves as writers and performers and the importance of individuality.

What do you think of Brighton’s music scene?

Brighton’s music scene is vibrant and eclectic. There are lots of opportunities for unsigned bands to perform and a chance to watch and appreciate others without breaking the bank. Everyone seems to be very accepting of each other’s bands and there’s a sense of community. I loved my first ever gig in Brighton as I felt people were just there to enjoy the music and be supportive.

What’s your songwriting process like?

My songwriting process has always been simple. I usually write the main riff and build around that. I sort out my melody first as it’s the most important part of my songs and then work the subject and lyrics around this. However, in one of my lessons, I was asked to look at one of my biggest influence’s writing techniques, which in turn has altered my songwriting process recently. I chose Amy Winehouse, who wrote her songs as poems initially, so lately I’ve been trying this. It’s changed and improved my music as I think there’s now much more meaning in my writing. It means I focus on the message more that just the melody.

For anyone who isn’t familiar with the band, could you describe your sound?

Imagine Cheryl Lynn’s Got To Be Real mixed with Jess Glynne’s Hold My Hand. As a band we enjoy playing a funky disco vibe with a modern take on lyrics and vocals.

Who are some of your biggest influences musically?

Two of my biggest influences as a writer are Dolly Parton and Bruno Mars. I have always loved Dolly Parton’s music because she is an incredible writer and guitarist. There isn’t a Dolly Parton album that hasn’t impressed me. Bruno Mars also influences my writing with his retro soul yet commercial vibe. I love his band and how they look during performances, which is reminiscent of the soul review shows of James Brown.

What are The Bishes working on right now?

We’re trying to plan our first EP. We have original songs we are happy with but want to make sure they’re the best they can be, so watch this space. We’re always gigging around Brighton and also have a few London performances coming up.

For more, visit facebook.com/TheBishes1.