Welcome to the next in our 2120 Music Artist Profile series featuring Abigail Wighton.
How and where do you prefer to write?
I tend to write with my acoustic guitar, a notebook and pen, often sitting on the floor.
For a lot of my songs I can remember where I was when I wrote them, sitting on the floor in a particular room of a house or apartment I was staying. Growing up I would write songs sitting at my parents piano and when I was twenty I learned to play acoustic guitar and switched to composing using that. I’m yet to write a song with my ukulele but that sounds like a fun goal for 2023!
Do you write the music first and then the lyrics; or, the lyrics first; or, both together
Normally I write the lyrics first which somehow always seems to be linked to melodic ideas. Afterwards I’ll find the chords that fit with my melodic ideas and edit things so it all flows smoothly. There was one of my released songs that I wrote in a different order. For ‘Hands Off’ I found the groove first and then wrote the lyrics afterwards and I think it really shows because it has the best groove out of all my songs!
Where do you go for inspiration?
It sounds cheesy but I think inspiration is everywhere. I often will write down lyric ideas in the notes app of my phone. I find ideas when I’m out in nature, reading news articles, reading posts my friends have shared on Instagram and conversations with friends and strangers.
Who are your favourite songwriters?
At the moment I am loving Lizzy McAlpine, Gretta Ray, Maisie Peters and ella jane. They are all such talented young women who have a beautiful way of expressing their life experiences and know how to write a catchy hook. I’ve also been loving listening to more of Joni Mitchell’s songs. I listened to her song ‘River’ a lot in the lead up to Christmas and it gets more beautiful on every listen.
Which artists have influenced your songwriting?
My biggest influence would be Taylor Swift. She’s been the artist I’ve listened to the most on Spotify for the past few years and I had all her CDs growing up. I’ve learnt a lot from her songs about how to craft good ones of my own. She writes incredible bridges and I’m still working on mastering my own. I also admire that she has such a large discography that spans so many genres and styles and it gives me the courage to never feel I have to stay in the same box if I don’t want to.
Has your songwriting changed over time? How?
The main change is that I used to write all my songs on the piano and now most of them start out on guitar. Songwriting still feels much the same to me. Sometimes songs pour out of me as if I’m not even the one writing them, like it was fully formed and placed in my head and in my fingers for me to bring into the world. Yet other times I have to chip away slowly but surely over days or weeks or months until I can get it all out onto paper. I’m sure you can tell which is my favourite but I think both ways are vital if you want to be a writer.
Do you co-write and if so, do you find it inspiring?
I haven't done much co-writing before but am keen to explore it more in the future.
To listen to Abigail's music, go to her Spotify profile and check out her website.
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