Hetti Harper grew up just outside Barnard Castle, attending Barnard Castle School, where she was classically trained as a vocalist. Now 24, she moved to London about four years ago. Initially working for various art dealers in London, she has embraced the music scene as a singer and songwriter in a rock band called Tiffany Twisted, who have just released a debut EP, recorded at the famous Abbey Road Studios.
How did you get into music and what instruments can you play?
I think I have just always been into music for as long as I can remember. My mum recently told me that where she worked when she was pregnant with me played Fleetwood Mac and The Doors 24/7, so maybe that's where it all started.
I am predominantly a singer but also a pianist and I was classically trained from being about 11.
However, but singing was just always something that I did from being very little. I think I was probably singing before I could speak.
What inspires your music and which other artists have influenced your music?
These days my music seems to be mainly inspired by either rage or heartbreak, or a bit of both, and I’ve got tons of both. I could list bands forever who’ve influenced me but my go-to would always be Brand New for the depth and complexity of their lyrics and album titles. I also always listen to Biffy Clyro, The Dangerous Summer, Badflower and A Day To Remember when I’m writing.
What are your favourite music genres?
My favourite genre will always be rock, all types of rock. I have been in love with post-hardcore and post-grunge since I was a teenager and I’ve also always loved 90s pop punk. I have quite recently developed a guilty pleasure for old school rap too.
The dale has a wealth of musical talent, what do your attribute this to?
I don’t necessarily want to say that there isn’t much else to do – but it definitely does play a part, and it’s actually a super positive thing because it means so many kids listen to a ton of music and end up learning how to play and sing and that is exactly how kids should grow up in my opinion. No city to distract them.
When and where was your favourite performance?
I think playing the Troubadour at the end of last year in London was our favourite gig so far. It’s a really iconic venue, Led Zepp used to jam there, and the crowd really devours rock ‘n’ roll even now and they actually head-banged to our Ace of Spades cover. Plus it was on my birthday and we made just enough money to all get drunk.
Do you have a special place where you write music?
My place in London is my special creative hub and we wrote the whole EP here. It’s super cluttered with old Fender amps, a keyboard that’s older than me and hand-me-down guitars.
Apart from music, what are your other interests?
It might sound sad but I’m fairly consumed by music and everything to do with it and the people around me are the same.
I do also have an obsession with getting tattooed at any opportunity.
Do you have a favourite lyric, and if so, what is it and who wrote it?
I have a lot of favourite lyrics actually, but the first one that always comes to mind is from the song Sowing Season by Brand New, which goes:
“Do you miss the blend?
“The colour she left in your black and white field?
“Do you feel condemned just being there?”
How are you keeping yourself busy while the country is under lockdown?
It’s not too drastically different for me at the moment actually, as the vast majority of my work is done at home anyway, so I’m just about keeping busy with that.
The plan is to come out the other side of this with an album ready. I have also started baking large amounts of very ugly cookies.
Name three good things you have learned about people in the past few weeks – and three bad things.
That’s quite a hard one but good things I’ve learned lately are that we have all started to realise that we couldn’t live without certain people, even if it’s just an hour’s coffee catch up; that not everybody is so terrified of coronavirus that they’ve lost their humanity and that more and more people are actually taking this time to consume as much music as they can.
Bad things I’ve learned would have to be that a lot of people have a problem with social media scaremongering; that most Londoners truly do now ignore any attempt at all at social interaction and finally that there are people in the world willing to try and flog toilet paper for £50 a pack.
Where can people hear your music?
You can now find our debut EP on Spotify, and all other streaming platforms.
