When we last spoke to AC Scott, the first sparks of her songwriting journey were just beginning to reach the world. Since then, those sparks have become a full-length debut, ‘Out Of The Blue’ (26th April), an album born from late-night writing sessions, unexpected creative floods, and a life that took a dramatic turn back toward music. What started as a private outlet has grown into something far bigger, and, by the sounds of it, it hasn’t slowed down at all.
We caught up with Scott to talk about shaping that burst of inspiration into a record, the emotional place behind songs like Sometimes and Never Too Late, and why the voice that once held her back still occasionally whispers in her ear.
You said in October that writing felt like a kind of “madness”, hooks and lyrics constantly arriving. Now that you’ve shaped those songs into an album, does it still feel wild, or has it become more focused?
The album is now set in stone so I feel a great sense of relief as we had a lot of tracks to consider. The endless songs keep coming though so I am now eyeing up the ones for my next album and honestly the one after that. So I am still in a state of disarray! One day this energy will cease and so I am making the most of what is happening right now…
Looking back now, does ‘Sometimes’ still feel like the foundation of the album, or have songs like ‘Never Too Late’ overtaken it emotionally?
Sometimes feels like the foundation of my songwriting journey as it is the first song I ever wrote. I tend to write songs that tell my story to Never Too Late as part of that as are all the songs on the album.
What kind of emotional space was ‘Never Too Late’ written from?
Euphoria tbh, I had just arrived in LA having sailed over the Atlantic and driven 5k miles to work with Andrew Rollins in his studio, I had the lyrics and the outline of the song so sitting in that setting, playing, singing, talking and recording was my lifelong dream being realised.
Now that you’re busier again, recording between the Highlands, London and Los Angeles, do you worry about losing that quiet space where the songs first appeared?
I am quite a solitary soul and naturally gravitate to quieter places. Walking the dogs, driving the car, soaking in the bath I make sure I have that time for my sanity.
How different is it sharing something that once felt so private?
It has been a revelation to me and to my friends and family. I am from the NE of Scotland where self deprecation and the ‘pull your socks up and get on with it’ mentality presides but now the floodgates are open there is not stopping me now.
There’s such range across the record, from the vulnerability of ‘Sometimes’ to the swagger of ‘Trouble Ahead’ and the pulse of ‘Party People’. Do you feel like these are different sides of you, or were they always coexisting?
Always coexisting, as an obsessive music fan I listened to everthing from jazz, to classic, new wave, hip hop, musical theatre, folk, hard rock, disco since I was a kid, it must have all been distilling in my subconscious for decades and now it’s spilling out. It is fascinating for me to hear what my synapses spit out next.
Growing up in Aberdeen, surrounded by music but stepping away from it, do you ever think this only works because you waited? That maybe you needed to live first?
I was always in the music industry as a DJ,presenter etc. but I didn’t consider for a second I could write songs, I never tried, I was happy to be surrounded by others doing it. I am glad it has happened now and not too early as I would have been in the 27 club, I had no ‘off’ switch and would have gone berserk.
Last time, you said the question you wish you’d asked rock stars was: “When did you really start to believe in yourself?” So, I’ll turn that back on you now. When did you?
Ah well…..getting endorsements from serious musicians and industry professionals really helped but even then the inner voice pipes up ‘ who the hell do you think you are?’ It’s a day to day thing….so will get back to you on that one!