Shadow Speaks: Theo Bleak
Theo Bleak is the moniker of Dundee-based singer-songwriter Katie Lynch. As Theo Bleak, Lynch has created a sonic world that listeners cannot help but become immersed in... When listening to her, I can produce a vivid picture of myself living in a remote cottage, surrounded by trees, fog, and large bodies of water. Here, it is quiet... safe from the busyness of modern life.
Alas, this is a fantasy. But, it is a fantasy I can happily lose myself in when I indulge in a hearty listening session of Theo Bleak.
Katie and I had a conversation about her work as Theo Bleak - so, without further ado...
Have you performed under any other monikers before Theo Bleak, and was it always the same sound?
I have had other projects in the past, but Theo Bleak is musically and visually truest to me.
Is Theo Bleak completely a character to you (akin to artists like Ethel Cain)? If so, does having the character make it easier to be vulnerable by sharing your innermost feelings with the world through your music?
I guess a bit of both; I see 'Theo' as both a person and a world. It sort of accumulates the way I see life in my head whilst also vocalising the things I maybe haven't said in my normal life.
Do you find that as you release more music, some of the earlier stuff feels a bit less like you?
Yes, I think the sound has developed so much since the first EP I released (which I detest). However, I still value it as a piece of work because I felt it to be important at the time, and it shows me how much things have changed. It's a time stamp.
Who are your musical inspirations?
Musically my biggest influences remain; Liz Fraser, The Sundays, Anohni, Jeff Buckley, Dallas Green, and Searows. However, soundtracks inspire me massively.
What would be your 5 desert island discs? Why?
Romeo & Juliet 1996 Soundtrack, Grace by Jeff Buckley, Hopelessness by Anohni, Absolutely by Dijon and Bon Iver's self-titled album. I think this is the perfect mix between nostalgic and assertive to get me through.
Would you say songwriting has made you a more introspective/self-aware person?
I think so, but I also think I'm a songwriter because I am intrinsically introspective as a person, and there's nowhere else to put it.
You have 5 EPs out currently, spanning from 2022 to the present. Is there an album in the works? If so, what story is the album telling?
No album yet, because I'm not good enough yet. I will do one more EP before I get to an album, I think.
What's your favourite song from your discography? Why?
My favourite song is 'Winter Song', I can just remember viscerally how life felt when it was written and recorded.
What's your favourite show you've played?
My favourite show was performing at a fundraiser to send a surgeon to Gaza. I really realised the power of music and community that night.
Reckon big Noel G will have you back and opening for the Oasis reunion shows?
Hahaha, I highly doubt it but could you imagine!
Do you feel like the gloomy weather in Scotland influences your music?
Certainly, I love the gloomy weather, and I have tried to capture that in the layers I use musically. I'm also a gloomy person.
Do you have any up-and-coming Scottish musicians to recommend to readers of Shadow?
I love No Windows, they're so special. I was sent music by a band called Ample House recently which impressed me. Naomi Munn has the best voice and is a special songwriter. DD Dragon, Peach Crumb, Lacuna, Grayling and Dutch Winealso really really stand out to me. My good friend Priya has recently started releasing music and she has a musical talent which is just mind-blowing. I passionately believe there is so much amazing music in Scotland, that I could go on and on.
What makes Dundee home? And, how does this sense of home and belonging influence your music?
I have been in Dundee for so long now that I'm just so used to how it feels. I guess everyone feels that way about where they grew up, but it has a sort of atmosphere I couldn't explain. I went to school and university in Dundee and have had both wonderful and terrible things happen there. I don't think I'd ever really leave Dundee permanently now.
What's your Letterboxd top 4?
Practical Magic, New Moon, Pride & Prejudice and Drive Me Crazy.
What is a piece of literature which has left a lasting impact on you, and why?
I love reading but two books particularly stick out to me, 'Stoner' and 'The Bridge of San Luis Rey'. They are both stories which challenge morality and the monotony that a lot of life entails. I love stories where philosophy is embedded in nothingness.
Favourite philosopher?
I don't have a favourite philosopher, more favourite schools of philosophy: phenomenology and existentialism.
Ok, real talk. Do you think Homer is overrated? Because I do. I read both the Iliad and Odyssey recently, snooze-fest, beside some lines. Love your Iliad EP and song though, lol.
I think it depends on the translation you read, some people interpreted them more as a novel than an 'epic poem'. I think it's pretty dense reading generally, and I wouldn't say that was always enjoyable but I loved the overarching theme which was battered through the story. That everything humans do is absurd and pointless.
Favourite movie soundtrack? Why?
I think New Moon's soundtrack is genuinely a masterpiece, it did exactly what a soundtrack is supposed to do, framed a visceral mood.
Social activism seems to be very important to you (which it should be for everybody). Is there anything you would like to bring awareness to Shadow readers?
I base my opinions on morality rather than political sentiments. If something is blatantly wrong to me, I will say or do whatever I can to contest it. I guess there are so many awful violations happening around the world right now, and philosophy is always a way to counter these things. Regardless of what an action is 'in the name of', there should be universal laws by which we measure those acts. Life is the most precious thing that there is, and I think the world we live in now seriously degrades and devalues life and what life means. I think there are so many things wrong on a localised and global level that it would be very difficult to ever make a dent. However, we can start within ourselves and how we communicate with others around us. We can only do our best and, with every action, push the agenda of equality, peace and respect.
A bit of a heavy question, but do you have any advice for women trying to break into the music industry? Like, something you wish someone had told you, or are grateful they did.
Trust your intuition. Energy never lies, do not let bad energy into your project. Never sign something you don't understand. Always get advice from multiple parties. There will be another opportunity, do not rush things because you fear nothing else is coming. Practise your instrument. Collaborate with artists. Perceived power is not real power. It's your music. Do it for the love of music. Do not take setbacks personally, the industry is utterly random. Work hard.
Any final words?
I will keep on making music for as long as I can.
You can catch Theo's headline show at Glasgow's famous King Tut's on December 19th, tickets are linked below:
