Major talent alert. If you’re a regular gig goer chances are you may have caught Ailis at a gig pounding the skins or providing backing vocals for the likes of artists like PINS or indeed taking lead vocals with the excellent Dirty Blonde.
However not only is she a superb drummer and singer, she’s also an accomplished multi-instrumentalist and producer. Ailis (pronounced Ay-Lish), has launched her own solo project with the brilliant propulsive rush of (“give me) Just A Little Bit. “
After overcoming hearing loss as a child, along with her experience as a session drummer she developed a sensitivity to vibration, which has given her a unique perspective enabling her to sculpt soaring alt-pop melodies. This release marks Ailis out as not only a highly skilled multi-instrumentalist, producer and singer but also a hugely gifted songwriter. It’s a breathtakingly brilliant debut from an artist who has huge potential.
She explains, “My journey in music unconventionally started when meningitis led to single-sided deafness because it changed the way that I heard and felt music forever. As a deaf, female musician, I am proud to be releasing my music and representing my communities.”
The song was inspired by the idealised, carefully curated versions of our lives we often present on social media “We use social media to showcase an alter ego, which has its merits, but it also erodes our authenticity,” Ailis explains. “I believe that beneath the facade, we all secretly yearn for others to see our true selves. At what point do we become so detached from our authentic selves that we become mere commodities, serving as a form of social currency?”
To emphasise the message behind the song, Ailis collaborated with renowned Manchester photographer, Debbie Ellis, on a “tongue-in-cheek” visual project in which Ailis embodies abstract pieces of furniture. Debbie shared, “We were particularly excited about shooting the lamp piece because it encapsulates the societal expectation of looking great and lighting up a room while simultaneously being expected to stand in the corner and remain silent.”
