We spoke to Auri, aka Beetlebug, about their delightful set in the Forest at 2000trees, new music on the horizon and their dream musical collaboration.
Hey Auri, you’ve just played in The Forest at 2000trees, it’s sunny and a perfect Friday treat. How was it for you?
It was really lovely. I mean, I’ve been wanting to play that stage for a while. Just because I mean, I love the idea of playing in the forest and it was lovely. I could hear the birds singing when I was performing. I was actually very nervous about it but it was actually probably the least nervous I’ve been when I’ve actually been on stage for a gig.
Your sound is definitely a little bit different to the overall vibe of Trees. How did you end up at Trees this year?
I met my promoter through a support show I did for Bears in Trees and the promotor really liked my stuff. So he introduced me to the people who are kind of managing me at the moment, he was the one who put me down for Trees.
It’s lovely to have you here.
I’m so happy to be had.
Can you sum up your sound in five words for people who might not know you?
That’s difficult. Maybe escapism? Maybe. Sort of folk, indie, earthy and warmth.
That’s a lovely summary of your sound. Can you talk about some of the inspiration behind your songs?
So like, in terms of who I listen to, or just in general, the influence of what I got inspired by to write my songs?
Inspired by!
This is tricky. So, for me, when I use imagery, I tend to be describing a feeling or something that I struggled to put into words, anyway. So I find imagery, a really helpful way of being able to get across what I am wanting to get across. For example, with the lepidopterist, which is mainly using butterflies as imagery. I mainly did that, because I felt like, for me, that’s what it felt like, it’s sort of the theme really well of what I was trying to go for. It’s kind of more in a metaphorical way, meant to mean something that I find difficult to explain just in itself. You know, I don’t know if that makes sense.
Can you kind of talk about the importance of your online fanbase in your musical journey?
I would say it’s given me pretty much all the opportunities that I’ve had, and probably originated from, like, from the online base. I started out on YouTube and even when I supported Bears in Trees they reached out to me because of a cover that I did. Then a bunch of their audience were familiar with what I did as well because of the overlap. The internet has been the main thrust of my audience and my opportunities that I’ve had so I’m very grateful.
2023 has been a really good year for you so far, Time has been a really good year for you so far. You’ve had the Henry Moodie tour, The Vamps, Live At Leeds; what has been your highlight? It doesn’t have to be any we just mentioned!
I think performing in the Netherlands, that was the first time I’d ever performed abroad anywhere and that was amazing. I was very nervous as me and The Vamps have very different vibe but it was really sweet. I remember after the second show where like these, these people came up to me and gave me like a little, a little gift and it was really cute. There was a little plush whale in there and some stroopwafels and it was just so cute. They’d put notes in there. I think that was the highlight for me. That was really sweet. This gosh, I feel like I’ve done so much this year. I think the last show that I did with Henry Moodie in Dublin was amazing. The crowd was amazing. There was so much that went wrong, the fire alarm started going off and someone fainted. But despite that, like the crowd was really amazing and really nice too. Also actually Live at Leeds. Live At Leeds was so cool, because I got asked like four days before if I wanted to do it. So I was really nervous. But it was it was so nice and the vibes were lovely. I got to see some friends who were also performing there as well. That was another highlight, I would say.
So it’s been a really lovely year.
Yeah. It has been great. Amazing.
You’ve already talked about YouTube and your covers on there. But what would be your dream collaboration?
Oh, oh, that’s difficult. I mean, I, I’m a really big Adrianne Lenker fan, I love Adrianne. I love Big Thief. I love everything she does. I would be over the moon to do anything with Adrianne Lenker. So I mean, that would probably be like the dream collaboration for me.
Dreams can come true. We’ll look back on this in what like, however many years and be like, remember when?
I hope so, that would be great.
During your set, you talked about new music coming out this year. When can we expect said new music?
Well, you can start expecting it from around next month to a couple of month’s time. I’m very excited for it. I think it’s like a little bit different from the stuff that I have out right now. In that it’s a little bit more mature than some of my old stuff. The productions better because I’ve improved a bit. I think that is kind of the beginning of what I’m really wanting to carve my sound out to be now.
Finally, what can we look forward to in 2023 and beyond?
I want to start doing headliners. That might be something that happens hopefully soon. I’m hoping either end of this year or beginning of next year is what I would say is a rough estimate of when, I can’t promise. But that’s what that’s what I would like. I think the thing I’m most excited about is probably starting to do headliners because I’ve never done that before.
You can read our review of 2000trees 2023 here – Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday.
