Acoustic Soul Singer-Songwriter, Dr Fabola from Manchester.
Dr Fabola is based in Manchester. His music is predominantly upbeat acoustic pop, laced with rootsy folk, world music and jazz. His intricate fingerpicking and soft soulful vocals combine effortlessly into a sweet feelgood vibe.
Hey Dr Fabola!! Thanks for taking part in our #MissWriter interview series for In Your Ears Music. Tell us about you – how did you start out in music, what’s your story?
I guess it all started with an enrolment in a music summer camp when I was younger, and a few “compulsory” music classes I took in school. At first, I didn’t take it all that seriously and I originally learned the piano and bass guitar just to look cool. Though I didn’t realise this at the time, it laid a foundation for me which I’ve built on over the years. I later picked up the guitar and got really into fingerpicking, started writing songs, then performing in music venues, then releasing music, and that brings us here really. I recently adopted the stage name – Dr Fabola – by combining my professional title (Computer Science PhD) and my surname (Fabola) for uniqueness 😉
Are there any stand out artists that influenced you when making music or that got you interested?
My style has been influenced by so many musicians over the years. Bob Dylan’s storytelling, Passenger’s fingerpicking, Tallest Man on Earth’s stage presence, Jack Johnson’s calming vibes, Jason Mraz’s sweetness, I could go on, but you get the idea. It’s all been a blend of my favourite soul, blues and roots musician’s overtime.
What do you enjoy the most about performing?
I love the adrenaline, it’s such an amazing feeling. You feel the nerves, the buzz, the euphoria all at once. There’s a voice in your head saying “What if you forget the lyrics? What if you mess up the guitar part?”. There’s the disbelief that there’s a bunch of people that have taken time out of their day to come and listen to you play, there’s the overwhelming sense of gratitude that for a few moments, you have a platform to spread a message. It’s an amazing feeling 🙂
Outside of music, what are your interests?
Outside of music, I enjoy writing for writing’s sake. I write stories, works of fiction, poetry (that sometimes feeds my music), and autobiographical journals. I also enjoy learning about technological innovations (I have a job in tech after all), and I enjoy being active, running, walking, all round moving – it keeps me sane.
You have been called “the best socks in the business” when did your love of footwear become a ‘thing’?
Ha-ha, I think that’s what happens when convenience meets function. I love colour and patterns; I like to accessorize and mix things up. But I also like space and I adopt a bit of a minimalist mindset. My minimalist approach to my wardrobe means that I don’t have a lot of clothes, I have a few things that I can mix and match in many ways. This means that having lots of colourful socks – a drawer full of them – allows me to add variety and colour to these outfits, and ultimately, it brings me joy 🙂
There is a growing crew of people on social media supporting the new music scene – what can we do to support you?
First of all, thanks for taking a chance on new music. It’s heart-warming to know that there are so many people out there that still seek out new music. There’s hope for us yet 🙂
In terms of supporting new artists, it always helps to spread the word, tell you friends and family about new artists, share their work and their posts, and if you can, go to gigs, buy their records, merch etc.
For me the most important thing, the best way you can support me is to share my music, there’s nothing quite as effective as organic growth 🙂
You’re playing The Sessions Live event in June in aid of Macmillan Cancer, what can we expect to see from you?
First of all, some colourful socks 😉
Music wise, you can expect a heartfelt, soulful acoustic set. There’ll be brand new songs and there’ll be old ones you’ve heard on my streaming profiles. All in all, there’ll be music that’ll make you feel good 🙂
What’s next for you?
Got some releases coming up, keep an eye out for announcements. Also got some gigs lined up in the weeks leading up to, and after Easter, in London and Manchester. Announcements coming soon…
Links to Dr Fabola:
Instagram: www.instagram.com/drfabola
Twitter: www.twitter.com/drfabola
Facebook: www.facebook.com/drfabola
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCbXCNELeZjfGJ0oe9t3JBpg
Website: www.adefabola.com
So, if you haven’t already got your tickets for ‘The Sessions’ at Grub Manchester on Saturday 18th June, what are you waiting for?
There are some incredible artists playing and its for a fantastic cause. Early Bird Tickets available here >>> https://www.inyourearsmusic.com/etn/the-sessions-in-manchester/https://www.fatsoma.com/e/unev6d97/the-sessions-in-manchester-in-aid-of-macmillan-cancer-support
