INTERVIEW: Cosial

Image by Victoria Wai

Writing since the age of 11, music is the world in which Cosial lives in; channelling her journey through lyrics and melody, with a beautifully affecting result. The 18-year-old has been making a name for herself on the Teesside circuit, before moving to Manchester to study music at university. Still regularly travelling back up home to perform, the talented musician has been tenaciously tinkering away with new music and is now set to release Sports, her new EP

“All the songs on Sports were never meant to be themed, they were all just supposed to help me figure out what was going on with myself.” As Cosial opens up on the themes that are prevalent in the release, she does so with an awareness and understanding that surpasses her age. Between the honesty and candour of her remarks, there is a deft understanding of her demographic and the emotions that consume them. “It’s called Sports because all the songs ended up being about feeling kept on the bench, permanently running behind the pack. The EP is full of songs just watching life happen to other people, but I guess that’s a common feeling for teenagers, especially teenage girls.” This candour is reflected in the lyricism of her tracks, which each pick apart feelings of isolation and heartache and a need to fit in. There’s a very relaxed, yet never shying from the truth, mentality that resonates throughout the music. It connects with those of the same age but also brings an older audience back to that headspace, full of confusion and innocence.

The EP is full of songs just watching life happen to other people, but I guess that’s a common feeling for teenagers, especially teenage girls

“The lyrics might have a tendency to be a little dramatic, but it is definitely a dramatic time. Those teenage years are so full of choice and emotion, it’s a time that can really feel overwhelming” says Cosial, before giddily launching into a conversation about the nature of songwriting. Describing the perfect lyric as “something that pinpoints a headspace or emotion that you couldn’t put your finger on,” it is clear that Cosial strives to articulate the chaos of growing up and coming of age, using her songs as a way to make sense of the myriad of emotions that come with it.

With lyrics being used as a therapeutic diary and her instrumentation focusing on light, spacious and often bouncy indie sounds, it is no surprise that artists such as Phoebe Bridgers, Lucy Dacus and Mitski are cited as key influences. “When hearing something new, I’m always drawn to the words first. What’s being communicated and how? I was raised on the likes of Leonard Cohen, so those haunting and poetic lines always stick with me.”

With sights set high, the artist hopes to continue striving for authenticity within her musical journey, claiming that her only goal is to keep the music as true as possible, maturing and growing as she does.

The solo artist will be back on home turf for Stockton’s Calling on 8th April and will be launching a new range of merch. So if you are attending the festival and fancy some intelligent, whimsical bedroom pop, as well as a cool tee, then look no further than the young and exciting musical stylings of Cosial.

Sports is released on Thursday 6th April. Catch Cosial at Stockton Calling on Saturday 8th April.