We caught up with our favourite Geordie and ReVamp regular, Carly Burns in this candid catch up about all things music, mental health and awareness! She truly is bringing heart to her music! 

Always a pleasure to sit down with you for a cheeky catch-up, since you last were here you have dropped a new single, and we would love to have an insight into your inspiration and message behind this moving song. 

I know, it’s so lovely to be back, thank you for having me again! And yes, I have just released my new single in January which is called Now You Fly. It’s a super special one and one that I hold very close to my heart. I wrote it a year and a half ago when I, unfortunately, lost my friend Simon to suicide, but it has been a huge healing process and a massive relief with the release, so it really has meant so much to me and all the people that knew and loved Simon. Really hoping the song connects to people and hopefully helps others who may relate. That’s all I could ask for with the single really.

Do you feel this experience has changed the way you approach writing music? 

Well I think I’ve always written from the heart and I always spoke my truth in my music, it’s like therapy to me… but sure this had a different impact as it was through grief so it was definitely a lot more difficult but more rewarding from a writing point of view. So I think it’s just encouraged me to continue to always speak from my heart and continue to grow as not only an artist but as a person being able to release and heal/ grow from my own music. 

The music video for Now You Fly is so touching and you directed it yourself. As a directorial debut, how was this experience in comparison to being in front of the camera? 

Oh my god, it was amazing, it was such a rewarding experience! Of course, I always have the best time in front of a camera… filming Sweetheart (my previous single) was the best day ever but this was something new and exciting that I’d never experienced before and I knew I wanted the message to be so powerful and beautiful so I worked so hard in order to achieve that. I knew from the get-go I didn’t want to be in the video for Now You Fly because I didn’t want it to be about me, I wanted the attention to be on the message so that’s where the idea came to have two male dancers and the story to focus on the battle between man and mind. From the meetings with the choreographer to the videographer, the rehearsals, to the shoot day it was just the most overwhelming and special experience. I really hope the video has inspired and touched people the way it did me and all of those who knew and loved Simon.

Why do you believe it’s essential to raise awareness around causes like …

I think it’s so important…and it’s not talked about enough but it’s very real. I recently found out that the biggest killer of under 35s in the UK is suicide I never knew that and I thought to myself, why didn’t I know that, why is that not talked about? I decided to get in contact with the incredible charity Papyrus which is a charity for the prevention of young suicide and I learned about them and what they do. They promote positive mental health and well-being of young people so they offer programs around businesses, unis, and councils to like you say to start the conversation and ensure that the environments are suicide-safer, which I think is so amazing and important. They also have a hotline that offers support to people who are struggling with suicidal thoughts or struggling with grief/ loss from suicide. With the single and music video release I raised money for them so that was also super rewarding.

How can our readers get involved? 

Well of course, anyone can donate to PAPYRUS or do their own fundraiser, the charities wouldn’t be able to achieve what they do without donations so that’s a start! I think I would also just encourage people to talk more, and talk to their friends, and family. Check-in with each other. Ask each other how you’re doing. Bring up each other’s mental health and normalize being able to talk openly about it and being able to ask for help. 

When we last chatted you were on the UK tour of Blood Brothers, how was finishing the show? 

Finishing the show was incredible, it was very emotional but such an achievement. I learned so much as an actress and I was able to develop the character all over again in the second tour. I’m glad I went back and did it again the second time around but it for sure felt like the right time to move on and start auditioning again… Blood Brothers will forever hold a very special place in my heart, and I would love to go back in the future and do the role again. 

Do you have your eyes on any other iconic roles within the musical theatre space? 

Well, I think I always have my eyes on roles, it’s part of being in the industry, you see the jobs, and you want the parts. I think over the years though I’ve played some of my dream roles, Penny Pingleton in Hairspray was one of them, and then Linda in Blood Brothers… I think a new goal of mine is to originate a role in a brand-new musical… be able to say that was mine, then of course do the iconic cast recording, the Oliviers performance, the lot, so we’ll see. Here’s to manifesting that haha!

Can we expect any new music?

Oh, of course, I’m always writing, like I said earlier it’s my therapy but yes definitely working on some stuff and hoping to get some more music out there by the end of this year.