Who is Mirror Signal?

I’m a 19 year old Songwriter/Producer and Singer from Suffolk, England. Chillingly quiet place so I made noise with instruments.

How did the name Mirror Signal come about?

My actual name is Steven Barker. There was a news story a few years back about a criminal who shared my name, so I had to get an alias. I chose this name because my driving instructor always said it to me and it eventually stuck in my head. I’m also quite a nostalgic person and I dwell on the past a lot, so the “looking behind you” metaphor fits quite well too.

Are you currently signed?

I’m unsigned at the moment, but I like imagining who I’d sign with…

Your voice is undeniably distinct. It’s like a perfect blend of folk, electronic, jazz and soul. Who are some of your biggest inspirations?

Thank you very much. It’s hard to pin point really… My parents aren’t musical people. My mum listens to a lot of Christian music though, and I was around that a lot, so singers like Don Moen and Kirk Franklin in that sense. Mainstream… I’d say James Blake, Laura Mvula and Sampha are big influences on my vocal style in recent years.

When did you know this was what you wanted to do?

I tell everyone about when I learnt “Mary Had a Little Lamb” at school. That was my first musical experience, from then I learnt clarinet, then switched to guitar, then piano and drums, and eventually started writing and singing. It was a gradual process but I haven’t looked back since. Since starting to produce properly last year, it’s solidified my love for music even further.

At 19, you already have the main credentials in the bag. Do you plan on producing and writing for other artists?

I’m always trying to improve my production and writing skills, which are still pretty basic so producing for others is something I’d love to do, maybe maybe a while down the line when I’m better at it. I’d love to write with people too, but only with other songwriters, I don’t really have interest in writing for people who can’t do it themselves. Always always always music before money for me.

Your EP ‘Broken Solider’ was released last April. Is it true that you recorded the ‘Broken Solider’ EP in your bedroom?

Yeah, I was working at a supermarket, and took three months and saved up for a Macbook and a microphone. Then I took a month or so out to produce it, using the techniques I’d learned from college.

Some of the tracks from ‘Broken Solider’ made it to BBC Radio 1, Radio 2 and XFM! How did it feel having your tunes played on the radio?

I had it played on some smaller stations initially which was amazing because I’d originally been recording acoustic songs in my room that didn’t go anywhere. Going electronic and soul seemed to open a lot more doors. The level of stations gradually grew and it felt like a massive achievement every time. Having Jamie Cullum talk about me on Radio 2 was extremely surreal, as I’d been listening to him as long as I can remember.

Has radio play opened up more opportunity for touring?

Not yet, it’s definitely increased my fan base which I’m so grateful for, but touring is a long way off yet I’d say. I’ve had a lot more one off gigs though.

The new single is ‘Submarine Eyes’, is this a follow-up to another EP or a full LP?

Submarine Eyes dropped on the 17th of March, it’s a stand alone though, for a bit of exposure etc It’ll be available online, iTunes, Spotify, Amazon etc. The last few months I’ve been demoing a lot of new tracks and I have about an albums worth, but release dates haven’t been mentioned yet.

What was the concept behind ‘Submarine Eyes’?

I started this one off with a cool drum beat on Logic Pro. Once I got a nice synth part to it, it was done pretty quickly. The lyrics follow a bit of a grim story through the eyes of a crazed stalker who is madly in love with someone who keeps giving mixed signals. (It’s not a true story, I hasten to add!) One Bit Music reproduced the track you hear now, they’re going to be big, I advise people to check them out.

Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

I’d love to be on the road playing to people around England, maybe even the rest of the world, I’ll stay hopeful. I’d like to be producing and working with others like I said before.

What advice would you give to other aspiring artists?

Have your influences, be proud of them, but don’t try and imitate them, people will respect and notice you for being you.

Don’t be put off by the cost of starting out at first, if you really want it, you’ll be happy to spend.

Stay in real life. I used to think posting things on the internet would get me somewhere, it’s only since I’ve started gigging and got a manager that I’ve been making progress. Network and getting your face round is key.

Be as nice as you can be to everyone, especially those who pay attention, assholes get forgotten quickly!

Don’t write what you think people want to hear, write what you want to hear, and let you’re natural fan base grow that way.

I hope this helps!

Thanks for the great advice!