Ian Rae On the Making Of ‘Ghost Girl’
How did you come up with the theme?
My best friend (and moderator at my lives on TikTok, Instagram, and Twitch), Ellie Lou Baillie, told me of a character she was writing a story about, called Ghost Girl. Ghost Girl is neuro-divergent, she’s introverted, sad, and doesn’t fit into the world in which she exists, so at times she just disappears. I felt I could relate to her, and in the hope that the story would be finished, (in order for me to read it), I decided to write the Ghost Girl theme, which then became the title of the album. I know that many of my followers are neuro-divergent and relate to the emotion in my music, so it seemed appropriate that Ghost Girl could contain my music of differing genres, moods and emotions that don’t necessarily fit into one box.
What impact do you hope 'Ghost Girl' will have on your audience?
It already has impacted my audience. In the first few days, it has streamed at more than twice the rate of all my previous albums and singles. Hopefully, it will continue to make them realise that musicians don’t need to be limited to one genre of music. So many nowadays say they are country singers, folk singers, jazz singers etc., but if you are a musician, why not try as many different styles as you can? The cross fertilisation of styles is so valuable. My albums contain, folk, country, jazz, rap, neoclassical, trance, and types of compositions in the style of John Williams, Joe Hisaishi, Disney films, and The Legend of Zelda.
Can you talk about any standout tracks on 'Ghost Girl' and what makes them special to you?
I really struggle to choose standout tracks with this album - I believe I could have probably released at least 6 singles from the material. However, when you’re 78 you need to have one eye on the clock. “Who Can Reach the Farthest Star,” “Sitting on a Gate,” “Little Child” and “The Sound of Distant Laughter” could all be movie themes, and “Let Me Down Gently” and “Wondrous One” are jazz-style covers of tracks released on early albums.
What has been the most memorable experience or achievement in your music career so far?
It happens every day when I’m “live” on TikTok, Instagram, and Twitch. For me the greatest accolade is to see followers come back day after day to listen to the music which I have written, and which obviously means something to them, and for newcomers to my “lives” to watch me, and just comment “Wow” or “Amazing.” For me it’s not about the “monetisation” - all my earnings since I was “discovered” have gone to raising over £30K for charity. To me, this is what it is all about.
What advice would you give to aspiring composers who are looking to develop their skills and find their own unique musical voice?
Never give up - for dreams can come true. I was “discovered” at the age of 74, and it has all been a dream since then. Don’t limit yourself - try different styles of music because it all goes towards being a better musician. Write music which you love, and believe in yourself and in what you have been told by people you respect. 35 years ago, I sent a couple of my songs to Richard (now Sir Richard) Stilgoe and asked for his advice. He replied “Not many people can write good tunes - you can.” Now, since he had written lyrics for “Starlight Express” and “Phantom of the Opera,” working alongside Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber, that quote became my motivating factor. And hopefully Richard Stilgoe has been proved right!
