SongSeeds Guest Speakers
At SongSeeds Online Songwriting Retreats, we believe that sharing practice can both motivate and demystify the songwriting experience.
As part of our framework for our residential retreats, you can expect 3 music industry faces who will take a deep-dive into their process, answer your questions and set a tailored songwriting challenge for the day. Our guests range from commercial industry to underground and DIY practitioners, all of whom are established, experienced songwriters.
At SongSeeds we try to promote equality, and dispel the notion of hierarchy when it comes to creativity. We don't do war stories, we don't speak about who we know, all we care about is how to harness that precious spark that makes the song happen and we try and provide guests from a range of career levels and genres to challenge you to indulge in the process and enjoy the unexpected avenues your creativity can take you!
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You can check out our previous guests in our Guest Speaker Gallery
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We are thrilled to announce a Masterclass from She Drew The Gun and workshops from Bee Asha and Shears for our Sept/Oct 2025 retreat!​
Sept/Oct 2025 #Residential 6
Over the course of three studio albums and nearly a decade, Wirral-born Louisa Roach has shaped She Drew The Gun into a project that reflects her diverse influences, from 80s electronica and hip-hop to political poetry and psychedelic sounds rooted in her hometown. Early support came from The Coral’s James Skelly, who encouraged her development during the band’s formative years. Roach’s work has often taken aim at social and political injustices, combining sharp lyrical commentary with an exploration of personal and collective struggles.
Her debut, Memories of Another Future (2016), led to She Drew The Gun winning Glastonbury Festival’s Emerging Talent Competition. The follow-up, Revolution of Mind (2018), was recognised as one of BBC 6 Music’s Albums of the Year, while Behave Myself (2021) received critical acclaim for its songwriting. Across these releases, Roach carved out a distinct voice marked by both defiance and empathy.
The fourth album, Howl, marks a shift in focus. While it continues to confront wider societal issues, it also documents a period of personal upheaval and recovery. Following relationship breakdowns and personal challenges, Roach turned inward, beginning a journey of therapy, sobriety, and healing. Daily writing and somatic practices became central to both her recovery and the songwriting process. Time spent in Portugal’s Serra de Estrella mountains and new practices such as meditation influenced the album’s lyrical themes and sense of introspection.
Howl is structured as two halves. Side A carries the familiar edge of She Drew The Gun, addressing themes of politics and late capitalism, while Side B opens up to vulnerability, love, and self-reflection. Songs such as “Mirrors” and “Washed in Blue” highlight these contrasts, presenting different sides of Roach’s artistry. The album incorporates imagery of rituals, spells, and cycles of change, reflecting her exploration of identity and renewal.
Recorded with producer Ash Workman (Christine & The Queens, Metronomy), Howl also marks the beginning of a musical collaboration with her son Cole, who contributed to early demos. The record captures Roach at a point of transition: not claiming resolution, but documenting growth, resilience, and the process of facing the past while moving forward.
//Workshops from...
Bee Asha is a spoken word artist born and living in Edinburgh. Between Rap and Poetry her work is a cathartic outlet that she uses to explore loss, love and the difficulties of life. She began her journey in music as one third of the hip hop trio The Honey Farm, a Scottish female rap group who promote female confidence and egalitarian views. In 2019 Asha starred in the BBC Documentary, Spit it Out, co-founded the award winning charity the following the year, The Spit it Out Project. Since, Asha released her first EP ‘From Girl to Men’, won the SAMA’s best newcomer in 2022, was featured in YWCA 30 under 30’s, was shortlisted for BBC introducing Scottish act of the year 2024 and was highly commended at the Scottish Sikh Awards. Her new album, Goodbye, Gracious has been long listed for Scottish Album of the year 2024.
SHEARS writes, records, produces & mixes electronic music at home in Leith, Edinburgh. Hailed as a ‘Next Wave’ artist by Clash Magazine, SHEARS has had a busy 2025 so far with singles 'BONES', ‘BAD DREAM’ and ‘ARCADE MACHINE’ garnering support from Radio 1, BBC Scotland and extensive press support across the UK. SHEARS is also part of Glasgow’s female and non-binary songwriting collective, Hen Hoose, and produces and remixes for various artists. Following features and performances on BBC 6 Music, BBC Introducing in Scotland, and CBBC, SHEARS’ debut album is due in October 2025.
