Carrie Baxter - Seven (Album) + 10 Questions

Waterford born R&B and neo-soul artist Carrie Baxter releases her debut full length album Seven, a deeply introspective project centred on identity, healing and personal growth.

The 11 track record marks Baxter’s most personal work to date, following earlier releases What Now and Placebo. Across Seven, she explores her relationship with her psyche, her roots and the friendships that have shaped her, confronting darker moments with honesty that ultimately leans toward redemption.

Opening track “Change” sets the tone with gospel tinged warmth and the reassuring refrain, “you don’t have to change at all for me.” From there, the album moves through the reggae tinged reflection of “Patience” and the gentle optimism of “Magic Wand”, before closing with “St John (Be Good to Me)”, a clear eyed meditation on faith and healing.

Structured as a journey from darkness into light, the album unfolds across two sonic worlds shaped by producers Chris Bubenzar and James Berkeley.

With more than 80 million Spotify streams and support from BBC Radio 1, BBC 6 Music and Jazz FM, Baxter’s rise continues to build. A standout performance at Electric Picnic helped cement her reputation as one of the most exciting neo soul voices emerging from the UK and Ireland.

To mark the release, Baxter will host a listening experience on 11 March at Shaispace in Peckham presented as a sound bath, before playing her biggest headline show to date at The Lower Third on 27 March.

Carrie Baxter sat down with Wordplay Magazine to answer our infamous 10 Questions:

1. So tell me, how did it all begin? What sparked your love for music?

I grew up in a very musical household  for as long as I can remember, music has been a huge part of my family life. At secondary school, I performed in a production of Crazy for You. That experience sparked something in me, and soon after, I moved to London to study musical theatre. It didn’t take long to realise that musical theatre wasn’t quite the right path for me ,although I still love watching it. Instead, I began writing my own music and taught myself to play guitar. I suppose the rest is history.

2. Which artists influence you, and who would you love to collaborate with in the future?

My influences span generations, from timeless jazz standards to artists like Anita Baker and Van Morrison. I’m drawn to music that feels soulful, honest and rooted in storytelling. Maverick Sabre has been a significant influence on me and collaborating with him would be incredible. Kendrick Lamar is probably my biggest dream collab, his level of artistry is something I aspire to.

3. Your upcoming album, Seven is due out on 11th March alongside an official music video for “St John (Be Good to Me)”. What can viewers expect from the video?

I had the idea for this song after Christmas Mass a couple of years ago. The church I was in is in Waterford , St John’s,  so when it came to the video, I wanted to find a space that felt as similar as possible. That authenticity really mattered to me. At its core, the song came from sitting in that church, searching for a way forward after a lot in my life had fallen apart. I wanted the video to capture that emotional stillness - it’s intimate, but cinematic. I trained as an actress for a number of years before moving into music, so visuals are just as important to me as the sound. Storytelling through imagery is something I’ve always loved.

4. Can you tell us more about how the album came together, and what the creative process looked like?

The album came together over about three and a half years. It wasn’t rushed, the songs were written during a period of real change in my life, so it evolved naturally rather than as a preconceived conceptual project which Ive done with 2 previous projects. In many ways, the process revealed the sound, the lyrics and the meaning when the time was right or perhaps more accurately, when I was ready to face them. I worked closely with just two producers throughout, which gave the record a sense of cohesion and intimacy. It was important to me that it felt honest over everything else, nothing forced, just a body of work that unfolded over time.

5. On 27th March, you’re set to play your headline show at the Lower Third. What do you enjoy most about performing live?

Performing live is where a lot of things make sense to me. I love the feeling of being with an audience rather than singing at them. The energy exchange in a room is completely different from the solitude of writing, so by the time you get to perform the album, it feels like a real shift. For me, it’s about that shared moment. You can’t recreate it or replicate it , it only exists in that room, on that night.

6. What typically inspires your songwriting?

Pretty much all of my songwriting is inspired by real life. This album in particular explores themes of identity, faith, love, guilt and longing, the internal things we don’t always say out loud. I was moving through a lot of it as I was writing the project. Some songs came from reflection, others were written in real time. It felt less like storytelling and more like processing.

7. What's been your proudest moment so far as an artist?

Probably this album. Its been a huge pivot and learning curve for me to get to this point, Im super proud of this project.

8. Are there any emerging artists on your radar right now that we should check out?

I’ll be honest, my finger probably isn’t on the pulse as much as it should be right now. I’ve been so consumed by the process of making and finishing this project that I’ve been quite inward with what I’m listening to. When I’m creating, I tend to retreat a little and protect the world I’m building, so I don’t always absorb as much new music as I normally would. I’m looking forward to coming up for air and discovering what I’ve missed.

9. What do you like to do when you're not making music?

You’ll usually find me in the gym or at boxing, spending time with friends, or somewhere with a strong coffee in hand.

10. Name three things you can't live without when in the studio?

Water, a pen, and slightly randomly, chewing gum. I tend to chew a lot of gum when I’m thinking or creating.