A solution might be closer than you think ...

Drugs and music go hand in hand, like reggae and grass, acid house and pills, punks and narcotics. Looking back over the decades, it's clear each music scene comes along with a new drug, or vice versa. Like the chicken and egg conundrum, whichever comes first, the other follows.

So what is it about drugs that make them so important to music? Is it that hallucinations trigger poetic lyrics? Or sedation removes pressure or anxiety to allow free-flowing expression? Or are drugs just a way for musicians to fit in and look cool? Noel Gallagher of Oasis says he 'used to stay up for days doing loads of coke, drinking anything. Because that's what you do, innit?' Unfortunately, as a result of poor reviews, it seems the Oasis brothers should have stuck with drugs; their clean albums, such as Standing on the Shoulder of Giants, were not so well received. 'At least they are still standing' said NME. Back in the 50s, jazz greats like Miles Davies and Charlie Parker glamorised drugs. 'People were considered hip if they shot smack' claimed Davies. But if anything, taking drugs has to be a sign of weakness and insecurity – you are doing something that damages your body to appear more adventurous to other people. So why did this become a fashion?

Drug companies of the 60s may be partly to blame. Amphetamines were legal and liberally prescribed for weight loss and heart problems. Perhaps inevitably, their energising side effects proved irresistible to musicians and gig-goers. Dinaml, a common street drug at this time, created 'incidence of euphoria, enhanced wakefulness, increased physical activity, decreased appetite, feelings of power, strength, self assertion and enhanced motivation'. This sounds like the key to the Octopus' Garden.

We must remember that if drugs were essential to writing music, blogs and books on music would be recommending which drugs to take, rather than focussing on chords and lyrics. Chris Adolf, member of Denver's Bad Weather California argues that "It's absurd to think that because some famous rock stars were drug addicts, doing drugs has anything to do with being a musician". He has a point – you won't say you could only write a good song if you had the latest equipment, as it simply doesn't work like that. But this didn't stop jazz enthusiasts taking heroin to discover Charlie Parker's secret. The drive to be a successful musician seemed to outweigh the desire to live a healthy, long life.

Fortunately, a new way of taking drugs is on the rise and may reduce the number of overdoses. Rather than bingeing on copious drug cocktails, a different method of drug use, known as 'microdosing', is the hot topic on Reddit, a popular debating site. The Reddit microdosing thread shows 15,000 subscribers and targeted searches. Fans of microdosing say it 'removes anxiety' and generally gives them an all-round 'better day'. Hypothetically, if all drugs disappeared, it would be hard for musicians dependent on them to adjust and continue to write. It would be like losing the key to the room where all your musical ideas and identity are kept, forcing musicians to reinvent themselves personally and musically. Microdosing is an attractive alternative to that scenario.

In a 2005 survey, 10.5% of people admitted to taking an illegal substance, whereas today this has gone down to 8%. It would seem that drug abuse is currently in decline. But might this be a problem for music – if new drugs create a new scene, does the opposite apply, and no new drugs make for bland music? Techtonik music is a case in point; it makes a thing about being totally alcohol and drug free, and is as awful as the name implies. Looking back over history of drugs within music, a decline in drugs could be bad news for the creative music industry.

For the foreseeable future, drugs won't be made legal (even if some people think legalisation would stop people overdosing on substances that are effectively 50% rat poison.) Microdosing would seem like a sensible compromise between overdosing and just feeling confident and okay. There may always be celebrity casualties, such as the tragic Amy Winehouse, but on balance, are drugs simply a musical fact of life, a regrettable, but necessary part of the music industry?

The name Maya Kally is popping up everywhere after her single release just over a month ago. This remarkable song covers a deeply personal topic which is movingly portrayed by her unique vocals and delicate piano accompaniment. The young, London-born singer, now a student at Leeds College of Music, fronts a 7-piece band called Nag Champa. Her inspirations and goals, however, are as a solo artist which she shares with me today. (Photo Credit: Cameron Fox, 20/11/2017)

"I'd rather have a lot less friends or connections and be happy then try to be something else"

Kally describes her single, Another Time, as "a tune I had to get out there, put on the table and move on from". The tender lyrics and evocative timbre of her voice create a tapestry rich with colour and emotion, reflecting her devotion to music and her approach to the difficult subject matter. This brave artist not only puts a large part of herself into this new song, but in other tracks she tackles complex topics such as sexual assault and racism. She wants listeners to take serious messages away from her work.

Kally has released 'Another Time' with a stunning music video. Two dancers, fellow students Jasmine Christine Søgaard Gordon and Kate Forster, are mesmeric as they put Kally's words into action. Kally reveals that the song came about after seeing two clouds touch in the sky as she looked out of the window of a Mega Bus; she was drained and tired, but this image sparked an idea. Kally drew inspiration from a music video called Slack Jaw, danced by Emma Portner and Ellen Page; Kally admired their "delicacy and intimacy", and wanted her dancers to be equally captivating, with beautifully personal choreography to complement her music.

Dim lights, alone and in control, Kally's song-writing process is typical for a soul/blues inspired singer song-writer. She walks into a room and says "does it look depressing in here? Right let's go!" Kally writes on guitar and piano; at the start line of her creative process she expresses the emotions through the instrument and then moves onto lyrics. When asked to pick between the two instruments she laughs. "That's really rude! It's like asking my preferences between my Mum and Dad ... my Mum!"

Her ideal place to write, she says, would be the South of France, where she would "just sit in a dark room writing and crying while it's beautiful outside". There is a disturbing disconnect between Kally's emotions and the world out there.

Nag Champa do not currently have a post-university rehearsal schedule, but Kally is aiming for a solo career, so this is not a worry for her. She admires artists such as Nick Hakin and Fiona Apple, but while aspiring to such heights, Kally is realistic. "Babes, you're gonna get depressed if you think that happens to everyone", she sighs. This refreshingly humble attitude is what makes Kally such a likeable and down-to-earth artist, although it comes with unnecessary modesty. Talking about her plans to record an EP, she doubts herself. "I don’t think it would be a good idea to release an album after one single, nobody would listen," she says. The buzz on social media around her single release says otherwise. With around a thousand views on Youtube, planned live sessions with Leeds Student Radio and Live in the Hive and multiple reviews and interviews written about her online, Kally may need to reconsider her plans.

It is a well-known fact that musicians can get depressed by the pressures of the industry, but Kally copes with this by removing herself from stress and going for walks in the countryside. Being out and about in nature reminds her there is so much more happening in the world than just music; this brings her back to reality. "If I'm happy with myself then I want to continue with what I'm doing," she argues. "But if I'm not, then I really need to think how I can become happy." This is a remarkably sound attitude for such a young artist.

“Sometimes I get angry because I want it so much.”

The singer Princess Nokia features on Kally's "get pumped" playlist. Kally loves the female empowerment of this music; "I love watching videos and interviews about strong females who don't give a shit," she reflects. When asked if she is one of those women, she replies "not yet, maybe when I come out of LCoM". Kally believes a combination of life experience, anger and powerful role models will get her to this point. She has a touching fondness for her "headstrong" mum, her personal role model. But Kally's tough side shows when she talks about anger. "Sometimes I get angry because I want it so much." Then she smiles. It's hard to believe such an apparently sweet girl can have this fierce streak, but Kally's drive and ambition powers her emotion, making her an intriguing artist well worth following.

Kally has a positive grip on gender in music, and her take on this is impressive. She describes female artists as "ridiculed" and "isolated", but this doesn't stop her aspiring to be part of change in the music industry. Kally is not at the top of her game yet, but her interest in gender politics will help her on the way to becoming a strong female artist. Most inspiring of all, she is proud of just being herself: "I'd rather have a lot less friends or connections and be happy then try to be something else," she explains.
(Photo Credit: Cameron Fox, 20/11/2017)

Kally's passion and motivation, combined with her self-deprecating yet lively personality, make her a fresh, radiant artist, and one to watch. Do not miss a chance to see her perform for yourself in the next few months, before she makes it big.

Upcoming dates:

22nd March 2018 // The Chemic Tavern, Leeds // Doors open at 7:30pm

7th June 2018 // Live Music at Monkey Nuts, London // Doors open at 6:30pm

20 July 2018 // Leeds Jazz Festival, Leeds // Music Starts at 2pm