With a fast-tracked career into music – from her upbringing in Brazil to performing alongside the likes of Adam Lambert, Willow Smith, and Avril Lavigne among many others – bassist Pops Magellan has an enviable résumé.
Yet for all her experience as a sidewoman, it’s now as a bandleader in her own right that she looks set to make her most personal musical statement to date.
“I love playing bass with other artists, but my brain slowly started to reject the idea of always serving other people’s songs,” says Magellan. “It just felt like it was time for me to stop what I was doing and really commit to my own music.”
Recognised for her versatility and tasteful phrasing, it’s Magellan’s more lyrical approach that comes to the fore on her new solo EP Damage. Featuring a few of the talents from her session career, but with an emphasis on collective creativity and a shared musical experience – not as a showcase for blazing bass skills – Magellan has tapped into her strengths as a modern groove master.
“The bass guitar is my muse, but it’s not the main focus for me when I’m writing songs or leading a band. Then I think it pays to be more strategic as a bass player because it’s an instrument that can really glue everything together.”
What inspired the new EP?
It's a combination of everyone I’ve ever hung out with, everyone I’ve worked with, and everyone who’s ever inspired me. I’ve absorbed and learned so much from so many different people, and they’ve always been connected to my music.
What's been the biggest learning curve?
I’m used to being sent music to learn, being booked for a rehearsal, or just playing the bassline on a gig, but now there’s so much more to think about.
When I played my first show at the Baked Potato I barely had time to even think about my bass playing, but I don’t say that as a negative thing. My brain is wired to do things in a certain way, and I loved challenging myself. It was dope!
How often do you practice?
I do so much work on a computer nowadays that I don't practice as much as I should. I make sure I spend at least one hour each day in my studio, even if it’s just sitting down with my bass and playing around with something.
![Love Theory - Kirk Franklin [bass] - YouTube](https://img.youtube.com/vi/7v6vtv5YhiQ/maxresdefault.jpg)
What do you remember about filming at EastWest Studios?
I remember I felt very underprepared, and it was all very last minute. In fact, it was chaos! But I knew I just had to go for it.
I’d put myself in a situation where I had to lead the camera, lead the band, talk to the engineer, figure out my bass parts, and kind of direct everything. I guess that’s when I really understood what it meant to be a solo artist. There are just so many details to take care of.
The session wasn’t perfect, and things didn’t go exactly the way I wanted them to, but I learned how not to freak out. I also got to play with some amazing musicians. That’s Taylor Graves playing on Misunderstood.
He also recorded on the EP, but for the live session it felt even better. His solo was an amazing moment. And there was also Art Menezes on guitar, Curtis Crump, Laila Annelle, and Robert ‘Sput’ Searight. To watch these guys walk into the studio to play on my songs was just crazy.
Are you the type of person who spends hours going for that perfect take?
There's really no such a thing as the perfect take. The sound is never perfect in your ears or in the monitors. There's always something you could complain about, but I was just lucky to get the right people in the right space.
What bass gear did you use for the EastWest session?
I played my Mustang bass on two of the songs. That bass has Seymour Duncan pickups and flatwound strings. I also used a StingRay for a song called Drive Complaining. It’s one of their new short-scale basses.
Did you experiment with any effects pedals?
For the melody of Misunderstood, the bass plays the hook, but I put it through a bunch of effects. I don’t even know how to explain that approach yet, but it just felt like the right thing to do!
I wanted to create a bass sound that was really interesting to me, and sometimes I’ll find something by accident with effects. Right now I’m using the MXR Phase 90 because I love how trippy it is. I also like anything by Darkglass Electronics, and I have an EBS Octaver and a Boss OC-2.
Is there a similar dynamic in your approach to session work and what you’re doing now?
There are definitely times when the lines can get blurred, but I didn’t really notice anything different until I started saying no to tours. It’s definitely something I’m more aware of now that my EP is out.
What were some of the highlights from your session career?
I got the gig with Adam Lambert when I moved to L.A. We’ve played some incredible shows at places like Wembley Stadium and the Royal Albert Hall.
I’ve also worked with Willow Smith and Avril Lavigne, Cimafunk, and Larry Braggs from Tower of Power. I’ve been on the The Late Late Show With James Corden, and I was the resident bassist for The Tonight Show when I lived in Brazil. There have been so many gigs!
You used a 5-string bass with Adam Lambert, but on Damage you stuck purely to a 4-string. Why?
For all of my session work I would usually play a 5-string, just for the extended range, but for my own shows I prefer a 4-string. Playing a 5-string bass is a different world, but I feel way more funky with just four strings.
Who is your favourite bass player?
Larry Graham. I think he's still the king. He’s just got so much energy. I love how he’d experiment with sounds and innovate new techniques. He’s just amazing.
If you could pass on one bit of advice to aspiring bassists, what would it be?
Maybe it’s my Brazilian background, but I would advise any bass player to practice playing as many different styles of music as possible. You’ve got to be able to adapt and be flexible, which is something I’ve always worked on.
- Damage is out now.
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