Brighton-based Opal Mag has been steadily building momentum over the past year, emerging as a standout among the UK’s new wave of guitar-leaning songwriters. Drawing from the likes of Mazzy Star, The Sundays, The Breeders and The Smashing Pumpkins, her sound blends dreamy textures with an unfiltered emotional core.
Now signed to Venn Records and heading into the release of her debut EP ‘Goodbye Lavender’, Opal Mag is stepping into a defining moment. Across six tracks, the record charts the fallout of a relationship that couldn’t be held together, alongside the slow process of pulling yourself back into focus.
Right now, life looks a little more practical than poetic. “I'm at home packing and decluttering all my things - all the fun of moving house!” she says, currently surrounded by boxes rather than guitars. It's a sentence that has never once been said without at least a hint of sarcasm.
Music has always been part of her life. "My parents love music, and my dad plays the piano and wrote songs when he was growing up. My brother is also a musician and creative, so we were lucky to have instruments in the house and music always playing."
That environment made creative exploration feel natural, and her first attempt at songwriting came early. "It was for a music video my brother, some kids of family friends, and I were making for fun. We used to make videos all the time and then make little songs to go with them. This one was called 'Love to Know You' - what 9-year-old me's very limited understanding of love was, haha." The concept that hasn’t exactly become straightforward since.
Sharing her work didn't come easily at first. "I used to be very shy about showing people my ideas. I always felt I needed someone else to start the idea, and then I'd come in with a top line and lyrics." Over time, that shifted. "It feels really rewarding to create something completely from your own mind. I mainly just started as someone who loved singing and performing, which led to writing my own songs very slowly."
Brighton remains central to both day-to-day life and the creative process. "I live in coffee shops mainly," she says, before adding, "but outside of that I love places like Pink Moon - especially in the summer, or a pub called The Oak, who are doing some really fun things right now." A city where creative circles overlap easily also means community is never far away: Brighton, where you can't move for someone in a band (and if you stand still too long, you might accidentally join one). "I feel like it's impossible not to at least know of every other musician in the city, it's such a small town! Big Long Sun, Ladylike and Batmilk are doing some cool things."
"I'm heartbroken right now, so expect some more love songs"
— opal mag
It all feeds into 'Goodbye Lavender', a debut project rooted in emotional honesty. "This collection of songs mainly focuses on a disappointing relationship, where you give everything you can, but it's still not enough to change the reality that the person just isn't the one for you." It's a familiar feeling. "Then 'Young Forever' and 'Goodbye Lavender' close the EP, focusing on re-centring yourself and coming to terms with life not working out as you expected or feeling as simple as it was when you were younger."
The writing process often reveals more than expected. "I would say when the lyrics come secondary in the writing process, I am actually processing more because my subconscious comes to the surface." Meaning tends to arrive after the melody. "When I start thinking of words to fill the melody and realise there's a story forming similar to what I'm going through at the time, it brings to light my emotions."
One lyric from the EP continues to resonate: "When I need some inspiration, you're always there to help. I look to you for motivation, you say just be yourself." Found in 'Young Forever', it acts as a reminder to stay grounded. "These lyrics remind me to stay true to myself and to try not to be so influenced by outside perspectives. Having a strong identity and holding onto that for dear life is so important to me."
Inspiration comes from a mix of sources, from live performance to environment. "I watch a lot of festival and live footage of bands and artists that inspire me on YouTube. I'm also lucky enough to have the beach, which in summer makes it feel like anything is possible. But also finding inspiration in the people and friends around me is something that always grounds me."
Taking the project onto stages has brought its own lessons - some of them learned the hard way, as is tradition. "Sometimes it's too easy to rely on the audience to create energy to feed off, but I've realised it's down to you as the performer to give everything you have." That mindset applies across every setting. "Treat every show equally, whether it's a small room to four people or a bigger slot."
Looking ahead, there's "Lots of fun shows, recording again and connecting to new people! Tour and shows abroad would be epic, as well as supporting a band I love." Away from music, downtime tends to be low-key. "Friends, window shopping, sauna, craft nights, spring cleaning, crosswords, charity shops…"
There's also more to come emotionally. "I'm heartbroken right now, so expect some more love songs, haha." Good news for listeners, less so for her.
Opal Mag's debut EP 'Goodbye Lavender' is out now.
