Siân Greenaway, AKA Bobbie Dazzle, is exploding onto the scene with glitter and good times with her debut album, Fandabidozi, out Oct 4 on Rise Above Records. Taking inspiration from 70’s glam artists like David Bowie, T. Rex, and Suzi Quatro, Fandabidozi is also a nod to the “extremely British” term from that decade describing something that is “brilliantly fantastic.”
“When I discovered glam rock as a child, I had often seen artists taking on a character and playing a role of a rock star—a great example being Ziggy Stardust,” says Dazzle. “That world is full of pizzazz, theatrics and humor, so being Bobbie Dazzle rather than Siân Greenaway was important. Truly though, this isn’t a new character I am playing. It’s stepping into how I’ve always wanted to express myself in the most free and joyful way possible. This is me.”
With an artist name as kitschy as Bobbie Dazzle you can’t have a record name that takes itself too seriously. The story behind Bobbie Dazzle and Fandabidozi, however, is anything but blissful. Fueled by the unfortunate death of her sister, she channeled her grief into creating a larger-than-life persona designed to help lift spirits. The record also exists as a beautiful tribute to her late father, who she takes a lot of musical influence from, and includes a song of his on the album.
The lyrics from album opener “Lighting Fantasy” were written by her father when he was only 17 years old. She found the song in the sleeve of an old Bob Dylan record of his and knew instantaneously that this was a sign from him. “I feel confident that he would have approved and, well…if he wouldn’t have, then tough tits because I did it anyway!” she jokes. “I think if he is watching he might have a few grumbles that he won’t see a royalty cheque from it,” she laughs. “Sorry Paps!”
Along with the lyrics to “Lighting Fantasy,” she found other sheets of songs, including one titled “Castrator.” “I don’t think I could stand on a stage singing about chopping off a bloke’s balls, but luckily there are some other song lyrics he had written that were tucked away and aren’t about testicles, so I’d really love to have a little theme of having a father daughter collaboration over the next few records,” she says.
Flute is featured quite heavily on Fandabidozi. Dazzle first took up the woodwind when she was eight years old, only sticking with it for a couple of years before dropping it because she found it boring playing classical music. When she got older, she discovered Jethro Tull and felt inspired. “These flutists were playing all of the ways I was taught not to play the flute, and it sounds GREAT—the distortion, the messiness but brilliance of it all, and within rock music too,” she says. Luckily for Dazzle, the muscle memory kicked in from when she was a young child, and she found it easy to pick up the instrument again. “I love the flute. It’s just a shiny little element no one ever really expects, and for me, it’s really enjoyable. Something I found so stifling all those years ago is now so freeing for me to play.”
With 2025 on the horizon, Dazzle is champing at the bit to start writing again. “I have to keep pulling myself back because I do have a hard time staying in one place and focusing on what’s happening in the moment,” she says, describing herself as a “go go girl.”
She also hopes to sprinkle some Dazzle across the seas at some point in the future. “Creating this during such a dark time in my life to bring myself into the light was really important, but now I’ve achieved that and I’m genuinely happy in my life (a lot of thanks to creating Bobbie). I’d love it if I could share my story and my music with other people,” she says.
Fandabidozi comes out on Friday, and you can preorder it from Rise Above Records. Follow Bobbie Dazzle on Facebook and Instagram for future updates.
Photo courtesy of Stoney Darkstone
