Rea Fortis

Hi Rea, great to meet you, could you introduce yourself and tell us what you do at SAE Liverpool? 

Thank you, it’s good to meet you too. I go by my musician alias Rea Fortis, where over the years I have started out as a singer-songwriter from a classically trained background and now I’m looking to progress as an aspiring producer. I’m going into my final year of study of Audio Production at SAE and hope to come out with a set of skills to create my own brand, business and knowledge to be a well rounded performance artist and producer.

Can you tell us why you picked SAE Liverpool to study audio engineering? 

So I’m originally from down south and I was looking for a big change in my life at the time of applying. There weren’t many places that could offer what I was looking for in education; most were online or in obscure places where the parking is astronomical… However the idea of a two year degree at SAE really sealed the deal for me, and Liverpool is this fantastic melting pot of all kinds of cultures, sounds and history. I thought that this was going to be the place to make a name for myself and find like minded people where we can elevate each other.

What do you love about Liverpool city the most? 

The thing that gets me about Liverpool everytime is that you have everything here! There’s beaches, there’s an airport, there’s great shopping… I can’t imagine myself anywhere else now. The best part for me is all these secret corners – once I think I’ve gotten to know an area or a part of town, I am happily mistaken and find a unique little nook, a bar, a shop, that isn’t replicated anywhere else. Liverpool is phenomenal for creatives too; there’s murals and artwork that really animate the city.

Are there local artists that inspire your work? 

I remember seeing posters for Red Rum Club a while back and gave them a good listen. They have a live band sound infused with influences from the wild west and traditional Spanish instrumentation. I’ve started incorporating brass into my music lately and it’s interesting to hear how other artists do it so sublimely! Pizzagirl is a new favourite of mine – in fact I would love a collaboration (at some point?) as he crafts these dreamy sounds with raw vocals, and that is something I’d like to get involved with. I’m slowly entering the world of synths and his music is getting me more and more hooked.

What advice would you give someone who is looking to study audio engineering? 

My advice to budding audio students would be to stay as open minded as possible. I’ve learned things where I had no real passion or interest to begin with to later find I’m pretty talented at it (if I do say so myself). In being open minded, I would also recommend taking opportunities where you get out of your comfort zone – I’ve been pleasantly surprised at the gigs, networking and events that have resulted in working in a new genre or collaborating with other artists. Other than that, have fun with it! If this is something you want to make a career out of, you’ve got to enjoy yourself and trust the process.