Featured Tutor: Fin Greenall

24 May, 2016

Here at BIMM, we’re very excited to have Fin Greenall (aka Fink) on board as the new Head of Songwriting for BIMM Berlin. Fin is an English singer-songwriter, guitarist, producer and DJ who has collaborated with huge artists including Amy Winehouse, Bon Iver, Professor Green, Banks and Ximena Sarinana. Since 2006, he’s released five studio albums as Fink, has sold over 200,000 albums worldwide, and has received three prestigious BMI Songwriter Awards for his work with multi-award-winning soul singer, John Legend.

In order to get to know Fin a little better, we thought we’d ask him a few questions about life, the universe and everything…

What most excites you about your new post at BIMM Berlin?

It’s great to connect with this new city in so many different ways. I love hearing new ideas and influences, and all the different perceptions of songwriting for the next generation.

Tell us about your experience and background working in the music industry.

I’ve worked in so many different roles in the music industry – from starting in the post room to being a marketing manager for the major labels; from being signed to independent labels and journeying through rave, drum ‘n’ bass and trip hop as a bedroom producer, to then recording and DJing around the globe for Ninja Tune Records while holding down a record label day job. Then I became a singer-songwriter about ten years ago, which led to six albums, tours, festivals, and my own sub-label.

What’s been your most memorable moment working in music?

Playing with the Royal Concertgebouw Symphony Orchestra in Amsterdam was a rush… that and my first recouped royalty statement.

Have you got a favourite venue to play in?

I have many – Paradiso in Amsterdam, Tempodrom in Berlin, Kentish Town Forum in London and La Cigale in Paris.

What led you to Berlin and what do you think BIMM students will get from their time studying in the city?

Berlin attracted me, and so many other creative people, as it’s a young city. It has energy, space, sky… and is packed with like-minded people of all different types of creative disciplines. Life in other cities can be such a grind, but Berlin is always brimming with ideas. It’s cheap, and worrying about money ruins your creative vibe. Hopefully BIMM students will feel the Berlin vibe, will enjoy it, and become part of it themselves.

Tell us about your recent successes. And what’s coming up on the horizon for you?

Being happy in the music business is the real success! It’s a really cool place to work, hang out in and learn. The public decides the fate of all artists and I love that honesty and truth about what we do. Right now I’m writing, recording and self-producing two albums in Berlin. I’m doing the label thing and enjoying the summer!

What advice would you give to students studying at BIMM?

To keep an open mind and use honesty as a mirror to truly listen to what you write and record. There’s no hurry… there’s a lot of thought and doubt and ups and downs, but all of that can be channelled, distilled and embraced to create the palette of what you want your future to sound like.

What can students expect from your lessons?

It’s pretty much like that movie ‘Whiplash’… mixed with a bit of ‘School Of Rock’!


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*Photo by© Sempiternal Photography

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