Now, what to talk to the chatty, quick-witted piano popstrel about? Eating alone in Paris and Tim Burton, of course!
Nice to finally catch up with you. How have you been?
Alright! It’s been a bit hectic, and confusing and weird…but I’m having a good time, and getting ready to go on tour. And the live shows are the best part!
Will this be the biggest tour you’ve done?
Yeah, with the biggest venues; I’ll be interested to see how I feel about that…it’s so cool, and I get to have my name in those big lights in front of the theatres. I might just take pictures of it.
You’re on the way to a film festival, right? Do you have a lot of opinions on film?
I love films, I love going to the cinema, even by myself. I wanted to act, you know, I applied to drama school, but I didn’t get in so I started doing gigs instead, and that kind of went quite well – so far so good!
So are you a ‘going to the cinema on your own’ person? Because some people find that strange.
I love doing that. But I like doing lots of things by myself, like I went to Paris by myself for a week. Being by yourself is the best time to write, because it forces you to be playful, it forces your imagination to work. I can amuse myself really easily, I had a really fun time. Walking around Paris is the best, it’s so beautiful – I went up the Eiffel Tower at midnight, went to museums…and I went out for dinner by myself, twice!
I’ve always gone out to museums and galleries by myself, but dinner, I thought ‘now that’s a new level, she’s a loner!’ But I liked it.
Did you not feel paranoid?
No, I felt really good. So many people are afraid to be alone, but it’s so good for your brain. Also, you’re just surrounded by people all the time in this business, it’s good to have some space. I wrote loads of stories, poetry, songs, I could do whatever I wanted to. Sometimes I’d just go back to my room at 8 o’clock and watch loads of random TV I didn’t understand, play on Garage Band, have a bath…whatever.
It’s interesting you say that about stories, because your songs are more like stories than traditional pop songs.
I feel I’ve just let people into this little world I’ve created. I’m not saying I’m the best musician, the best singer, but it’s just my little thing and it comes together as a song. I don’t think you should make rules for yourself. Like, I was influenced by things like Roald Dahl, Tim Burton…
Songs like ‘Skeleton Song’ on your album definitely have a ‘Nightmare Before Christmas’ feel to them.
Thanks! I love Tim Burton, I love how his films are really dark and a bit childish – I like taking on the mindset of a child, because you’re so free, you have no barriers.
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