Friday 11 November 2011

Lianne La Havas Interview




Lianne La Havas is tipped to be huge next year when her debut album is released. She has already captivated audiences with a recent appearance on Later with Jules Holland and been chosen to support Bon Iver on their US tour. We catch up with the 22 year old soul singer as she is running for a bus in raining London.

What the first song you wrote?
It was called Little Things, it was a made up love song that I wrote when I was 11. It was never recorded so I have never had to listen back to it, but I can remember it, I always thought it would be quite a funny Eurovision entry but that’s as far as it goes.




Your songs are mostly about your relationships, have you ever got emotional performing one?
It’s interesting because on stage, I try to perform it with as much composure as possible and I try not give away too much. Sometimes I will get emotional listening back to a performance. When I listen back I become and audience member but then of course I have got the knowledge of what its about and how it was to feel like how I felt when I was writing it.

Are you a natural songwriter?
I always liked poetry in English class when I was growing up. I found it fascinating that you could make a rhyming sentence but also that it makes complete sense so I was really intrigued by that.  Because I have always sang and played some instruments, it just happened one day that I was hearing the melody and put words to it.

There is always something to write about, I am quite happy now in my relationship but there is still stuff that goes on, not just love or a relationship. As long as I have got something to respond to the writing side of it happens organically and naturally.

Do you feel comfortable performing?
Generally, so I don’t feel nervous, I find it good to talk to the audience as if I am shaking their hand and I think that helps me to connect with the audience.
There is one thing to record your songs and have that side of it which is great but also you have the whole reason why someone would want to pay to see you perform the songs so I think its important to give them a little bit more than just the recording.

Published in Yorkshire Evening Post 

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