Lianne La Havas

Lianne La Havas was tipped to be big this year and she certainly didn’t disappoint. Her debut album charted at number 4 and gained her a Mercury Prize nomination and a host of famous fans including Prince, Stevie Wonder and Bon Iver. You can tell she is enjoying the experience as she recounts us with her tales from America, the artists she is nominated with and how she looks after that beautiful voice of hers.

We last spoke to you at the end of last year, how’s the past year been for you?

I’ve had a lot of fun this year, lots of exciting things have happened so I’m chuffed. Meeting Stevie Wonder, actually just the fact that he came to my show is pinch yourself. I screamed when I found out I was so excited, my whole band where excited. We are all massive fans and I’ve learnt a lot about music just from him as well as other artists, that was a really amazing highlight of this year.

Your album, Is Your Love Big Enough, has just been nominated for the Mercury Prize, how does that feel?

I’m so trilled I can’t believe it. I didn’t find out properly because what they do is they ask you if you’re available on the night of the ceremony rather than say you’re nominated, as there is a certain time when they announce it all. They knew my availability but I found out the day before or something about the actual nomination. I was over the moon.

What do you think of the acts you are up against?

I love Jessie Ware, I know her and I love her voice and I love her songs. Michael Kiwanuka I love, Ben Howard and I love the Alt-J album, Richard Hawley as well. It’s a really mixed bag but just to be nominated is just the best feeling in the world. I can’t wait to be at the ceremony and be a part of it all, see everyone’s performances. It’s going to be a really wonderful evening of music. It’s crazy, so prestigious and just a wonderful thing so I am very happy. 

How was your recent US trip?

It was great I love going to America. I started off in New York and I was at New York Fashion week and I went to a few shows and I played at a few parties as well which was really cool. I wore some lovely clothes but I also had my own show out there at the Bowery Ballroom and my good friend Mr Willy Mason was supporting. The energy from the crowd was just amazing so I just had the best time. Then I went over to Montreal and did a gig there and again just an amazing crowd and a lovely city and then I went to LA and played some shows in LA. Again performing at some parties and some events but I also did a show at Amoeba Records, the legendary Amoeba Music Store. It was a dream of mine to play an in store performance so I went there and brought my album and played. It was a really fun, whirlwind, lots of shows back-to-back trip. I love all those cities so it was really great.

What do you do to look after your voice when you’re touring?

I think resting is the most important thing and not over singing when you do shows. To sing properly and to warm up before singing is very important, just to use your body correctly when singing. Simple stuff like not too much booze, not too much caffeine but sometimes I find, personally for me, I can’t not have a coffee during the day time so I will allow myself that one vice. Also drinking lots of water and having lots of honey, honey is amazing just for the lubrication. Honey in tea is amazing so I will do a lot of that stuff.

Which female singers do you most identify with?

The singers that I really love are Lauren Hill, Beyoncé, and Laura Marling. Big voices but distinctive, there is something about them.

Do you ever suffer from writers block and how do you deal with it?

I have done, you just have to ride it out and make sure you’re in the right place to be writing. I believe that song writing is kind of a phenomenon and you just have to be there, trying to receive it, if you see what I mean. I find that if I am on my own for long enough and thinking about it for long enough, wanting it, then something will come. Sometimes that doesn’t happen but as long as you are keeping up your side of the bargain just by being there and wanting to do it then you can create something you are really happy with. There have been many times when I have struggled to think of something and that’s really frustrating but you always come out of it, sometimes it just takes ages. Sometimes you just have to wait or seek out a companion, a writing partner, that’s a great way of expanding your musical vocabulary or listening to music you haven’t listened to for a while or seeking out new music to inspire you or just going for a long walk even.

What’s next for you?

Just playing more shows I guess. I’m going on tour in October around the whole of the UK and I am going to Europe as well. Some festivals next year, I’m hopefully going to get to do Glastonbury, which I have always wanted to do and I’m going to be going to America to do my own tour, just a small one, and I am going to Australia in the early part of next year I’ve just found out. 

Published in Yorkshire Evening Post