I do what I do, I sing and I play. What I would love to do is play more festivals. I’m pretty new to London, I would like a large promoter... what else?! I hope that I’m playing music, it’s all I want to do with my life, and I don’t really want to do anything else. If I lost my voice I would write a book, I’m doing that at the moment.
-What do you think the highlight of your whole life has been so far?
I don’t think there are any highlights (laughs). I think I’ve been quite let down by life. When I was a child I believed that I would grow up and life would be this fantasy; I think life, the way it is at the moment in nearly every country I’ve been in has been quite a letdown. That may sound depressing but I expected a bit more. We all go through the motions, we work really hard to pay our rent, and it’s hard to have a life; life is a challenge, but it’s lucky I thrive off challenge. But I have loved every moment, no matter how hard it’s been, I’ve always loved every moment of it. I have a real passion for life, and I want to prove that the little person can win and make their dreams happen. I want to be a reminder of that for others. We have enormous suffering the world but we also have enormous beauty, I tap in to both of those realities of life; I like to empathise with the suffering in the world. I don’t like to forget suffering, because I feel empathic for those that are affected by it. If there is any way for me to help I would like to do it. To be a whole person you have to know the whole spectrum of emotion and what’s happening in the world; it’s extending your brotherly and sisterly love towards each and every human being. I don’t want to be in a bubble, I want that bubble to be burst and understand people and situations. I want to expand my awareness.
-If you could have a fantasy tea party with three people alive or dead in the world, who would you invite?
Only three!? That’s really difficult. Let me think... I don’t have idols any more, I had them once. What happened to the heroes? I don’t know where they are! One would be Ghandi, Leonard Cohen and Nick Cave. All men, isn’t that awful!
(Note: Belle texted in the next morning to add a few people to her list... breaking a few rules she added quite a few! Martin Luther King, Nina Simone, Julian Assange, Carl Jung, John Lydon, Rudoplh Steiner and the Funk Brothers.)
-If you could go back five years in a time machine to tell yourself one thing about the future, what would it be?
I’d say, get out of your publishing deal. Don’t sign that contract, it’s all lies! (laughs).
Nine Lives is out now, you can listen to her music at www.bellephoenix.com make sure you keep your eyes peeled for tour dates, which will hopefully be coming soon.
Female First Edward Lewis