Alva LeighFresh from Nashville, Alva Leigh is ready to take on the world with her amazing new single 'Modern Love Song'.
Releasing in the UK next week, we got the chance to put some questions to Alva about her inspirations, beginnings of her career in the industry and just what she hopes to get out of the future.
How best would you describe yourself as an artist?
A moody folk-pop singer-songwriter. I love a powerful vocal, a classic melody, a good groove and introspective, emotive lyrics. I mostly play piano, so that is usually where the songs begin. I am from Mississippi & Tennessee so I grew up around country, jazz & the blues in my bones but I also listened to a lot of top 40 radio in the late 90s & early 00s.
What is it about music that you love?
I think music teaches you how to feel things. It seems to punctuate all of my memories and carry me through every high & low. I love how music can be so fiercely personal yet so awe-inspiringly universal. It ties you to people yet it opens you up to yourself. I love trying to make music that wades into life and looks for the thread that ties us all together.
What are some of your earliest music-related memories?
They are based around my father - tinkling on the piano with him, driving down the beach & listening to music in his car with the windows down. Those are very dear memories - he passed away suddenly when I was 10. He was very musical - so I feel close to him when I tap into that part of myself.
Your single 'Modern Love Song' is released March 31 - what creative process went into making this track?
I initially wrote the song on guitar but I knew I didn’t want it to be a guitar song. I always imagined the arrangement to be built around an organic, live loop & the vocal. My producer (John Mark Painter) and I were having lunch one day, and while he was going through his mail, he hit the side of a mailing tube and said, “Ooh! We should use this!” One of the many things I love about John’s production is his ability to create interesting, surprising textures to build dynamics but to also carve out space for the vocal & lyric to really shine.
Who, where or what do you draw influence and inspiration from as an artist?
My songs are usually a pastiche of the fiction or poetry I’m processing, the TV show I’m into, the conversation I had over dinner and the eavesdropping I did on the tube. Some of my favourite authors are Margaret Atwood, Marilynne Robinson, Eudora Welty. I enjoyed the new season House of Cards and the new Wes Anderson film. I really like have days of “directed leisure” - doing things that generally inspire me to be more creative - see exhibits, wander into a new part of town. Writing is like a way of seeing, and you have to train yourself to be attentive. Musically, I listen to a variety of genres & styles from ABBA to Steve Reich.
Why did you decide to base yourself in North London?
I didn’t seek out North London specifically, but it has ended up to be a wonderful base for me. There is still so much of Camden for me to discover. I’ve only been there a year and a half, but I love being close to the market and the park. I’m still looking for a new local since the Crown & Goose closed (RIP). I also admire that Camden is making a real effort to support local creatives, artisans & entrepreneurs. As a self-releasing, self-managing musician, it is inspiring to see organisations like the Camden Collective & the Roundhouse educate & empower young people to pursue their passion.
Your new album 'Modern Love Songs' is due to be released later this year, what should we expect from that?
I took great care in crafting these songs. I wanted to write soaring, classic melodies with lyrics that make people feel something. And I think I did that. The stories run from missing home, to fighting for a failed relationship, to standing in your own way. Each song is a little piece of myself or someone I know but hopefully it has that thread that other people can hold onto - something that people can relate to. The record is full of classic folk-pop songs with some occasional unexpected elements like organic beats, Middle Eastern strings, vintage marching band drums. It’s like Rufus Wainwright meets an optimistic Fiona Apple.
Where do you hope to find yourself this time next year?
On tour! Playing these songs for people in rooms big & small.
What projects are currently in the pipeline that you can share some details about?
I’ve really enjoyed writing with folk singer-songwriter Al Lewis for his new album that’s coming later this year. We’ll be playing those songs and I’ll open for him at the St. Pancras Old Church on the 1st of May.
Alva Leigh 'Modern Love Song'Alva Leigh's 'Modern Love Song' is released March 31.