Hannigan Refined
Head Administrator
Global user
Registered: 01-2007
Posts: 155
Karma: 2 (+3/-1)
|
|
Reply | Quote
|
|
 New Lisa interview
Lisa Hannigan: Creative partnership came to a natural end
Saturday, 13 Dec 2008 17:11
Despite having toured the world for six years as his backing singer, and provided "exquisitely ethereal" vocals and huge input to his albums O and 9, the end of Lisa Hannigan's working relationship with Damien Rice came to an abrupt end in 2007, as he announced the partnership had "run its creative course".
What might have been a kick in the teeth at the time has become a blessing in disguise for the 27-year-old, who has just returned from a 42-date US tour with Jason Mraz, touting songs from her debut solo effort Sea Sew.
With the album already platinum in her Irish homeland, Hannigan made a brief stop in the UK last week for a one-off show at St John's Church in London.
inthenews.co.uk's Lewis Bazley speaks to her about songwriting, opera and going solo.
You've been back from the US tour a week - how did touring with Jason Mraz go?
It was great, an amazing opportunity to play venues like Radio City Music Hall, and it was with a lovely bunch of people.
How did that come about, given your lack of an album?
He'd seen me sing years ago in San Diego and just kept an eye on me and asked me along when he heard I was going solo!
How were you received by his fans?
It was great actually! You don't expect people to be listening when you're the opener but people sat and seemed to be really into it, which was really cool.
Were there some nerves about playing solo having been in a band for so long?
Yeah, absolutely. There's always nerves when you're doing anything worth doing, but it's just a case a of getting up and doing it.
Had you always planned to be solo or has it just happened?
It's happened organically, I think. I'd always wanted to make a record but I just didn't know how to or have a plan! It all happened quite quickly once we'd started though, which was great.
Had you always been writing your own material, even when you were playing with Damien?
I had, but I was probably quite slow at it back then, I just had a notebook of ideas and chord structures. But I've thrown together with some new ones and made a record!
It might be a touchy subject, but was your leaving of Damien's band as abrupt as we've heard?
It was pretty abrupt but things had come to the end of their natural cycle so it wasn't particularly out of the blue, it wasn't like everything was perfect and then suddenly it wasn't! It was abrupt in the fashion in was done, but it wasn't the worst thing ever or anything like that.
Have you spoken to him since leaving his band?
No, I haven't.
Moving back to your own material - when did you decide you wanted to be a singer?
It's just something I always wanted. I always sang at home and showed off dancing around and putting on little plays. I don't remember not being into any of that stuff. But then when I met Damien, I started believing I could do it on a real-life stage!
Who inspired you as a singer?
I love Nina Simone and Joni Mitchell, as singers I think they're incredible, though I can't sing like them.
You've always mentioned Maria Callas…
Oh yeah, I went through a mad phase of that! (laughs)
Was there a day when you realised you weren't going to be an opera singer?
Eventually, but I did have notions for a while! I really love music and I just got interested in opera and thought that that could be an option, and it took a while to realise that it probably wasn't for me. It was sad at the time!
Have you come into your own as a singer over the last seven years of touring?
Absolutely, when I started I hadn't even used a microphone before! (laughs) Singing in front of people was very alien to me and I was very shy about it for a long time. But all those gigs and tours helped me find my own voice, settle into myself and get confident, without feeling the need to jump around on stage!
Where did the album title Sea Sew come from?
When I looked at the lyrics, I realised that there were lots of references to the sea and I was 'sewing' the lyrics, so was trying to think of a way of combining the two. But I like the words together.
Why were there so many references to the sea? Did you grow up on the coast?
My mother's from Baltimore in west Cork, so we spent summers and holidays there and spent a lot of time in rock pools and fishing. But it's extraordinary how it's influenced my lyrics so much.
Are you already planning a follow up?
I'm not planning one yet, but I'm always writing songs, so you never know how it'll end up.
Is that how you spend a lot of your time on tour?
Writing songs? Yeah, in some ways. Some days I might do a couple of songs, and then I might not write anything for months. But it'd be good to get a few more together, just for the gigs!
Lewis Bazley
Credit: www.inthenews.co.uk
|
|
12/13/2008, 7:51 am
|
Send Email to Hannigan Refined
Send PM to Hannigan Refined
Blog
|
