Imogen Heap is a Grammy award-winning singer, composer and songwriter from Romford, Havering. Born in 1977, she's known for her work as part of the musical duo Frou Frou and her solo albums, which she writes, produces, and mixes.
She has produced three solo albums, the latest of which is Ellipse, something that was a chart success and earned Imogen two Grammy nominations, winning Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical.
Known to play many different instruments, she started her love affair with music at a very early age and has taught herself to play things like the guitar and drums. She's also taught herself sequencing, music engineering, sampling and production (on Atari computers). We caught up with the hugely talented Imogen to spend five minutes chatting about her musical life...
So music has always been with you, you started very young.. tell us more...
It began with the loudest noise I could make in the house. The piano! Progressed to making music in a school cupboard with an Atari computer at age 12, to learning about studio recording at the BRIT school 15-17 to record in professional studios at 18 after singing my gear and now a dream home studio in the basement of my house.
First record deal at 18, how did that feel?
All a bit odd! This wasn't part of my plan (classical contemporary composer equipped with private 747 and orchestra, penning and conducting original works, premiering them around the world!). I wrote songs for fun, my manager (who's still my manager) put me in a studio with Nik Kershaw (who he'd worked with) after hearing some school projects (I wrote/recorded/ played/ produced songs for end of school year CD). I got a record deal off the back of those songs. Thought I'd give it a go for a year and see how it went. I haven't stopped since but still love the idea of going to University.
What are your influences?
Friends in the biz, my creative community (fans included!), daily life, The Proms at the Royal Albert Hall as a kid, the New Scientist, falling in or out of love, attending and performing at the TED conference in 2004 (and since), anything and everything.
Tell us about your new single song
Well this year there'll potentially be a minimum of four new songs toward my fourth solo album. It's a discovery! Each song written and recorded over a two week period and then released immediately, every three months. A way for me to integrate life, love and music better and not be chained to the studio for a year when making an album all in one go, only to be whisked away to go on tour for another year. I never see my friends and family or do any other projects I want to do... so... that's the background... Each song has it's own eco-system. Often getting my fans in on the action. Whether it be the sound of their dishwasher door, a cello solo or a photo they've taken.
My last song is called Propeller Seeds. It's a 3D audio or 'immersive' song. The 'immersive' angle is Nick Ryan who bought the song literally to life with the sounds of roots growing from my toes to leaves on my fingertips. I wanted to write a song about the moment I met the love of my life. I told Nick I wanted myself (and therefore the listener) to become a tree! Sounds all rather hippy but I assure you it's not. The listener (please wear headphones for full glorious effect) goes through a marquee, on a rickshaw, into a church with a choir, passes a disco (playing the song). You have to hear it to believe it. We are both really proud of the song. The idea, for me, was to get as close to the moment I felt it, not only with lyrics and music but with sound. For the listener to be as close to this as possible. It's almost like a film in a song.
Looking at your career you've very much stood on your own two feet, would you agree?
I would! BUT... I have not done this entirely alone. There is a great team of people who work with me. My manager, Mark, for instance, has been working with me for 15 years now! As the music industry leaps from here to there, I had a constant. Very important to me!
Why do you think you've always been independent?
It always boils down to wanting as much creative freedom as possible. I also just love my 'job' and enjoy so many parts of it from engineering to producing, to designing a way to be more fluid on stage - Google my musical gloves!
Where do you feel the music industry is going? Do you think the digital revolution is having an effect on music?
A wonderful effect! Creatively the world is blossoming! Such an exciting time to be making music. Never have there been so many possibilities. As for the 'music industry', unrecognisable almost from where it was even just 10 years ago. It's time for a change. Most of the music industry as we know its demise, lies at its inflexible core. We are just at the beginning. New music will find a way to live on. Which means finding a way for the musicians who make it to live.
You're a child of the late '70s like me and it looks as though you embrace new technology just as much... What do you think of our generation? Would you say what's happened in terms of the internet and social media has played a part in your success?
Without a shadow of doubt it's helped as the old traditional methods have almost broken down entirely. I do believe in a different landscape I would have found ways though. Musicians need to be industrious! Success is often found in the unplanned, unforeseen, creating a ripple. Signed at 18, first gig 150,000 people at Hyde Park for Princess Trust show. Jason Derulo sampling hide and seek after a wave of parodies of a Saturday night live skit called 'dear sister' that parodied a scene in the the OC that had my music in. Wearing a rather unusual dress at the Grammy's. The internet, multiplies this kind of happening to each of us. Though there is a lot of 'noise' to cut through. The sharing of knowledge and information is incredible. I find it difficult to imagine life without the likes of Google and Wikipedia.
And here's some questions from our Creative Boom community....
What's your advice to others wanting to break into the music industry?
Take a deep breath! If your heart's in music, then you have no option. If this is what you want to do. Find your idiosyncrasies and magnify them musically, creatively. We don't need another of the same.
Which artists do you personally enjoy listening to?
Jon Hopkins, Baths, Avril (fred Avril), Gonzales. but to be honest... I can count the number of times I've listened to music this year for any length of time on my fingers. I just want peace and quiet mostly when I'm not working!
Where do you like to go on holiday?
Just got back from a boat trip down the Canal du Midi with my man. Was wonderful! We skipped the boat ourselves, cooked in our little kitchen, moored on the river bank tying the boat to trees. I recommend it!
What are you currently working on?
The musical gloves (more soon on that!) the next Heapsong (working titles for each song toward new album) in September, possible 6 week residency in China October and November, a film score (taking me to Bhutan) in November, plus tour of India and then it's Christmas already...
Is there any instrument you can't play but you'd like to?
I want to play the trumpet like Arve Henriksen.
