EMILY FAIRLIGHT: Speaking From The Inside
An interview by Sarah Kidd.
Introspective alternative folk is how Wellington singer-songwriter Emily Fairlight describes her music; to many others it is music that speaks from the shadows, sometimes melancholy but always emotive, her songs compositions that resonate with a part of your spirit deep down inside.
Her self-titled debut album caught the attention of many, the poetic lyrics of her songs coming from a place of personal honesty, her voice moving from murmurs on the autumn wind to sonorous and musical. With her sophomore album Mother Of Gloom, Emily Fairlight has created something different altogether; yes those familiar nuances to her gorgeously lush voice are still there, but now they are supported by a sumptuous backing of instruments. Produced by Doug Walseth and recorded at The Cat’s Eye Studio in Austin, Texas the album is something quite other-worldly, each track lingering with you long after you have heard it.
Now back in New Zealand, Emily Fairlight has been performing shows around the country with this coming weekend finally being Aucklands chance to not only hear these exquisite new tracks live but to watch Fairlight perform in one of K’rds hottest new music venues, The Anthology Lounge.
I recently caught up with Emily to discuss the new album, being compared to artists like PJ Harvey and that Martha Wainright track that inspired it all…
Your vocals have often been likened to those of PJ Harvey (among other artists); can these sorts of statements sometimes be a double-edged sword? Both a compliment and yet pressure to live up to certain expectations?
“I don’t mind those comparisons! Well if they’re of a singer I admire anyway… I just open my mouth and my voice comes out so it’s never something I try to sound like / put pressure on myself about.”
When did you first discover your love for singing?
“I reckon I would have been about 5, my uncle played in a band and I would go along to their practices and sing along.”
When you first started writing, what were the topics that were always in the foreground of your mind?
“Haha I guess I thought about doomsday stuff a bit (out of boredom I guess) and just life/love/situational shit… heavily drenched in metaphors.”
Your latest album Mother of Gloom has been heralded as a triumph. When in your mind did the album first start coming together, and once it did was it a push to get the work out or did it grow organically?
“I had been trying to get in the headspace to go and record for a while (not an easy thing for me), and once I was invited to go and record in Austin, the songs just started flowing out.
There was maybe 3 months, between invite and actual recording, when most of the songs were written. The initial list/songs I sent the engineer was almost completely different by the time I went to record. So, I guess it was organic, and little chaotic!”
The title of the album is from a Martha Wainright lyric – the song ‘Bloody Mother Fucking Asshole’ I believe (great track!) – what is it about this song that spoke to you personally?
“Yeah I love that song! And the image of sadness as a form, a mother (of gloom) ‘with her hand in your head’ resonated with me, as I’d been in a dark place for a while… and I enjoyed that image as a blanket for the songs”
You recorded the album at The Cat’s Eye Studio in Austin, Texas. Why did you choose to record it there?
“I met Doug (the engineer) playing a show in Austin a few months before… then he heard a new song I put up on FB and invited me over, so I said yes! Simple as that haha. I love Austin and Doug knew some pretty cool session musicians.”
In your eyes, what did Doug Walseth bring to the table and in turn to the album itself?
“We shared a really strong vision while I was over there, as far as song direction and instrumentation goes, so I felt I could trust his suggestions and always felt like he heard mine.
And he organised a bit of a schedule for the limited time we had. He also helped me accept some of my performance flaws, and those bits I love hearing in the album now, little vocal breaks etc.”
You also worked with some wonderful musicians on the album, how did those relationships come about?
“They were friends of Doug’s, he just called it all in. They were all really kind about the songs, couldn’t have been luckier really!”
In regards to the album itself, there are certainly many stand out tracks on it (personal favourites: ‘Private Apocalypse’, ‘The Bed’ and the gorgeous instrumental bridge track ‘The Desert’) however, if you could only select one to offer to people as a representation of you and the album, what song would you choose and why?
“I would say my favourite would be ‘Loneliest Race’, I love to perform that song and it has many faces. It’s also quite a visual song for me! I am currently trying to construct a stop motion video for it… but I’ve never done that before so could be a while haha.
And ‘Breathe Baby Breathe’, because it saw me out of a nasty anxiety attack on the last day of recording. I wrote it just after the attack and we recorded it straight away, so it’s fresh as they come!”
Obviously performing in a studio is completely different to playing live; what does the live experience bring for you?
“Live, the songs take on a life of their own, there’s more bounce back with an audience so I guess I vibe off that a bit. And the band is different to the album, so the songs are always changing and growing.
I also have a North Island band and a South Island band, and they all do things slightly different, so it keeps it interesting for me.”
This Saturday, you will be performing at The Anthology Lounge in Auckland which in many ways is a rather perfect setting for your sound – so what can attendees expect?
“Yeah we are excited to play the new venue! It will be mostly Mother Of Gloom songs with a few new ones, to keep it exciting!”
Moving forward, do you already have future plans in the making for another album? Or are you going to allow yourself time to digest ‘Mother of Gloom’ first?
“Yep, I have the songs there to record another album or two. Thinking maybe April next year in Lyttelton with Ben Edwards and then in Dunedin with Michael McLeod.”
Emily Fairlight will be playing Auckland’s Anthology Lounge this Saturday (August 18th) night. Tickets to the show are available from Under The Radar but get in quick as the show is selling fast! Emily will also be performing a free Acoustic set at 5.30pm this Friday (August 17th) at Marbecks so head on down if you can’t make the Saturday show!
![Mother of Gloom [Digital/Vinyl]](https://i0.wp.com/www.ambientlightblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/BandcampEmilyFairlight.jpg?resize=300%2C157&ssl=1)
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