is a dreamy, sensitive soul judged by her collection of country-tinged pop songs. The American singer-songwriter was born in Hawaii moved to NYC, then to London to start her career in music. She is signed to Honest Jon’s and currently she lives in Venice, California.
I guess it was the «Amnesiac» tour. I was invited by a friend who had free tickets. I was like «Madison Square Garden? I would never go there. This giant stadium...». I like Radiohead but I’m not an insane fan. But I went with her – and was completly blown away. The entire concert is burned in my memory. I was so in the moment that now when I hear any of the songs they performed I can actually see the light show and what was going on on stage. It was so breathtaking.
a song guaranteed to make you feel depressed
Cat Stevens - Trouble
It’s in the movie «Harold and Maude» and always brings me to tears.
a record you fell in love to
Massive Attack - Teardrop
I had a summer of love in 1998 when «Teardrop» came out. That was the song you made love to.
first record you remember
Joni Mitchell - Blue
My parents were in a cult and we were only allowed to listen to classical music. I found this record in a private stack and I had to wear headphones when I listened to it. Because I was a child I didn’t have to obey the rules but I couldn’t play it on the stereo.
a song that evokes the greatest summer of your life
Bonnie «Prince» Billy - Master And Everyone
Blonde Redhead - Misery Is A Butterfly
I had an amazing summer in 2004. I was living in New York, bought an old car and travelled up and down the coast in California, Oregon and Washington. It was my first tour on my own and I listened to «Master And Everyone». I listened to it literally for weeks. When I finally got tired of it, I switched to «Misery Is A Butterfly».
your ultimate heartbreak song
The Cure - Disintegration
I guess my ultimate heartbreak was my first heartbreak and I listened to the album «Disintegration» by The Cure. I wouldn’t touch that record ever again! Too much memories – even though it was years and years ago it still makes me feel kind of sick.
your liberation anthem
Nina Simone - Feeling Good
At concerts I do an acapella version of Nina Simone’s «Feeling Good». That really feels like a liberation anthem to me.
your party anthem
Amy Winehouse - You Know I'm No Good
I dance to everything! I even dance to poetry readings. One I always dance to and go crazy to is «I’m No Good».
a song that reminds your friends of you
Simone White - The Beep Beep Song
What’s weird: I wrote that in America and our police sirens are different from the ones in Europe. Some friends told me that the sirens in France are the exact two notes like the guitar at the beginning of the song. So they started singing my song everytime they heard a siren.
a song you would use as a ring-tone
The Cure - Pornography
I only have a cell at home which I never use, it’s always off. I get songs in my head because of other people’s cells and I hate that! It’s an intrution. Whenever I have a song stuck in my head I sing «Pornography» to delete the other song. It’s my cleanup song so maybe I would choose that.
your sunday morning song
Paul McCartney - Ram On
It’s got an ukulele in it, it’s very happy. It makes me wanna sing and dance.
a song you wish you'd written yourself
Simone White - Worm Was Wood
Again it’s a song that I cover: «Worm Was Wood». It’s on my last album, written by my friends Frank Bango and Richy Vesecky. They are a songwriter-team and do these really well crafted kind of pop songs. It’s such a perfect song, the beauty of the metaphors and the emotions in it make me so envious.
Lucky Luke
a song guaranteed to make you feel depressed 10cc - I'm Not In Love
are finally back. After their very promising debut they took some time to come back with an album that finally shows the full potential of what Johnny Jewel & co is capable of. Where «In The City» left off ...