Paloma Faith is back and turning her eye on the world around her. The new mum spoke about taking time off to have her first child and why her latest album is about fighting for a better future.
It’s been more than three years between the highly acclaimed albums A Perfect Contradiction and The Architect. Paloma wondered if anybody would still be interested when she returned.
“I was worried. When you take a bit of time off, which I’ve never done before, you get worried about whether anyone’s going to be listening when you come back but I’m really pleased with The Architect. I think it’s good,” she giggles.
Fans clearly agree. One of only two British female artists this decade to have their last three albums go double platinum in the UK, the record’s on course to become her fourth in a row - which would make her the first British woman in chart history to do so.
“I think my label will probably make damn sure I am,” she laughs.
“All I’m worried about is being able to sustain a career so it’s wonderful, but if no-one comes to a gig or buys your next record then you’re messed up anyway so it doesn’t really mean anything. All I really care about is I’ll be able to do this for a good while longer.”
Paloma hoped The Architect would her best album yet. It feels very important socially to her, exploring personal and political themes.
“I thought it was time I looked outside of myself, my own mind and body and started looking at what was going on in the rest of the world. I was adamant I wouldn’t write about love.
“I’m coming at politics from the perspective of the common man or woman, observing why people are suffering. Each song on the record is about a different pocket of the sociopolitical world that I’ve been delving into.
“I wanted to write something more modern. On previous albums I’ve been more concerned with the past, but now I’m looking forward because of motherhood and wanting to change things for a better future. It’s a marriage of old and new.”
Topics like motherhood, social anxiety, wealth inequality, technology’s impact on feelings of alienation, the future of the Western world, Donald Trump, Brexit and the refugee crisis are all wrapped up in the classic pop Paloma’s known for.
The title track features - if you can imagine it – the singer as Mother Nature, singing to humanity. Guilty reflects on the Brexit vote from the perspective of a Leave voter who regrets their choice.
Lead single Crybaby ponders whether war would cease to exist if men successfully dealt with their emotions. Lost and Lonely is sung from the viewpoint of a skeleton while Warrior, written by Sia, is about the refugee crisis,
The number one album, which earned her a BRIT nomination for Best British Female, is her first since giving birth to her first child. “It’s amazing now [motherhood]. It took me a while to think that because it’s difficult, it’s a bit of shock to the system,” she laughs. “But it’s the best thing that’s ever happened to me. I think it’s made me a better singer. I think it’s made me a better person in general.”
Being a mum played a part in the record’s socio-observational slant. The way times are changing - not necessarily for the better politically and socially - had just become too difficult to ignore.
“It feels like almost a duty to do something about that as a musician. People don’t really look at music history, but when I do throughout history people have commented in music about what’s happening in their world and I think it’s timely to do that now,” says the singer, who will have baby in tow during parts of the tour.
“It’s important for everyone, you can’t just separate two halves.”
Hearing good things about how Newmarket Nights crowds don’t need much warming up, she’s looking forward to her racecourse debut; although she won’t be enjoying a flutter first.
She wouldn’t necessarily say music has always been her first love, but she’s always been a performer.
“I don’t know. I guess everything I’ve done has always been about being observed, looked at or whatever,” adds Paloma, who wasn’t one of those kids who liked being the centre of attention.
“Later in life, yes. I thrive on being on stage. I prefer performing to anything, I only work on writing songs so I can get out and perform them. It [writing] happens in all different moments of time... I write it in a notebook or in notes in my phone. I’m focused on promoting this album and tour [now]. “The head you have to have to promote is different to the one you need to be creative and personally I can’t do both at the same time.”
So we can’t expect to see the singer, who’s appeared in films such as St Trinians and The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus, back acting any time soon.
“I don’t know, I’m not very good at it. Either that or my agent’s s***,” she deadpans, adding when I assure her she’s great: “It’s my agent’s fault then.”
See Paloma Faith at Newmarket Nights June 22. Other acts include Demi Lovato on June 9, James Blunt June 29, Craig David July 20, Plan B July 27, The Magic of Motown August 3, Nile Rodgers and Chic August 10, George Ezra August 17 and The Vamps August 25.
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