Woman’s Hour’s released their debut album, Conversations, earlier this year to critical acclaim. Now on tour, Fiona pauses to chat to Impact.
You’ve had a pretty hectic year, your new album is out, you played festivals for the first time this summer- what was your favourite festival?
We performed at loads of different festivals this summer- it was great. We played big ones like Latitude and Green Man Festival; I’ve been to a lot of those festivals as a punter so it’s quite nice to actually play there.
Then we also went to festivals like ‘The Best Kept Secret’ in Rotterdam, and it was just the coolest festival. There was sand everywhere so you felt like you were on a beach and it was nice and quite intimate but they also had some amazing bands playing. It had a really good backstage area with lots of free cocktails so that helped a lot too.
Bestival was one of my favourites too actually. It was the last one we played and I love Bestival anyway, but it was phenomenal this time. I was a bit apprehensive because it was the first day so I wasn’t sure how many people would be there. But it was such a good atmosphere and everyone was so up for it.
On the European tour that you are doing at the moment is there anywhere you are particularly looking forward to playing?
We have never played in Germany, so that’s going to be really cool. We’re going to be playing Berlin and Hamburg, I’m particularly looking forward to Berlin because I love that city so that’s going to be really cool.
I’m really looking forward to returning to Scandinavia as well- we played there earlier this year supporting Metronomy and absolutely fell in love, it was just so cool.
I have loved playing the UK gigs so far so I’m looking forward to finishing that off too. It’s nice to return to the cities we have been to but playing in different venues; like we played Bodega last time we were in Nottingham earlier this year, it was a great gig and this time we get to experience Stealth. I also love being able to play in cities we’ve never been to before like Glasgow, straight after our Nottingham gig.
If you like intimate venues you’ll love Stealth, you’ll be really near the crowd.
Oh really? Good! I don’t really Nottingham very well; does it have a good music scene?
One of the best! Was there much of a music scene growing up in Cumbria?
Not really, no. I wouldn’t say so. Growing up it was quite mainstream, everyone watches the same TV shows and listens to the same radio stations so it’s not very diverse. There is probably one music venue but no one interesting ever plays, so you really have to travel to big cities to see music.
Moving from Cumbria to London must have been a huge change then?
I think in a sense I’m lucky because I get the best of both worlds: I get to come back to the lakes and remove myself from the madness of living in the capital city; but I love being in London, it just has so much to offer. As a band it has really helped us to be seen, and connecting and collaborating with other people has been easier just because there are a lot more people there all in one place.
I feel so lucky to have been brought up in a place like the Lake District. I look at kids growing up in the city and think, “Wow this is such a different lifestyle!” But it was nice for me to come up later in life and really appreciate the city for all it can offer. I think if I hadn’t been raised somewhere else I would have taken it for granted and just assumed everything would always have to be on my doorstep. Whereas there is a beauty in being here now and feeling really spoilt!
What’s it like being in a band with your brother, is it weird?
It’s not really weird for me, in the sense of making music together, because I have never known anything different. I’m sure it’s probably kind of weird for him because he‘s been in a lot of different bands before and now he has to be in one with his sister. But I’ve never played with anyone else and it’s only because of him that I’m doing what I’m doing. So I have him to thank really. Also, in terms of being in a band and understanding the music industry, Will has a much better idea- I’m quite naïve and clueless to be honest. I’ve always had him to explain it all and ask for his experience, and I trust him. I can fall back on him when I need to, so I can’t really imagine doing it without him.
It’s always weird spending so much time with your sibling and working with your sibling though. Having to negotiate a professional relationship and one that’s very intimate as well is so different.
In another interview, Will said that he had never heard you sing before you started making demos together.
I didn’t really sing around the house or anything, he maybe heard me sing alongside other people but certainly not alone. I just never really had the confidence and I didn’t think I was very good.
Also for me growing up, because my brothers are so much older than me, they were people I felt vulnerable in front of. I was very nervous about being embarrassed so I never really wanted to put myself out there. When we stopped seeing each other as competitors or bullies, we became good friends. It’s only now we’re older that I thought; “Okay, I can trust him, I can sing in front of him and he won’t take the piss”. I think the fear of singing and maybe even of their teasing was mainly all in my head anyway to be honest.
Harriet Keep
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