Kelsey Michael

Kelsey Michael and the Cornish landscape

Singer songwriter Kelsey Michael brings song written in response to the Cornish landscape to The Pig on Friday 26 July supporting local artist Finnerty. She speaks to organiser and performer Jude Montague about her music.

The sea is a place of transformation. Stepping into it and feeling suspended in the water changes the way I feel completely. Songs come easily from that experience, and from watching water. So the ocean is an endless, bottomless source of inspiration. Also I’m fascinated by how the sea appears each day in parallel to us as a community, going about our daily business.

Laura Nyro has been a very important influence now that I am a performer who sings and plays. I used to write the songs, and then kind of forget how to play them as I had a brilliant pianist on hand. Doing it myself led me to listen hard to women writers who structure and create on the piano. I didn’t set out to focus on women artists. It just happened that way.

The acoustic piano is such an amazing instrument, I absolutely love it. There is a pretty impressive list of women songwriters who compose on piano: Aretha Franklin, Rickie Lee Jones, Joni Mitchell, Carole King, Roberta Flack, Kate Bush… A lot of this music comes from gospel roots and that influence is very much there in my music. It’s a sound which can bring a lot of joy and rhythm. But I also like to  experiment, and that side of things has been influenced by people like Carla Bley and Robert Wyatt.

I dived into Latin music and  explored it intensively for a while when I realised how rich Brazilian pop culture and its origins were. I wasn’t seeking to replicate or copy, but I think sometimes aspects naturally infuse my writing. Singer Elis Regina stands out for me with her sweet clear sound and incredible dexterity.

I regularly go between Cornwall and London, both places offer different things. I have a wonderful musical community in London as well as down here in Cornwall. What it comes down to for me is that I am a person who needs a lot of space. Physical space. I thrive on being able to go out and look at the big ocean from the west coast cliffs. The horizon and enormous skies give me perspective, and that is essential, as is the ability to immerse in the landscape, and remember that nature is the dominant force.  

Actually, there are a lot of really amazing songwriters here in Cornwall – such strong writing it’s incredible; Hannah Bullock and Lucy Birbeck come to mind. Also Minko – check out the beautiful Kan an Tewyn. Folk artists Angeline Morrison, creator of The Sorrow Songs – folk songs of black British experience – and Daisy Rickman are now nationally and internationally celebrated. Both have created a truly unique body of work, which, I’m happy to say, keeps growing. It’s an exciting time! 

I think that playing live, having that in the moment interaction and connection with an audience is what it’s all about for me. Playing with other musicians in a group brings community around the music. The players add to and change the songs, and the sound. I love those unexpected twists which release a song and help it take off somewhere. I also really enjoy playing solo though, as I can take the set wherever I want.

Capturing a song in a recorded form where it can be listened to again and again is completely different. On this album – Lethowsow – I’ve brought in new sounds alongside recordings of my band playing live – the harp on a couple of songs, and other singers. For a long time I’ve wanted to experiment with vocal harmony, so I really took my time over this to see what fitted best with the compositions and find the right vocal texture. Having Angeline Morrison, Maria Heseltine and May my daughter sing on the record has been so amazing. 

The digital album will be available from the 12 July to purchase on Dimple Discs bandcamp and listen to on streaming platforms – Spotify etc. It will come out as a CD and on vinyl on the 13 September.

Kelsey Michael will play Backroom Sessions at The Pig on Friday 26 July as a Dimple Discs special with Montague Armstrong and Finnerty.

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