Journal

The songs for Cusp came together gradually, during a period of loss, change and searching. I found myself in a landscape of endings with no sign yet of beginnings. It was a strange territory of grief, longing, love and a little hope. After losing loved ones and futures I had imagined, the world took on a heightened quality. Time itself seemed to slow down and there was sense of fragility but also an unexpected luminosity. The natural world in particular was transformed into a surreal, magical and almost unbearably beautiful place. Everything and everyone around me seemed fleeting, precious and rich with meaning.

It’s been seven years since I released my first record, Kill That Song. It’s been a long and challenging process to finally release my second. The Loveliness has been a little bud for a very long time and now its time to blossom has come!

I’m in ‘lockdown’ at home in Cornwall. I feel very lucky to be living by the sea at this moment in time, when so much is in flux. Here, I’m aware of the steady cycles of the seasons, grateful for the daily gifts nature brings. Yesterday I held a globe of white blossom in my hand and marveled at its beauty, abundance and perfection. Today I found a secret gathering of snails on a lichened rock.

When I met Alex Wong on Skype, thanks to my friend and vocal coach Wendy Parr, I knew straight away we would get along. His sensitivity, intelligence, intensity of focus, soulfulness and sprinkling of mischief, coupled with his incredible range of musical talents were everything I could have wished for and more in a producer and now friend.

I really enjoyed painting the cover of my first record so I thought I’d paint this one too. It’s a way of processing the journey of making the music, of bringing the whole experience together in a final creative gesture.

I was very excited to be the featured artist on The Morning Dew on Ridge Radio. Jason Ross and Andy McCormick played several tracks from Kill That Song over the course of this summer. Guys, thank you so much for your support.