Talking Shop: Lucie Silvas

 

Source: bbc.co.uk

 

With her rich, soaring vocals and lush, piano-based compositions, Lucie Silvas has emerged as one of this country's most striking young singer-songwriters.

 

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Silvas has been playing piano since the age of five

 

Breathe In, her 2004 debut album, sold 400,000 copies and produced four hit singles, including the Top 10 track What You're Made Of.

 

Now the 29-year-old is back with a follow-up release, The Same Side, which she describes as "more relaxed, more laidback and more vocally mellow".

 

Here she tells the BBC News website about her new sound, meeting Elton John and how she bounced back from being dropped by her original record label.

 

You were originally signed to Chrysalis Records but got dropped before your debut album was released. That must have been a real baptism of fire...

 

A little bit. Quite honestly it gave me a bit of a pin prick. I thought, how am I going to get back from this one? At first I didn't think I would get another chance. But I quickly bounced back in my head.

 

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Her first album Breathe In spawned two UK Top 10 singles

 

You did so by writing songs for other artists, among them Liberty X and Rachel Stevens. Did you ever consider making that your new career?

 

Not really. It was actually quite heartbreaking. I didn't want to be writing for other people, I wanted to write for myself. I don't want to sound like I'm not appreciative - it's hard to have a hit in the charts and get a song on anyone's album. To get any form of success was a huge thing, but it wasn't enough for me.

 

Fortunately you did get another chance when Mercury signed you in 2003. Looking back, did that difficult experience with Chrysalis have an impact on your debut album?

 

I don't think I was under pressure from outside, I think I put myself under pressure. I was admittedly nervous and thought I needed to take advice on what market I was appealing to. So I did make what I consider to be a very safe-sounding album - I felt like I wasn't really performing in a way I felt comfortable with. I'm still very proud of Breathe In, but I feel I'm now moving towards being myself a bit more.

 

So how would you describe your sound on The Same Side?

 

I feel I've calmed down. I don't want to be in competition with anyone, I want to sing like me and have an identity that people can recognise. Songs like [first single] Last Year are a lot mellower; they have a more laidback approach. Breathe In was so structured - hopefully this is a bit more interesting.

 

More mature perhaps?

 

I think the way I've approached it is a lot more mature. I was quite guarded the first time round, I didn't want people to know anything about me or have to explain anything. I was a bit nervous about being caught out. But you learn to relax; the music is very simple and real, with nothing pretentious about it. With this one we felt less is more - we didn't want to have loads of production, but let the songs themselves come across.

 

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In 2004 she and Daniel Bedingfield performed for Sir Elton John

 

The first album certainly had a more anthemic sound. Do you think the people who bought it will like this one?

 

There will be people who may not like this album. But if they like what I do and want to hear what I do next they've got to let go of their expectations. Maybe they'll come along, maybe they won't, but I definitely know I've done the right thing.

 

You got the chance to perform Your Song for Sir Elton John at his 2004 Ivor Novello tribute. How did you find meeting one of your idols?

 

I don't think I said a single sentence to him! I was so nervous - I was playing one of the greatest songs of all time and Elton was only a couple of feet away from me! I felt more pressure that night than I ever have in my career. But I was privileged to perform in front of him - I hold people like that in such high regard.

 

Lucie Silvas talked to BBC News entertainment reporter Neil Smith.

 

The Same Side is released in the UK on 13 November.

ooh, i read this earlier today ... can't remember how i came across it though!

 

thanks for posting!

I like how she admitted the debut album was safe. Me and Jase always used to say it didn't feel like the album she wanted to make, udging by things she had said in the past!

Thanks

I just realised it's the one Nat posted in the reviews topic :lol: good read though!

 

 

Very Nice Read. Thank you.