November – Laura Broad

Once we heard Laura Broad for the first time, this decision was possibly the easiest we’ve ever had to make. Laura has over 5000 subscribers on Youtube has collaborated with some top songwriters and covered a heck of a lot of mainstream tracks to absolute perfection. Read on for all you could ever need to know about Laura Broad, our Artist of the Month for November!

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Piewatch - Hi Laura, congratulations on becoming our Artist of The Month for November!

Thank you very much. I love the ethos here; it’s amazing to think of the opportunities slicethepie can give unsigned artists. I feel very privileged.

Piewatch - Your music encompasses many styles and genres? Which do you feel most comfortable with?

Well, I’m influenced by so many different genres and styles of music from classical, rock through to pop and soul, so it’s very hard to say I am comfortable with one specific genre. When writing I love getting lost in the creative moment and seeing how it turns out, whether it be a simple acoustic song, or a fully produced pop r’n’b number. Sometimes I write with a concept or feeling in mind, but in my experience the most interesting work comes from not trying too hard to fit a pre-existing mould. I don’t see anything wrong with being versatile, as long as you can truly connect with and convey the message in the song. Music is after all, about communication and staying true to yourself is an important part being successful.

Piewatch - Have you read into the Slicethepie concept, we noticed Baroli Music uploaded three tracks you collaborated on, would you be interested in financing?

I think I would need to research it more before I could confidently provide an answer to that.

Piewatch - Do you still play with a full band (as heard in “Crash”) or are you generally a “solo” artist?

I have always been a solo artist first and foremost, even with Crash, which although it has a ‘live feel’ to it, has always been a solo track. Saying that I have had stints in groups such power pop rock band called ‘Psycho Baby’, where we even got so far as performing on the John Peel Stage at Glastonbury in 2008. However, I have always felt more focused and that I can give more of myself in my solo work.

Piewatch - When did you first realise you had a talent for making music?

I have been singing ever since I can remember, but was very shy with it and used to lock myself away whenever anyone else was around, because I would get embarrassed. In my teen years I began to get a bit more confident singing in choirs and performing for friends and family. I remember at 15 my mum came home one day with a Spanish acoustic guitar, and I thought it was the most amazing gift – I swear I didn’t put it down for a month and that’s when I wrote my first song.

Piewatch - Who are your musical influences? Any unexpected ones?

Joni Mitchell, Sarah Brightman, Myles Kennedy (Alter Bridge), Celine Dion, Mariah Carey, Enya, Whitney Houston, Leona Lewis, Lea Salonga, Nerina Pallot, Amy Lee and Stevie Wonder & Vo Fletcher. Unexpected ones may be Tchaikovsky or Tangerine Dream (inspired from my favourite childhood movies).

Piewatch - What would you say is your biggest achievement to date?

Do I get brownie points for saying Artist of the Month on Piewatch? (Hehe). Being serious, I would have to say performing at Glastonbury 2008, or being a finalist in an online singing contest which meant I got to perform with Dave Stewart (Eurhythmics) at the Tower Of London Festival in 2007. It was quite funny at the Dave Stewart concert, because I really wanted to say hello to Bob Geldoff. He was sat on a chair at the side of the stage, but he looked so miserable I quickly withdrew. It was like he had an invisible force field of personal space that warned ‘do not enter’. That was disappointing, but everything else about it was incredible.

Piewatch - We notice you’re a big fan of YouTube, what’s your favourite track you have covered on YouTube and why?

This is a hard one for me, because each video catalogues a particular point in my life and embodies a mood or event, all of which are personal to me in some way. Saying that my current favourites are my latest cover of Leona Lewis’s ‘Happy’, which is the most relevant to be me currently, but I also like Pie Jesu because it shows a completely different side to my persona.

Piewatch - We noticed your wonderful YouTube video of ‘Pie Jesu’. Do you come from an operatic/classical background?

Thank you, I’m glad you liked it. I was classically trained from the ages of 11 to 16. I would stay after school and spend my school lunch times having singing lessons or having choir practices, so I was a bit of a music geek compared to the rest of my friends. Saying that, classical singing is a highly disciplined form and it required a lot of time and effort, in fact my teacher and I were certain that it was the direction for me to go in at the time and I often thought about going into Opera. However, I also loved listening to Eva Cassidy, Mariah Carey and Celine Dion and desperately wanted to be able to sing more freely like them, and thus began my break away from Classical to a more soulful pop sound. Looking back I am grateful for having classical tuition and I think it’s benefitted me immensely to have had that grounding. I’d definitely like to revisit classical singing one day.

Piewatch - Baroli Music song writing team up, who approached who? What was it like working together?

Baroli Music found me on MySpace about 18 months ago, saying that they had  watched a video of me singing ‘Hurt’ by Christina Aguilera on YouTube and thought they just had to get in contact. The rest they say is history, and we have enjoyed working together, with at least seven completed songs to date. Two of the tracks were recorded over in the Faroe Islands, where they are based (Belong To You and No me Without You), but the later tracks such as Crash and Frozen were all recorded in my bedroom via remote control over the internet! I’d load up Pro Tools and we could sit in session together, with them engineering the track on my computer screen- Oh the power of modern technology! However not so good when your little brother is using up all the bandwidth or you have a dodgy internet connection! He he. I have also been fortunate enough to have written with some other fantastic people, namely guitarist/musician Vo Fletcher (Fairport Convention) well as currently with DJ/Producer Matt Humphrey for my latest collaboration. It’s definitely all go, but I am just happy that I can be creative.

Piewatch - Sum your music up in 5 words?

Dynamic, diverse, expressive, melodic & transcendent.

Piewatch - What is the best gig you have played and why?

Still a tie between Glastonbury Festival and Dave Stewart at Tower Of London Festival.

Piewatch - What is your favourite song you have written and what is it describing?

It has to be the first song I ever wrote when I was 15 ‘Living Lullaby’. It’s dedicated to my mother and depicts the difficulties of letting go of childhood to step into adulthood. Vo Fletcher and I regularly perform it at our gigs and you can hear it on our MySpace page: www.myspace.com/laurabroadvofletcher

Piewatch - If you received the £15,000 tomorrow what would be the first thing you would buy?

I don’t think I would go crazy and spend it all frivolously. I’d probably put in savings, until I had figured out how best to allocate the funds to promote and create my music.

Piewatch - Who do you currently like in the charts?

My favourites are Leona Lewis, as I can really relate to her music. I’m also loving Snow Patrol’s latest stuff; I always stop what I am doing when their song, ‘Just Say Yes’ comes on the radio. I like my pop injection and have to admit that the Saturday’s latest album is rather good to sing and dance along to!

Piewatch - If you could have any super power what would it be?

I have had dreams about flying in the past and it always seems pretty cool. Yeah sign me up for flying superpowers. Other than that, to be able to instinctively know when people are genuine or not.

Piewatch - Elvis dead or alive?

I don’t think it matters; he is a legend in music history regardless.

Piewatch - Any irrational phobias?

Strangely I’ve not been able to sleep at night recently, for fear of ‘something’ coming into my room. Yes I am a wuss – I have been sleeping with the light on. I also hate the sound of metal scourers on metal pans- this was ever since I worked as a pot washer at a busy carvery when I was 16.*shudder*

Piewatch - McDonalds or Burger King?

Neither if I had a choice, as they both have about as much nutritional value as a tub of wheel bearing grease and leave you uncomfortably dissatisfied. However, McDonalds slightly redeem themselves in that they bought out salads, but in the unlikely event that they stock them, I find that they have always run out of dressing, or the salad has gone slimy. So yeah, I’m going to just go off on a tangent and say Subway. Eat Fresh.

Piewatch - What do you have planned for the near future?

I’ve got loads of gigs coming up over Christmas and they are listed over at www.myspace.com/laurabroad So people can check to see if they can come along. It’s always great to have support at public performances. The plan is to keep writing, keep active on the internet and with my performances. Who knows what 2010 hold’s in store, but I have a good feeling about it, so watch this space.

Piewatch - Thanks Laura & again congratulations! Any last thoughts for your fans?

I would just like to say thank you for all your support you have shown me over these past couple of years. It’s been a journey fraught with incredible highs and extreme lows, but I’m so glad you are on the ride with me- without you I don’t think I could dusted myself off as many times as I have done. I just hope it’s not too long before I am living the dream: selling records and seeing you at my shows around the world.
Peace
Lau x

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