Laura Mvula: I worry whether fans will like my new synth sound

New sounds: Laura Mvula is worried that fans won't like her new direction
John Phillips/Getty Images
Alistair Foster17 August 2015
The Weekender

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Laura Mvula says she has become “obsessed with synthesisers” on her second album — and worries her new sound could alienate fans.

The singer, 29, is working on her follow-up to Sing To The Moon at New York’s Electric Lady Studios, established by Jimi Hendrix in 1970.

Her debut earned her Mercury Prize, Brit Award and Ivor Novello nominations and two Mobo wins. She re-recorded the album with an orchestra a year later, but told the Standard: “We’re using a different palette this time. I’m really obsessed with synthesisers, which they introduced me to here.

“I’m really not a tech-head but there’s something about using these old instruments that makes the coolest music. It’s a really different sound.

“I do [worry about alienating fans] — but I wake up with a different fear every day. Sometimes I think about what people might think, but then other times I’m not conscious about it. I try to strike a balance. I’m just enjoying doing what I love.

“The themes are a bit broader this time. The first record was about my parents’ divorce, and this album points more outwards. I’ve definitely been affected by a lot of stuff happening in the world at the moment.”

The Birmingham-born singer, left, said she feels more comfortable in New York, where she has once again teamed up with producer Troy Miller.

“It feels like home because Sing To The Moon was mixed here,” she said. “I feel like anybody could be anonymous here. Everyone’s getting on with something exciting and it’s inspiring.”

She also provides the vocals for You Work For Me, the song which features in the trailer for Guy Ritchie’s new film, The Man From U.N.C.L.E. Mvula said: “It felt like a really natural fit.

“I’ve always wanted to write film music — that’s what I’ve wanted to do since I was a kid.”

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