If you haven’t heard of Katie Melua, you better hide that little fun fact from your British friends, as she is more than a legend in the UK. This spunky singer-songwriter got her start when she attended the Brit School for Performing Arts where she caught the eye of the prestigious Mike Batt, composer for everyone from Art Garfunkle to Vanessa Mae. Spellbound by her mesmerizing voice, Mike signed Katie to his label, Dramatico. By the age of 19, Katie’s debut, Call Off The Search, sold 1.8 million copies in just 5 months. Her follow-up, Nine Million Bicycles, went four times platinum and she instantly sprung to the status of England’s best selling female artist and Europe’s highest selling female artist.
China Shop picked the brain of this powerhouse of songwriting to see what she’s all about offstage:
I heard a rumor you are the biggest selling UK-based female artist in the world. That’s quite a title. How does that feel?
Katie: Its quite odd, it feels a bit like doing Prime numbers in my math exam when I was 16.
When you got your first big paycheck, what did you buy to celebrate?
Katie: I bought a work of art a friend had painted, of a whale at the bottom of the ocean.
I hear you are a self-described adrenaline junkie. True statement?
Katie: I love life and I want every bit of it, every experience, every colour, every sense, every heart. When it all gets on top of me I have to throw myself out of a plane, with a parachute hopefully.
What is the craziest thing you have ever done for adrenaline?
Katie: You know what, a few hours ago I was at an airport in Europe and I’ve been on planes since before I could sing. There was an English rugby team waiting at the baggage belt just like me. It has ALWAYS been a cheeky dream of mine to jump on the baggage belt and ride it for a bit. And guess what, they did it, so I joined them!!
You originally planned on being a historian or a politician? That’s in a very different direction from being a singer. How did you go from one extreme to another?
Katie: Politics seems too pressured, I think you have to be a little crazy to be a politician, whereas writing songs and singing seems easier and more effortless and also comforting.
You won a bedroom makeover on a TV show when you were 15? Tell me about that.
Katie: I was young and excited to be on TV, singing. The prize was a bedroom makeover, and I hoped they would come to my house and decorate my room but it was just vouchers to a home furnishing store. At fifteen, that’s good enough.
How is your latest, The House, different from your previous releases?
Katie: Its my most up to date creation, the songs still seem so alive.
Your video for A Happy Place is so quirky and fun. How did you come up with the concept for this?
Katie: I worked with amazing people!! The stylists, the hat maker, the set designers, everyone just turned into what the song is about, which is finding a happy place.
What do you use as inspiration for your lyrics?
Katie: Breathing is the start, but then is a complex network of melodies, words, webs and lives.
Where is the strangest place your music has ever brought you?
Katie: To an odd calm, an understanding, like subtle unconditional love.
As a very financially successful musician, what advice do you have to those struggling to make a living in the tough industry?
Katie: Everything in life can seem tough, and advice is kinda’ pointless but depends on the people around you also. Everyone finds their way.
What is “I’d Love to Kill You” all about? Are there any ex-boyfriends out there concerned that this may have been inspired by them?
Katie: You know, its about power and love.
Words and interview by Nicole Pajer
