Lail Arad

Lail Arad

10 June, 2010
by: Sarahrose

Theatrical, funny and endearing - Sarah catches up with Lail Arad.

Having grown up learning the back catalogue of the likes of Simon and Garfunkel, Joni Mitchell and The Kinks it’s not hard to see where Lail Arad’s songwriting and musical abilities come from. With her humorous and quirky lyrics, singer-songwriter Lail Arad’s songs come as sweet and funny as they get – “the universe is way over my head, stars we see they are already dead, does that mean we cannot move ahead?”

After playing gigs in her hometown of London over the last few years the talented young lady is ready to release her debut album 'Someone New' and play an intimate gig in Camden to celebrate.

Here we chat to her about quantum physics and the Thames at night, oh and why everyone's moving to Berlin?



So, is everyone really moving to Berlin?

Well they certainly were when I wrote the song. Maybe I'm a bit behind and there's a new destination but I'd say Berlin still has the edge. The funny thing is that the blogger behind the line “I've discovered it's the bloggers who can kiss” actually moved to Berlin with a group of his friends after I wrote the song – but before he'd heard it. Now he thinks the whole song is about him.

So, your album’s out on the 14th, what can people who are not familiar with you expect to hear?

It's like a colouring-in book. On some pages I used all the felt-tip pens at once and didn't stay within the lines, on others there are just a few smudges of chalk and you can still see the outline very clearly. It's been described as folk, pop, rock 'n' roll, funny, sad, childish, mature – delete as appropriate. 

There’s a lot of female singer-songwriters out there at the minute – what makes you stand out from the rest?

I don't really think of myself as a female singer-songwriter. I am female, it's true. I write songs and I sing them, for sure, but as a category? If you ask me to compare myself to a particular female singer I would find it easier. For example, Natasha Khan – I'm far less spiritual and other-worldly than her, my preoccupations are more rooted in daily life. Or Laura Marling – I'm far less traditional than her musically, and more theatrical in my performances. I hugely respect what each of these females do and I wouldn't place them in a category together – everyone creates their own universe.

What current music are you listening to at the minute?

La Shark, A.Human, Treetop Flyers – They’re my top bands in London right now. And Edward Sharpe, Little Joy, The Blow – these are the people I hope come play in London soon.

We’re a London-based events website – can you tell our readers your favourite things to do in the capital?

I rediscovered Soho when we were recording the album there. I like sitting in Soho Square and going to the cafés around there or dancing at Charlotte Street Blues and Troy Bar. There's a very un-touristy side to Fitzrovia.

I still spend a lot of time in East London (I say still because I guess Shoreditch was cool around the same time that everyone was moving to Berlin), Brick Lane Market, The Breakfast Club, Kick Bar – there are so many places that sometimes it's nice to stick to the devil you know.

Oh, and I love the river at night. In Paris the river wins in the daytime but in London The Thames wins at night – crossing those bridges is so romantic.

Why should people come to your gig at the Green Note on the 16th?

Ha! It’s a tiny place and might get rather cosy so you should come if you want to get intimate with someone – or catch swine flu.

So you’re playing the Secret Garden Party. Who’s good on the line-up to see there – apart from yourself of course?

Yes, I'm playing again and I'm so excited. Last year was amazing! 

Your question made me go study the line-up. I don't actually know loads of the bands which is great because I can discover lots of new music.

I saw Kitty Daisy & Lewis for the first time recently and they were fantastic, perfect for a festival. I played a gig with Goldheart Assembly ages and ages ago and I knew they'd get big - I want to see them again now.

So where would your dream secret garden party be?

In the Alhambra, Granada – with loads of flamenco playing through the night.

Is it safe to say you don’t really get quantum physics?

It's safe to say I really don't get quantum physics!

Thank you Lail, it’s safe to say we don’t really get quantum physics either – who does? And who cares whether it’s folk, pop, rock or metal for that matter, it’s pretty goddam good.

Catch Lail at the Green Note in Camden on the 16th  of June, you won’t catch swine-flu but it will be really, really good.

Check out more live music in London.

Sarahrose