Catalonian singer-songwriter Joana Serrat plays Newport’s Le Pub on April 3, in support of latest album Dripping Springs.
Since the release of Dripping Springs last September, Joana has been racking up radio plays on BBC 6 Music, with 6 Music DJ, Lauren Laverne singing Joana’s praises, calling her “an astonishing live performer” and encouraging 6 Music listeners to hit YouTube for evidence.
Ahead of the Newport show, Joana discusses her music inspirations with Andy Howells.
What inspired you to become a musician?
I was inspired to fight for this dream by several artists and thanks to my mum’s liberal education. My dad used to play all these beautiful records when we were kids and that had a deep impact on me. I could recognize a home and a shelter on that sound. I grew up listening to The Band, Roy Orbison, Neil Young, Nick Drake, Bob Dylan and many others. I was born to be a singer-songwriter.
Who are your current musical influences?
I listen to Cordovas, I saw them for the first time in Nashville last September and I flipped! Since then I became a fan. Related to this, I am re-listening the first Eagles albums. Slowdive, The Deep Dark Woods, Futurebirds, Sera Cahoone and many others too.
Can you tell us about your latest release, Dripping Springs?
Dripping Springs comes after a solitary trip crossing the verge. I had to leave that shadowed land that I was trapped into while paying the cost of being coherent. After that period, I finally found myself on the other side of the river and I felt reborn.
Dripping Springs is a new morning. It represents this new horizon unfolding before us. We can be whoever we want to be and everything it’s fresh new. This is way the album is a sonic landscape where each song is a picture and a living frame itself.
If there’s a track that best defines you as an artist what is it and why?
I feel defined by the whole album. Every song represents me in this particular period of my personal life and artistic career. But I feel specially attached to Western Cold Wind for its powerful sound and also to Keep On Fallin’.
This song takes me back to the studio, at Plum Creek Sound with everybody, and if fully captures the beautiful and melancholic sentiment of finding a place where you belong to but being aware how hard it is to come back to this very place where you’ve been happy.
Are you looking forward to touring the UK?
Yes, I love the UK and I always have an amazing time when I come to play. And there’s also big news, I am coming to do some shows with my band for the first time in few months. Couldn’t be more excited! Stay tuned to know where and when!
What can people expect from your forthcoming show in Newport?
Are you ready for the Dream Country? It’s going to be my guitar, my reverb pedal and me.
- For further details visit http://www.lepublicspace.co.uk/events