My fans help me to make music: Imogen Heap

The more you write about Imogen Heap, the less is said. Having merged the lines that separate music from technology, this writer/singer has now collaborated with Vishal-Shekar for the Dewarists’ online music travel show.

In her interview with DNA, she talks about the real Imogen — the traveller, explorer and more importantly, the musician. Excerpts…

How old were you when you decided that music is all that you wanted to do?
I never really made an active decision. I have been playing the piano from the time I was five years old. Music has been my companion right from then. But yes, there was absolutely no doubt that this is what I would do. Of course, when I was younger I wanted my own orchestra — big ideas I had back then!

How do ideas come to you? Do you actually sit down and tell yourself “Hey! I got to make music” or do they just come without warning?
Each one is very different because the process is different. There are also different motivations that come to mind. For instance, when I use ambient sound — like doors closing, people cheering etc — I actually plan ahead as to what kind of sound I’d like to use. And then it’s recorded. So yes, they’re all different. All you need to make music is an essence — it could be a fragment of time or something from history — it doesn’t quite matter.

How was it working with music composers Vishal-Shekhar? Was it fun?
Oh absolutely! I even sang in Hindi. Vishal brought this poem to me, Where The Mind Is Without Fear, and we spun it off in our own way. I don’t know the poet (incidentally, it’s Rabindranath Tagore) but it was fabulous what we did. Part of my lyrics go Banja Bijli, Baadal Ko Chir Ke… I loved singing it. Plus shooting for the video was fabulous too — we went to this village where we were being followed by local musicians, young kids and we got all of them to be part of the video and the music even… I was exhausted, I hadn’t slept for a couple of days, even forgot the lyrics but did some amazing work! I am actually quite grateful to The Dewarists initiative for putting us together for this collaborative effort. You will be able to see the whole project on the Dewarists website soon!

Would you be able to create something that is completely against what you normally do — like go totally classical, without any ambient sound etc?
It’s not technology that I use to make music. The people make the music; my fans help me to make music. But yes, if you ask me to write something where there is not a single equipment, I can do that for you too!

You have your own record label? Why?
People have this misconception that once they have a record label — it’s the end of their worries. But it’s not true. Record labels love to make a quick buck and you sort of have to stick to their format all the time. Which is why, in 2004, I left the label I was with and recorded my own music. I wanted to be signing and writing the kind of songs I wanted to do and not feel pressured into something.

You are to perform in Pune in November, for the first time in India — is that concert confirmed?
Well, Pune isn’t my first concert in India. I’d gone to Rajasthan for a holiday with my boyfriend and I had ended up singing on top of a hill, with bonfire and camels all around. There were some local musicians who were making some fabulous music and one of them asked me if I’d sing a song as well. And I did. At the end of it all, a local guide came up to me and told me, “You sang very well”! So Pune would be my second show in India, technically, and yes it’s confirmed!