Saint Clair: "Music is a wonderful, thrilling career but we work our asses off..."

Saint Clair made her solo live debut last month (she's worked with Ghostpoet and Laura Marling, to name but a few) on the back of two jaw-dropping releases. "Sailing" and "Heavy On My Heart" are the first two singles from Saint Clair, and point to an assured artist with a bright future - her sound is bold and confident, merging pop, soul, folk with forward-thinking production and an utterly mesmerising voice. She's the total package.

Hear "Sailing" below, and find out more about Saint Clair in our Q&A after.

Could you tell us about "Heavy On My Heart"?

I wrote and recorded it one afternoon with long-term collaborator and friend Ben Jones (who I also wrote "Sailing" with). He’s a brilliant guitarist and came up with the verse riff which set the tone for the rest of the song. Apart from some production tweaks from Raffertie, the recording you hear is the demo from that day.

How did your debut solo show go?

The first show was great fun. After a lot of hard work and some amazing musicianship, everything felt like it fell into place. The room was full of some of my favourite people who have been supporting the project for a long time. I was glad to finally put them out of their misery and showcase the music! Can’t wait to do a proper run of shows and refine the set.

You've worked with a lot of impressive artists recently - what have you learned during that time?

Working as a session musician affords you the time and experience to learn the ropes without the immediate pressure of it being your project. I’ve worked with lots of different artists, all of whom have different approaches and styles, so I’ve taken many leaves out of many books. The biggest lesson has been to treat everyone around you with equal respect; none of it’s possible without every single one of them.

How did you first begin writing/playing music?

Although I wrote my first song for my band Bad Girls in primary school, it wasn’t until later that I started taking music more seriously. I had some very inspiring teachers who opened me up to a whole world of jazz and soul music. From there, I played and sang with different groups on the live circuit in London and got my head down with songwriting until I was brave enough to play it to people.

What impact did singing in a youth choir have on you?

I went to a French school in London where they didn't really teach or encourage music, so choir was my only real musical outlet and a chance to collaborate with my peers. We had so many weird and wonderful opportunities from singing on TOTP with Fat Les to trying to sightread our way through impossible modern modal commissions. I met some of my closest friends there, many of whom have gone on to make careers out of music too.

Your family seems very creative - was there ever an expectation for you to be involved in the arts?

Absolutely not. Everyone was hoping I’d do something useful and secure (doctor, lawyer, usual) but alas I followed in their footsteps. Being around creative freelancers normalises a career in the arts so you consider those paths seriously rather than dismissing them as unrealistic or hobbies. The other day I was in the crowd after a show and an older gentleman asked if I had a proper job as well as playing music. When I replied no he exclaimed "Ah! A lady of leisure". This seems to happen a lot! Music is a wonderful, thrilling career but we work our asses off and support ourselves as with any other job. My family always recognised and supported that.

What's your favourite instrument to play? What's your favourite instrument to write on?

I love playing the bass. It’s the hippest instrument in my humble opinion and learning it inspired an alternative approach to my songwriting. I normally write on the piano, so starting with just a melody and bass line instead forces you to strip the song back to it’s most basic form and pulls your ear in a different direction.

What are you working on at the moment?

Next up is my third release. I’m also slowly shaping my debut album; I’m always writing for myself and other artists so that ticks along all year round.

What was the last record you bought? What is your favourite record of 2016 so far?

I got a record player for Christmas so had a bit of a spree; Currents by Tame Impala, Abbey Road by the Beatles, Anderson .Paak’s Malibu. This year is going strong already so it’s hard to choose; Beyonce's Lemonade, the new James Blake and Radiohead records. And of course, I’m joining the queue to be best friends with Christine and the Queens.

What are you looking forward to this summer?

Trying to cram in as much as possible! I’ve got some writing trips to Stockholm and L.A. coming up and various festivals playing with Laura Marling and Ghostpoet. Saw Stevie Wonder live for the 4th time in Hyde Park - he played Songs in the Key of Life in its entirety which is the album that sparked my obsession with him. And Notting Hill Carnival which is always a London summer staple!

Listen to "Heavy On My Heart" below.