Three years in the past, Hannah Reid thought she would possibly stop music for good. Her band, London Grammar, had been touring relentlessly since 2013, when the British three-piece, who met at Nottingham University, went to No2 with their debut album If You Wait. The observe up, Truth Is A Beautiful Thing, went straight to No1 in 2017, the years between a blur of TV appearances, festivals and awards, together with two prestigious Ivor Novellos, whereas promoting greater than 1,000,000 gig tickets worldwide.
Reid was overworked, exhausted and, after a chronic battle with sickness – finally recognized as fibromyalgia – on the finish of the second album tour in 2018, informed her bandmates Dan Rothman and Dominic “Dot” Major that she didn’t suppose she may proceed. Then, she wrote “America”, the second observe from the band’s third album, Californian Soil, which is out right now. Reid recounts, “[It’s about] my journey of letting go of the previous and studying the right way to write music once more following a troublesome time with my well being. I take advantage of the thought of the American Dream to wave goodbye to the issues that I didn’t want anymore.”
The strategy of writing it was cathartic and, after enjoying “America” to Rothman and Major, it turned the sudden place to begin for this new album, which immediately offers with Reid’s experiences of misogyny within the music trade and is, as she places is, “a feminist file”. Now, dwelling in West London along with her companion and their French bulldog, Reid says that she is in an ideal place, having established boundaries round her personal limits and with the band taking management of their schedule.
Dialling over Zoom from dwelling to mark the discharge of Californian Soil, Reid went again to the band’s very beginnings, from the debilitating stage fright she’s realized to beat to the game-changing recommendation Chris Martin gave her whereas supporting Coldplay.
GQ: The first time you realised you needed to be a musician…
Hannah Reid: I by no means actually knew that I “needed” to do it, however I used to be all the time writing songs after which I met Dan and he was like, “We’re going to be in a band and we’re going to do a gig and I’ve booked it in for subsequent week.” When we signed a file deal it was type of the identical factor, like, “OK, I suppose that is taking place now.” I type of had my head within the clouds, however I’d all the time cherished music a lot. We had a piano in the home and after I was a toddler I type of taught myself the right way to play by ear – I’d make up little songs and work out the right way to merely copy film soundtracks and issues like that. I can’t learn music, actually.
The first time you performed in entrance of a dwell viewers…
I wrote and performed songs with a lady at my faculty and we did a few actually horrible gigs at lunchtime. I’ve tried to dam these reminiscences out as a result of they’re so mortifying, however I really take into consideration her on a regular basis, as a result of I most likely owe extra to her than I even realise – she was my buddy who performed the guitar. The first correct gig Dan, Dot and I did collectively as London Grammar was at a pub known as The Flowerpot in Camden. We’d put some stuff on-line at that time and immediately we’d gone from doing gigs in entrance of three folks to the pub being rammed with 100, possibly 200, folks in there.
The first time you made cash out of music…
I keep in mind doing a gig actually early on in Nottingham once we had been every paid £15. I used to be like, “Oh, my God, it is a free evening out! Ladies, drinks on me!” I feel I spent it on tequila photographs. Those occasions had been wonderful; I cherish these occasions.
The first time you blew your paycheque frivolously…
It would have been after receiving PRS royalties cheques after the primary album and it was actually a store at Whole Foods. That is what I splurge on: entering into and shopping for brightly colored packages of issues that I’m not fairly positive what they’re.
The first file you ever purchased…
“I’m Blue” by Eiffel 65.
The first time you had been starstruck…
I did very briefly meet Adele and I simply didn’t know what to say. We had been each working in the identical studio, in between our first and second album – we now have the identical administration – and it was only a “Hi”. She was so beautiful, however I used to be so starstruck. If it wasn’t for her music I don’t know if we’d actually be songwriting.
Your first teenage pin-up was…
Justin Timberlake and David Boreanaz from Buffy The Vampire Slayer.
The first karaoke tune you all the time wish to sing…
That’s the toughest query I’ve ever been requested! “Tiny Dancer” by Elton John.
The first time you got any actually glorious recommendation…
We met Chris Martin once we supported Coldplay and he mentioned, “After a gig, simply don’t converse till the following gig.” It’s actually arduous to do nevertheless it’s additionally the very best recommendation, as a result of once we’ve had two actually big exhibits again to again, I realized to not speak with a view to shield my voice and it made such an enormous distinction. He additionally mentioned, of tensions in a band, “Just consider a violin: if there was no stress within the string, it wouldn’t play.” I believed that was so poetic. Chris gave good recommendation!
The first time you heard a tune you wished you’d written…
Growing up, it was something by Dolly Parton, Whitney Houston or Prince. Recently I’ve had it with all of Dua Lipa’s hits.
The first time you gained at something…
I used to be that child who by no means gained something, despite the fact that I used to be within the swim crew and performed tennis. Winning the Ivor Novello was the primary. We had a sneaky inkling we’d gained earlier than, as we bumped right into a famend songwriter whose studio we labored in quite a bit and he had a big mouth and had mentioned to us, “I hope you gown up for the night” and type of winked. Hearing our names known as out was nonetheless so surreal, although. We didn’t even have a good time after profitable as a result of at the moment we had been so busy. We obtained straight on a prepare to go to Manchester to do a TV factor.
The first piece of pretend information you examine your self…
There is one which retains cropping up, which is that individuals suppose I used to be a classically educated singer. When I’ve to inform individuals who convey it up that my being an opera singer isn’t true, I immediately appear so unexciting.
The first time you bought stage fright…
The first gig we did after having signed a file deal and made the album. It was at Electrowerkz and was in entrance of about 500 folks. I’ve by no means been so terrified in my entire life; I didn’t know the way I used to be going to do it. I couldn’t think about my life carrying on afterwards, that’s how scared I used to be. I’ve [experienced quite a bit of stage fright], nevertheless it’s troublesome to inform why, as a result of I don’t suppose we managed the beginning of our profession very nicely. I look again on it now and I’m unsure how a lot of it was simply that I used to be actually drained and my voice was actually knackered, too, so I really simply couldn’t cope. Now I really feel like I’m lots calmer about performing in entrance of individuals, as a result of we be sure that we now have sufficient vitality to do what’s required of us.
The first time you bought given a rider…
It would have been on the Electrowerkz gig and it was crisps, hummus, apples and oranges. I keep in mind wanting on the crisps and pondering, “I really feel so sick and scared, there isn’t a approach I can eat a factor.”
The first time you realised you had been really any good…
I nonetheless wrestle with that: I’ve good days after I really feel like I’m actually good after which dangerous ones after I really feel like I’ve imposter syndrome. But I’ve had two moments like that. One was in school after I auditioned for the choir and I keep in mind my instructor obtained a wierd look on his face and mentioned, “I virtually fell off my stool.” Then the primary time Dan and I had a jam. When we sang a tune collectively he mentioned, “Wow, you’re actually good” after which he booked us in for a gig. He was really in a distinct band on the time that he then stop – it was all very dramatic!
The very first thing you’d do for those who turned prime minister…
Try and type out local weather change. I’m essentially the most disorganised individual on the earth, although, so I’d be horrible.
Californian Soil is out now.
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