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" I come from an African Caribbean background. I've been influenced by a reggae church music style, contemporary gospel, and rock all fused together. "
Laura Mvula
Rock
Style
Together
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" For me, a wake-up playlist completely depends on what mood I'm in. If I need to get into action pretty quick, it will be between Beyonce and Miles Davis. I'm a massive Beyonce fan, and all of her anthems will do it for me. And Miles Davis, because I grew up hearing his music because my dad played it a lot, so that will always be special to me. "
Laura Mvula
Music
Special
Me
" If I'm playing a gig in London, it feels so important. The adrenaline rush here is bigger than anywhere else. I kind of like the pressure that London puts you under. "
Laura Mvula
You
Kind
Important
" Taxi drivers used to ask me what kind of music I did, and I'd say, 'Well, it's kind of jazz, soul, classical' - but that makes no sense to anyone. "
Laura Mvula
Soul
Kind
Jazz
" My parents were quite strict; we couldn't just listen to whatever music we wanted. It was very much like they monitored what we listened to. "
Laura Mvula
Listen
Like
Whatever
" I don't think I've ever been chatted up, and I don't think I've ever chatted anyone up. The Fresh Prince has the best chat-up lines. "
Laura Mvula
Think
Prince
Lines
" I love church buildings, particularly cathedrals, and I like living in spaces that remind me of music or evoke that creative energy. "
Laura Mvula
Creative
Like
Love
" I write songs from the heart, and I don't hold back. "
Laura Mvula
I Write
Songs
Write
" Fame hasn't really affected me. I have a really close knit group around me, and my sister is always with me, so it's like a bit of a travelling circus. "
Laura Mvula
Circus
Always
Fame
" Topshop is one of my favourite shops, and I love shoes by Giuseppe Zanotti. There's a graduate fashion designer called Kate Falcus who makes me beautiful commissioned pieces - one of my favourites was the white Glastonbury dress she made me with the puffy skirt. "
Laura Mvula
Dress
Beautiful
Fashion
" I don't talk about Amy Winehouse as a 'singer.' She's a pioneer. I listened to her endlessly when I started writing. "
Laura Mvula
Writing
Started
Singer
" There was always a piano in the house when I was growing up - my dad played, and I thought it was cool - and when I was eight, I begged my parents to let me have lessons. After a couple of weeks, I wanted to give up, but my parents were very focused and made me keep going, which I'm very pleased about now. "
Laura Mvula
Growing Up
Parents
Keep Going
" Being a pop star is something I don't think I'm very good at. I'm worried it's making me too paranoid, because all of a sudden, life has become this constant assessment. When you put something out there and people get to hear it, then those people react to it, socially, culturally. "
Laura Mvula
You
Think
Good
" I regrettably wasted time at university by being overwhelmed and intimidated by the talent of other composers. I felt stuck and didn't know what I was doing there. I enjoyed my experience, but I didn't grab it in the way I would now. "
Laura Mvula
Doing
Experience
Know
" I grew up playing in youth orchestras, so they were my most treasured memories, so to be in front of an orchestra playing my own material would be incredible. "
Laura Mvula
Memories
Youth
Own
" I have a younger brother and sister who actually play in my band, and we were always into Disney music, big time. The first time I heard myself sing was when I recorded myself singing a Disney song. I remember it because it was awful, and I didn't expect to hear that. I think it was 'A Whole New World' from 'Aladdin.' "
Laura Mvula
Music
Brother
Time
" I first played the Royal Albert Hall when I was 14. I was a violinist with the Birmingham Schools Concert Orchestra, and we travelled down from the Midlands for the last night of the School Proms. We played some pieces from the Harry Potter films, and the violin parts were really hard. "
Laura Mvula
Night
School
Concert
" I always said when I was younger, I wanted to write film music, and I think that's what my ultimate dream is. "
Laura Mvula
Dream
Always
Film
" What I wear is everything - from how I carry my hair to what I'm wearing on my feet. I have to feel comfortable on stage, so I like to wear things that have room. My mood changes a lot, so sometimes I wear 6-inch heels, and other times I'll perform in bare feet. "
Laura Mvula
Feet
Hair
Sometimes
" I respect hippos. They just look the way they do; they can't do anything about it, but they don't seem bothered. "
Laura Mvula
Seem
Anything
Just
" Lizz Wright is my favourite singer. Her voice moves me and takes me to another place. She also grows her own food, and that inspires me. "
Laura Mvula
Voice
She
Place
" I'm not like my siblings, who are musical but can turn their hands to other professions! I'd always wanted to be involved in music - I'm a great believer in doing things that fulfil you. "
Laura Mvula
Doing
You
Hands
" You don't have to aim to be the best of everything, thinking that one day you're going to be the top of the world; I don't think it exists. "
Laura Mvula
World
You
Thinking
" I don't think I always look in people's faces, like, as - I think especially when I'm doing my more intimate songs that are quite personal, I always feel it's a bit accusing if I stare in someone's face when I singing quite a personal lyric. "
Laura Mvula
People
Think
Look
" I love my complexion, but like so many of us, in the early years at primary school, I grew up thinking that my dark skin wasn't a great thing. I've found freedom in music and songwriting, which has given me a freedom in how I present myself. I'm glad I've got makeup to celebrate that with. "
Laura Mvula
Love
Freedom
Great
" London audiences have this reputation for being a bit too cool for school. "
Laura Mvula
School
Reputation
Cool
" My parents encouraged us to commit to things, so if we wanted to learn an instrument, it was all the grades and all the theory. "
Laura Mvula
Us
Grades
Instrument
" One of the things I haven't been ready for is how male-dominated the music industry is. I just didn't have a clue. "
Laura Mvula
Music
Just
Things
" Limitlessness is important for me; I want to be able to use every opportunity to push me forward onto the next thing. "
Laura Mvula
Me
Forward
Opportunity
" I got into the habit of filtering out all the good in my life, focusing on only the negative. I'm not sure why I did it, but it's a pretty depressing state. "
Laura Mvula
Habit
Good
Life
" I really love jazz, but I will never be a jazz musician as much as I dream. But, I think that the jazz music I love is there in my music. "
Laura Mvula
Jazz
Dream
Love