Lianne La Havas performs in The Current studio
by Mark Wheat, Lianne La Havas and Leah Garaas
October 10, 2015
"I think, in general, this profession can put you in a weird headspace just because it's so unusual. But after the campaign for my first album [Is Your Love Big Enough?] I felt like I had achieved a great amount and I was very, very happy," says Lianne La Havas. "My life completely changed."
Ahead of her show at the Varsity Theater, London's Lianne La Havas and bandmates James Wyatt and Frida Mariama Touray stopped by The Current to perform live in-studio and to chat with host Mark Wheat about her latest album Blood.
As she revealed to Mark Wheat in 2012, Lianne wrote her debut album autobiographically. But when it came to writing the follow-up, Lianne decided to take a bit of a different approach: "After the first album campaign I had a little more spare time, which I spent with family," says Lianne. "It got my thinking about my heritage and where my parents and grandparents came from."
So Lianne and her mother, now Londoners, flew to Lianne's mother's home country of Jamaica—their first holiday together—to soak in their heritage. However, Lianne didn't completely go on holiday. "I couldn't pass up an opportunity to work and make music in Jamaica," says Lianne. She even arranged return trips to continue working with Kingston-based producer Stephan McGregor.
The result: Blood. Lianne La Havas performed "Green and Gold" in The Current studio, what she refers to as the "flagship song of the album" because of the colors' importance to Jamaicans. "In the song I also speak about my father's heritage which is Greek, and I describe it as ancient stone," says Lianne. "That song is my autobiography, essentially."
Songs Performed
"Green and Gold"
"Wonderful"
"Forget"
"Green and Gold" and "Wonderful" are off Lianne La Havas new album, Blood, out now on Warner Bros. Records. "Forget" is off 2012's Is Your Love Big Enough?
Hosted by Mark Wheat
Produced by Derrick Stevens
Engineered by Mike DeMark
Web feature by Leah Garaas
