Laura Mvula
Laura Mvula
Laura Mvula is a British soul singer-songwriter from Birmingham. Her debut album, Sing to the Moon, was released on 4 March 2013 with an orchestral re-recording released on 11 August 2014...
NationalityBritish
ProfessionSoul Singer
Date of Birth23 April 1986
CityBirmingham, England
celebrate dark early found freedom given glad great grew love makeup music present primary skin thinking
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.
dad cocky thinking
I remember listening to Miles Davis in the car with my dad. I had just done my Grade 5 piano exam, and I was quite cocky. I said, 'It sounds like he's played the wrong note there.' I remember the look of horror on my dad's face, and thinking, 'Wow, I have to figure out why that is not acceptable.'
thinking one-day world
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.
dream writing thinking
I always said when I was younger, I wanted to write film music, and I think that's what my ultimate dream is.
dream love-is thinking
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.
constant good hear life people pop star worried
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.
bands far format good ideas music saying sing
I've always had this passion to be creative, and wanted to sing or be in bands and make music, but I didn't have ideas as to what format it'd be, or how I'd do it. I'm not very good with plans. I didn't think it would be me at the front, either. In fact, I'd go as far as saying that was something I'd prevent.
deal enjoyed job kids leaving school teaching time
Teaching was my first job after leaving university. It was a challenge, but I enjoyed it. Some of the kids were disruptive, but I could deal with it because I was only 24 at the time, and my own school memories were still fresh.
love
There's nothing I love more in the world than layering voices.
forward next onto opportunity push
Limitlessness is important for me; I want to be able to use every opportunity to push me forward onto the next thing.
bit intimate quite songs stare
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.
anyone best fresh prince
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.
asked good looked lots music nervous pass people sing telling
Lots of people think I'm telling porky pies when I say how nervous I get about singing. I was good at working out how music was put together, and I was good at being at the back, but if you asked me to sing up front, then I looked like I was going to pass out.
music
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.