insideKENT Magazine Issue 68 - November 2017 | Page 33

“I value my privacy more so than
ever now, as it’s a real
responsibility being a parent, and
I want my child to know itself first
rather than everyone else feeling
that they know all about them.”
Such determination to do
things on her own terms has
proved a consistent theme
throughout her career, and
something that has helped her
stand out from the crowd.
“Growing up in Hackney, I was
surrounded by lots of different
types of music – from my mum,
I remember listening to plenty of
revolutionary music from the 60s
such as Bob Dylan, while my dad
was really into jazz, which is
where my interest in all that
comes from.
“Later, when I was studying, I
got into R&B dancehall as well,
and originally I wanted to be
dancer. Then I did my musical
theatre, and I think that music
just chose me,” she explains of
her formative years.
From her early CV that spanned
everything from being a life
model, cabaret dancer and
bartender, to a gig as a magician’s
assistant, her rich experiences
have offered plenty of tales and
adventures to fuel her inventive
songwriting.
By her own admission, trying to
sustain a fan base and avoiding
the trap of merely recreating a
formula for previous hits has
offered plenty of challenges.
But as she enthuses, she is not
one to rest on her laurels, and
‘likes to mix things up a bit’ which
is certainly the case with her latest
material.
While her towering vocal abilities
have continued to garner
contrasts with the late Amy
Winehouse, it’s something
Paloma is entirely at ease with.
“I’m flattered by comparisons to
Amy. It’s not something I am
offended by, though I am quite
different.
“When she met me once, she
asked if I played an
instrument, but I said no, and
she said that was a shame as
she would really have liked
someone like me in her
group.
“I was a massive fan of hers,
and after watching the
documentary about her life,
I actually wrote a song for her,
“Price of Fame”, which is on
the new album. Her death
was such a tragedy,” adds the
vocalist with a note of
sadness.
As for her own career, having been nominated several times for a Brit
Award, persistence paid off two years ago as she claimed a long-awaited
win in the best female solo artist category.
“It was amazing to win the Brit Award and to finally gain some
acknowledgement. I come from a long line of people that haven’t really
been acknowledged for what they did. I think there are a lot of people
out there doing important work, like doctors and nurses who don’t get
that recognition they should.”
Paloma will embark on a UK arena tour next year, entertaining huge
crowds across the UK and Ireland. Tickets for The Architect tour are on
sale at www.gigsandtours.com.
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