9mary's #DreamSofar

Britney Spears: $1,000,000. Kanye West: $1,200,000. Madonna: $5,000,000. It’s fair to say these figures suggest that there are some out there who are quite impartial to a little razzmatazz in their music videos, as well as the fairly hefty bill that comes with producing it (and that’s without mentioning a certain Lady). And then there’s the likes of 9mary, aka Flo Morrissey, who cannot be placed even in the same class as the aforementioned ‘artists’. Take the video for If You Can’t Love This All Goes Away, for example. Directed by her sister, Millie, the production amounts to little more than various shots of Flo gallivanting around in a swimming pool. And this is why she is so perfect for us.

Rather than relying upon costumes which have seemingly been designed in the deepest realms of Hell whilst under the influence of who knows what or a surprisingly infectious dance move based on, of all things, how a horse trots, due to the simple nature of her previously mentioned video it is evident that she is more than happy to let the music do the talking. And it is this that Sofar Sounds is all about – when performing, we like artists to play their music, not to put on a show.

But it is not only 9mary’s philosophy that is in sync with ours. So, too, is her actual music. With influences coming from the likes of Jeff Buckley and Devendra Banhart, even Billie Holiday, Flo’s sound is one of purity, but laced with heartfelt emotion. Music, in other words, that is perfect for a Sofar. Described by This Is Fake DIY as a ‘star in the making’, one might wonder how such a young songstress (she turned only eighteen a month ago today, Christmas Day) can be capable of feeling such sentiment. Ms. Morrissey is the first to admit that her listeners are correct to make such queries, explaining that when she wrote the song Show Me a good three years ago she “hadn’t really experienced much yet”, and that she “still hasn’t, really”; a situation that so too will apply to most eighteen year olds, but an enormously mature self-reflection for an eighteen year old to make. Admittedly, most eighteen year olds weren’t “properly writing” their very own songs when they were just fourteen, like Flo was. Despite her still having a couple years of her teens to go, the maturity that inevitably comes with writing your own music for a solid four years can be seen and, more importantly, heard all over 9mary. Best we got her in for a Sofar and found out who would make up her #DreamSofar, then.

9mary’s #DreamSofar would consist of:

Jeff Buckley

‘I'd have to have Jeff Buckley at my #DreamSofar. Sadly, he died three years after I was born so I never got to see him live but I can imagine him completely silencing the whole room and sending shivers down everyone's spine. I can't even begin to imagine the prospect of it. He was one of a kind and his music and lyrics are so poetic and emotional I think if anyone got the chance to see him, let alone in such an intimate setting, they would go away feeling so overwhelmed. Well, I would anyway.’

Antony and the Johnsons

‘I've never seen Antony Hegarty live and it’s something that I've longed to witness for a long while; he's one of my favourite musicians and, like Jeff Buckley, he is one of a kind. He recently curated Meltdown Festival in the Summer at the Southbank Centre with performances from CocoRosie and Cocteau Twin's Liz Fraser to name a few. I was so annoyed because I was away at the time! His song Hope There's Someone is very special to me. I think it's one of the most beautiful songs ever; I recorded a cover version of it and made a video from Super 8 footage I filmed in LA, and also performed it at my first Sofar show. I think it'd be amazing having him at a Sofar show because his music is very raw and 'real'. It'd be a dream to see him.’

Anoushka Shankar

‘The sitar is such a beautiful instrument and one that isn't heard enough and Anoushka Shankar is an extremely talented woman and musician. I was a fan of her late father, Ravi Shankar, and am so amazed by both of their talents – the beauty must live on.’

Lauryn Hill

‘I think Lauryn Hill is such an honest, powerful and amazing performer. I've watched all her live MTV Unplugged videos on YouTube and they are so wonderful and touching, especially I Gotta Find Peace of Mind – it's one of my absolute favourite songs. She really engages with her audience and even brings herself to tears in a few of the songs for MTV; you can tell she really believes and means what she is singing about and I think nowadays that honesty is hard to come by. I like how she is human and her performances are not always 'perfect'; I think flaws in music are beautiful and allow the audience to relate to the artist in a much stronger way. I want my music to not be 'perfect' – it's those little imperfections that for me make a song mean so much more.’

Beck

‘Beck is so innovative and forward-thinking, I love his experimentation. It'd be really interesting to see what he'd pick to play as his repertoire is so vast and of different genres of music. I think Mutations andSea Change are brilliant albums and his cover of The Korgis' Everybody's Got To Learn Sometime is one of my favourite songs ever. Apparently he may release two new records this year!’

On a final note

‘Finally, it'd be a dream for all these artists to collaborate at the end of the show. That'd surely be a night to remember forever.’

As if 9mary hasn’t given enough to the music world already, she’s recently released an EP which you can download for free at her bandcamp.

Pictures: Sophie Harris-Taylor