Manila (CNN Philippines Life) — For the umpteenth time, Lucy Rose is playing songs in front of a crowd. But “man, I’m so nervous,” the Warwickshire-based singer-songwriter says. Below the stage where she stands are the eager faces of nearly twenty-somethings — her usual crowd anywhere else — but this time is only her second to play in front of Filipinos, hence the jitters. Two years ago, she came out with a full band as part of the lineup for Wanderland, but this time, she’s alone onstage with just a guitar, and her sweet fluttery voice.
Almost everyone in the hall of 12 Monkeys in Century City Mall, Makati is singing to her music, and much like some artists who have made their concert debuts in Manila, she thinks it’s “crazy” that we know her songs. Known for her down-to-earthness, Rose makes the most of the warm welcome by taking in song requests from the audience. The divisive crowd shouts the titles of her hits, all fighting for her attention — “Shiver! Red Face!” one fan shouts, and the other, “Gamble!” nearly in tears. Rose, a master of the open mic owing to the beginnings of her career in London’s bars, wittingly spews out tidbits about herself in between the requested songs and ramblings about her touring life.
With musical heroes like Neil Young and Joni Mitchell, Rose puts importance in the honest and the genuine, and it shows not only in her music, but also in her intimate performances, advocacies, her DIY work ethic and that gritty flannel-shirt-Adidas sneakers combo. Because of her further self-deprecation (using the words “stupid” and “boring” often when referring to herself and her older songs), some may mistake her as just some girl with a guitar and some drumming skills (her first experiences with playing music was behind a drum kit in the school orchestra). In her music videos, Rose projects an image that is so unglamourous that her brand of folk may have been labeled as “bland” and “nondescript,” but the waif singer-songwriter has her own eccentricities, both musically and in her personality.
Who else sells original recipes of tea and jam as artist merchandise in place of CDs and T-shirts? Only Rose does. And by being her real darling self — while in the process baring her weaknesses and not caring about what anybody says about them — she becomes the antithesis of today’s indie folk darling.
This year, Rose has been travelling all over to promote her latest album, “Work It Out” (2015), from Europe and Istanbul, to South America where she played free shows booked by her own fans, who adopted her and let her stay in their houses for two months. This week, Rose goes up close and personal with her small but dedicated crowd of fans in Manila, before continuing her Asian tour in Bangkok, Singapore, and then Hong Kong.
While waiting in the airport for her Bangkok flight, Rose took the time to talk to CNN Philippines Life about her musical past, being a solo artist, and pushing her advocacy of cheap concert tickets. Below are edited excerpts from the interview.
As a solo artist, what’s the best and worst thing about doing almost everything yourself?
I guess the best thing is I don’t need to rely on anyone for the show to happen, I just need to make sure I’m ready and feeling good. The worst part is maybe it’s a little lonely on stage sometimes and I sometimes feel more pressure putting on a show on my own, but I still enjoy it.
Your musical journey began when you moved to London and played in the open mic and busking scene. I noticed that a lot of other folk singer-songwriters in the UK take this path to kickstart their career, like James Bay and Ed Sheeran. Is this really a thing in England?
I think it’s the best way to grow as a musician and get better, by playing every night working on your craft and working hard. Open mics aren’t easy so I think they are a good way to see how much you love music and want to pursue this career. Lots of musicians start their career in England playing nights like these and busking.
You also did a lot of partying back then. Do you think it’s important for every starting musician to go through this live-fast-die-young phase?
Ha, I don’t know how you know that but yes, when I was much younger, I did go to friends’ gigs every night if I wasn’t playing myself and we always had some beers and played music throughout the night. I definitely threw myself into the music scene and enjoyed myself; who knows if it helped with my songwriting but I certainly wouldn’t have written some of those songs without the experiences. I’m much more boring now.
Now that you’re married, do you feel like you’ve settled in more?
Being married and finding the right partner has definitely given my life stability and perspective. Love a night in front of the TV or reading a book and enjoying the simpler things. My husband’s my tour manager so he’s always on the road with me so I’m very lucky.
With your advocacy of making tickets to your shows as cheap as possible, what do you think about a lot of other shows these days where tickets are just so expensive? Like Coldplay’s upcoming Southeast Asian shows, for instance.
It’s really tough because I don’t want to ever judge any bands for making their own decisions but I do think tickets to concerts are way too expensive. Music shouldn’t only be for the most privileged people in society. Everyone should be able to enjoy music irrelevant to their financial background, but at the moment the system in place is trying to make money from music. I’d like to explore avenues of sponsorship so that I could put on affordable shows that everyone can come to.
If your music was a cup of tea, what would it be?
Great but very tricky question. I think it would probably be an English breakfast — simple, honest but does the job.
