INTERVIEW: Collette Cooper

INTERVIEW:

PHOTO CREDIT: Blake Ezra

Collette Cooper

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FOR this interview…

PHOTO CREDIT: Rankin

I have been speaking with the amazing Collette Cooper. Cooper is multi-talented singer, writer, performer and critically acclaimed artist who has been championed by BBC Introducing, BBC Radio 2, BBC Radio 6 Music, Soho Radio, and Jazz FM. Her inspirations go back as far as Bessie Smith, Sister Rosetta Tharpe, Nina Simone, Kurt Weill, Billie Holiday and Mozart. Cooper discusses her stunning recent album, Darkside of Christmas, and her starring role in Tomorrow May Be My Last: The Janis Joplin Story. The hugely acclaimed show channels the true essence of the 1960s legend. It soon starts a residency at the Old Red Lion Theatre in Angel, London (between 14th February and 6th May). I would urge people to grab a ticket, as it is an experience you will not want to miss out on! The brilliant and mesmeric artist also reveals whether we will get new material this year. It has been a huge pleasure know more about…

THE fantastic Collette Cooper.

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Hi Collette. How are you? What has your 2023 been like so far?

Literally, on another-level busy (laughs). We started rehearsals for the show again (Tomorrow May Be My Last: The Janis Joplin Story), which opens on the 14th of February in the Old Red Lion Theatre in Angel. Then we plan to take it to the West End later in the year, so it is very much about the play this year. So, yeah, pretty full-on, but great at the same time.

You had quite a busy 2022. What were your personal highlights?

My favourite things to do are to walk on the heath with my lovely dog, Billy, and my partner, Mike. But highlights? I guess. I’ve got so many highlights. Personal highlights. We won our netball league finals (laughs). However, I’ve got a dodgy knee, so I sat on the bench a lot. I have to mention too Matthews Dukes’ Jukes Cordialities, who sponsored our netball team. I had quite a good year actually. I loved doing the Christmas album (Darkside of Christmas). That was great. Working with such amazing musicians. Ray Winstone being the star of the album, really. That was brilliant. I voiced a great children’s book called The Heavy Bag, which is a beautiful story by Sarah Surgey. It’s about children coming to terms with death, and how to teach them about that. It's a really beautiful book. I loved voicing that. Recording the book for Amazon, and the money going to the children of Ukraine.

Also, performing at the Roundhouse alongside Chrissie Hynde, Bob Geldof and other amazing musician to raise money for Ukraine. That was a real highlight, definitely, to be asked to do that. Such a huge audience. And, again, the play and winning that great award, which was brilliant. And the album and recording at Abbey Road. Working with Rankin, the photographer, who did the album cover. I was on the front cover of Darkus Magazine as well, which and I’d never been on the front cover of a magazine before, so that was really special. And they had their own little award ceremony, and the awarded me Best Musician of the Year. It’s really kind of them to give me an award, so that was really lovely. Performing our Christmas concert in the most beautiful chapel with thirteen incredible musicians.

I really loved your Darkside of Christmas album from December! Do you have a favourite song from the album at all? What was it like recording it?

A lot of blood, sweat tears….and snow went into that album! (Laughs). Do I have a favourite song from the album? (Pondering). I like them all for different reasons. I loved Silent Night, because I loved our version on there, and Rochard Harwood is an amazing, amazing cellist. He’s the principal cellist for the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, and so it was a real honour to work with him on that because it was just me and him. And the most amazing gospel choir, Kings Voices. For all different reasons I love Santa Baby; it’s a fun song, really fun to perform. Quite poignant…and kind of done in an ironic way, I guess. Ain’t Necessarily So. I love how we mix that with Carol of the Bells (a popular Christmas carol which is based on the Ukrainian song called Shchedryk (Ukrainian: Щедрик). The song uses the original melody from Shchedryk, written by the Ukrainian composer Mykola Leontovych in 1914). I came up with that idea a couple of years ago. I wanted to record that, but I wanted to do it so differently, and I thought that this was a perfect way to do this as different as possible.

I loved performing It’s a Wonderful World with Liam Stevens, who’s an incredible pianist and great fun to work with. I loved that for so many reasons, because it was literally an old out of tune piano, you know? And we were in the studio and, anyway, and I just said “Oooh, shall we just ‘ave a go?”. And we literally, in one take, recorded it. And that’s how it sounds. With all its flaws. We just did it there and then. Very spontaneous. I love it for those reasons, and because me and Liam always crack up laughing.

“I never say that I am a ‘Jazz singer’ or a ’Blues singer’. I don’t put myself into any box. I don’t think I like to define my vocals by any genre“

Yeah, and I guess when you’ve heard the songs over and over a million times (chuckles) it’s nice to maybe leave it until this year, this Christmas, when you can have a fresh listen to it with fresh ears. I think definitely Ray Winston’s voice was the highlight for me. Him reciting the poem that I had written. And I just think…he made it really magical. So I guess, you know, the songs that he performed on like Silent Night and Darkside of Christmas. I think they’re the standout ones for me as well.

Before we look ahead, take me to the start. When did music come into your life? Which artists and albums inspired you when you were growing up?

Well, I’m a really huge fan of Bessie Smith. I my dad introduced me to her when I was really, really little. And she just blew me away. I loved her rawness. I loved her rawness and her ballsiness. And her truth. And her power. And…her distinctive vocals. And she just really had an affect on me. And I loved all the greats, you know: Billie Holiday, Nina Simone, Big Mama Thornton, Sister Rosetta Tharpe. I really love those guys. You know, the Bluesy guys. I think I’m really influenced by Blues and Jazz, so I’ve never classed myself. I never say that I am a ‘Jazz singer’ or a ’Blues singer’. I don’t put myself into any box. I don’t think I like to define my vocals by any genre. So I like to sing what I like to sing, but I’m definitely influenced by Blues ands Jazz, that’s for sure.

I loved Johnny Cash, David Bowie, Kate Bush when I was all little. I have a really eclectic taste. I’m a huge fan of Mozart. I LOVE Mozart. Yeah, I’d say I’m influenced by many, many great artists, and I admire all those guys.

Obviously, Janis Joplin is a huge inspiration. You have starred as her in the play, Tomorrow May Be My Last: The Janis Joplin Story. What is it about Joplin and her life that speaks to you?

It’s funny you say that about Janis Joplin, because I didn’t know much about her before I started the play. It was mentioned in a couple of reviews that I was like Janis Joplin-meets-Edith Piaf. And really weirdly, neither of those amazing artists were my influences. I knew a lot more about Edith Piaf, in the sense that my dad played a lot more Edith Piaf around the house. So maybe my subconscious…maybe she got into my DNA somehow somewhere. But Janis Joplin. I knew (Me and) Bobby McGee, Piece of My Heart. But I really didn’t know much about her. So I was always surprised when they said, you know, “You’re like Janis Joplin-meets-Edith Piaf”.

“And, so what attracted me to her life when I started doing the research is because she was just such an open, honest, lovely, beautiful soul. A real pioneer for women in music. And politically. You know, she was a pioneer”

Anyway, to cut a long story short, a West End producer came to see my show at the 100 Club back in 2018, and he said to me that you’d be great doing a one-woman show. Maybe of Edith Piaf. Or of Janis Joplin. And I thought, well I’m not going to do Edith Piaf with all that French I’ve got to learn. Forget that (laughs). So I thought, Janis Joplin, okay. I did research on her and I realised we had more in common than I ever realised. There were a lot of parallels between us and the fact that she absolutely adored Bessie Smith. Which was like a sign.

I read every book. I watched every documentary. I grew my hair. I wanted to be a bit more voluptuous like her. She had a beautiful, voluptuous figure. I was this skinny little thing. So, I was able to put on some weight and kind of mould myself into her whilst doing the play. Because the play. It is a play, first of all, driven by music. She tells a story backstage in her dressing room. It’s set in a Woodstock-style festival. And, so what attracted me to her life when I started doing the research is because she was just such an open, honest, lovely, beautiful soul. A real pioneer for women in music. And politically. You know, she was a pioneer She came from a very backward kind of town, and she had to fight to get out of there. She was ahead of her time, and she was an old soul. She was deeply bullied growing up, and she, you know, felt very unloved. She was just a misfit, and felt very…like she didn’t fit in. I felt like that growing up at times. So I related, you know, quite a lot. I felt that we had a lot of similarities. So, I’m really enjoying playing her. But it’s like a marathon every night. I say this: Janis Joplin could not play Janis Joplin every night. It’s full-on (laughs), so I’m going to be knackered at the end of it. But it’s enjoyable and it’s going to worth it.

PHOTO CREDIT: Robin Pope

I understand the play is restarting, and it has been nominated for an Offie Award! What was your reaction when you heard the news? What has the reception been like from the audiences that have watched the play?

Yeah, it’s starting up again for three months. We start on February the 14th until May the 6th. And then we have a break; and then we aim to go into the West End, finding a suitable theatre. Yeah, we were thrilled. You know, when you work so hard on something and you literally put blood, sweat and tears into it, which we did. And it’s gone through a lot of changes. I wrote the treatment in 2018. Started developing it, started doing all the research in 2019. Did the first read-through in March 2020 before we went into lockdown. And then we performed it for as small audience just as we were coming out of the first lockdown. When we could perform it with an audience of the third of its capacity with masks. So we used that to develop it. It went through a lot of changes, and developing it to a point where I wanted. I got the script to where I wanted it, and performed it. Premiered at the Old Red Lion Theatre in Angel, which is a legendary theatre! It’s an amazing theatre. It’s one of the oldest theatres in London. You know, it’s an incredible theatre. Perfect space for it to grow. The band have been with us from day one. Incredible musicians. I mean, they make me sound good, let’s put it that way (laughs).

“ It is a sad story, but there’s a lot of hope in there”

They are absolutely brilliant. So when we heard the news we’d been nominated for five Off West End Awards (Offies), and we won the Standing Ovation Award, it was just brilliant. It’s just nice to be recognised for your hard work. But you know, more than ever what was so important was the audience reaction. And how it moved them. And it was really nice that we touched so many people on so many levels and they really enjoyed it. It’s a really uplifting play. It’s a sad story, you know. It is a sad story, but there’s a lot of hope in there. There’s a lot of messages in there. So, yes, we’re very, very, very, very pleased about that.

I know climate change is a cause dear to your heart. You performed for the late Vivienne Westwood’s Cool Earth charity. A few high-profile musicians and actors are becoming involved in this fight and talking about climate change. How important do you think this is with regards engaging people and affecting action?

It couldn’t be more important, relevant than today. We’ve just got to try and do our bit. It’s beyond recycling. It’s our carbon footprint. Trying our best to become a vegan. I’m a vegan. I have been because I’m a huge animal lover. Another thing that is close to my heart is animal rights. And we’ve got to try and do our best. Do anything we can do to help save the planet. Less clothes. Less washing. Less buying. Don’t need to collect a lot of things. We need to downsize. We need to get rid of stuff. Recycle, recycle, recycle. It’s really important. Just little things you can be aware of. Just turning off the lights even (laughs). Using less water. Just trying to use less.

This year is shaping up to be a remarkable and fascinating one for emerging artists. Are there are any particular artists you would recommend we check out?

Luca Manning. They are amazing.

Might we get a Collette Cooper E.P. or album this year? Is there any new music in the works?

Yes, there’s definitely going to be new music this year once I finish my play in May. I’m actually releasing the title song of the play, Tomorrow May Be My Last, in March, which we recorded last year but didn’t officially release it. 2nd March that will come out.

Finally, you can pick any song you like to finish. It can be an old favourite or a new song. What should we play?

Me and Bobby McGee by Janis Joplin.