INTRODUCING… soul singer Paloma Faith’s new album and York Barbican debut.

PALOMA Faith’s second album, Fall To Grace, has entered the charts at number two, as the theatrical-dressing, big-voiced Hackney singer, songwriter and actress builds on the momentum of her 500,000-selling debut, Do You Want The Truth Or Something Beautiful?

The last time Paloma was seen on a North Yorkshire stage, she made light of toppling over when her chunky, red high heel caught in her dress at the Harrogate International Festival last July.
On February 1, she will play the York Barbican for the first time on an 11-date tour that will include Leeds 02 Academy on January 27 too. Jenny Entwistle and Charles Hutchinson discover the new Faith.

You chose Picking Up The Pieces as your first single off Fall To Grace. What is the song’s theme, Paloma?
“It’s about being in a relationship with somebody who you think might be on the rebound but is going out with you but you’re not sure. They’re recovering from the past relationship, and the song considers what it’s like to be in that position when you’re doubting yourself and your role in their life.”

For Fall To Grace, you have taken a more cinematic approach to an album that you call “the soundtrack to my life”. Was this a conscious decision, to combine your music with your love of acting, to make the album more personal?
“It was a conscious decision but it wasn’t really that I wanted to combine it with my love of acting; it was more that I wanted to combine it with my love of film as a viewer. I watch a lot of films all the time so I wanted to somehow cultivate the atmosphere of films into this whole album and everything we put out.”

Which tracks have you been most looking forward to fans hearing?
“I love all of them, but I think some stand-out ones are probably The Next Thing, 30-Minute Love Affair and Blood Sweat And Tears. They’re kind of… the more dancey ones, which make me excited to have a dance.

“I’m really excited about the emotional side of things, Just Be and Streets Of Glory. Just Be is a very stripped-back ballad with piano and then Streets Of Glory is the opposite; it’s got bells and whistles and everything all in one. They have string arrangements from David Arnold, who I think is incredible.”

On your new album, you worked with Nellee Hooper, who has produced records previously for Bjork and Madonna. What did you learn from him?
”I learn new things every day! I learn new things all the time. If you go through life not learning, it’s a bit weird. I learnt loads; it was amazing working with him.

“We were a match made in heaven, as he’s really into visual things and so am I, so I suppose he’s the first producer I’ve worked with who understood my language as I sort of speak in pictures.

“My old A&R from my record company left and this guy called Colin Barlow took over the record label. I told him what I was after and how I didn’t really know who to approach and he suggested Nellee. He said

‘I’ve got a really strong feeling about this, and you’ve got to trust me’ and I did, and I met him, and I thought he was brilliant.”

As a pop fashion icon, who are your biggest influences and which new designers should we look out for?
 “My biggest inspiration is probably Marilyn Monroe; Marlene Dietrich; Coco Chanel – I love the way she dressed – Bjork and Grace Jones.

“Designers? I love Dolce and Gabbana, I keep wearing them; Alexander McQueen I think is incredible. I love all the high-end stuff like Jean Paul Gaultier. New designers? I think Piers Atkinson and Victoria Grant are amazing.”

What will be your next acting role?
“I’m in the BBC adaptation of Blandings. I’m just appearing as a character called Jordan who’s in episode five of the series; she’s basically a 1920s version of me! She’s a London cabaret performer and is a bit playful, and quite cheeky.

“I had an audition – I don’t think they even knew I was an actress. I went to an audition and they said that they liked my interpretation of the character and I said ‘I’m just being myself’.”

Tickets for Paloma Faith’s York Barbican show on February 1 2013 are available on 0844 854 2757.