B U L L EVA R D
Róisín Murphy
B
efore Moloko appeared in 1995, the electronic music scene was just too serious. But then the Sheffield-based duo injected a dash of playfulness, mashing up elements of disco, jazz and funk to create international dance hits such as Sing It Back and The Time Is Now. In 2003, Moloko’s Irish-born singer Róisín Murphy left to embark on a solo career, experiencing success with the 2005 album Ruby Blue and 2007’s Overpowered. And this summer she released four 12-inch singles that brought her love for the dancefloor to the fore. Here, Murphy, 45, lists four tracks that influenced her music. For more of Murphy's choices, head to redbullradio.com
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“I saw Grace Jones perform in Florence in 2003. She killed it with one spotlight, some steps and a wind machine. She showed that a true performer doesn’t need fireworks; you’re able to change the mood with a small movement. After the gig, a friend took me to her hotel. I wanted to say hi, but [Jones] shouted, ‘Get these people out of here!’ That’s not the way to meet your hero.”
MINA NON CREDERE (1969) “After I released Overpowered, I took a break. My next big project was an EP of covers of Italian songs [2014’s Mi Senti]. My [Italian] partner had played me this song and I loved it. Mina is perfect. If you watch her TV performances from the 1960s, she's in control of everything: her appearance, voice, songs. Covering this was a big deal – it pushed my voice way out of its comfort zone.”
SONIC YOUTH TEEN AGE RIOT (1988)
FRANK SINATRA SUMMER WIND (1966)
“I saw them play live in Manchester when I was 15. The band members would throw [bassist] Kim Gordon into the audience over and over again and she kept climbing back onto the stage. It was so wild and cool. The next day, I went to the record exchange and swapped my U2 records for [Sonic Youth album] Daydream Nation, which includes this song. It changed my life for ever.”
“There’s a video where Sinatra is recording this song with a big orchestra. He’s like, ‘Stop, you weren’t playing that right,’ or, ‘This needs to soften,’ which is so impressive. He’s in control of not just his voice but the context of his voice. When I’m recording, I’m not passive-aggressive, either; I’m aggressive-aggressive. But that’s important – I need to emotionally connect to what the music is doing.”
THE RED BULLETIN
FLORIAN OBKIRCHER
Four tunes that influenced the former Moloko singer’s career
GRACE JONES I’VE DONE IT AGAIN (1981)
GETTY IMAGES
“GRACE JONES BOOTED ME OUT OF HER HOTEL”
