Imelda May interview: The Music That Made Me

Imelda May interview: The Music That Made Me
In the first of our new series, Imelda May reveals the musical moments that shaped her as an artist, and a person.
Today, she’s one of Ireland’s most successful artists, but Imelda May’s singing career started on a chunky brown Fisher Price cassette recorder.
May remembers growing up in Dublin and sitting with her ear against the record player listening to Aretha Franklin, Ella Fitzgerald, Tina Turner and Janis Joplin.
“I would listen to them over and over and over again to try and figure out how they did it… and then I’d turn it into my own,” she explains.
“That Fisher Price toy changed my life because it had a record button,” May recalls.
She’s gone on to tour the world, top the charts in her homeland, host a TV show and convert Bob Dylan and Bono into fans. She’s performed with some of the most important musicians in the world - U2, Lou Reed, Sinead O’Connor, Robert Plant, Van Morrison, Elvis Costello, Jeff Beck and Ronnie Wood.
May tells us how Clare Torry’s vocals on Pink Floyd’s The Great Gig In The Sky are “like a one-night stand”, compares every U2 show she’s ever seen to “a spiritual experience” and reveals who won when she and Eartha Kitt compared legs.
Imelda May: The Music That Made Me 00:00
Listening to Aretha Franklin, Ella Fitzgerald, Janis Joplin on Vinyl 01:18
Singing along to Stop by Sam Brown 03:04
Clare Torry's vocals on Pink Floyd's The Great Gig in the Sky 05:35
Comparing legs with Eartha Kitt in London 08:04
Going to bits watching U2 in New York 10:35
Read more at www.bigissue.com/tag/the-musi...
Imelda May’s sixth studio album 11 Past The Hour is out on Decca Records on 16 April.
Video clips
Imelda May - Music video by Imelda May, Noel Gallagher performing Just One Kiss. A Decca Records recording; © 2021 Universal Music Operations Limited
Aretha Franklin performs "I Say A Little Prayer," October 9, 1970.
Eartha Kitt - Alone
Live At The Cheltenham Jazz Festival
Licensed to KZbin by
The Orchard Music (on behalf of Cherry Red Records); PEDL, Downtown Music Publishing, UMPG Publishing, Warner Chappell, BMI - Broadcast Music Inc., ASCAP, Sony ATV Publishing, and 4 music rights societies
Pink Floyd - Astronomy Domine (Live, Miami 1994)
Live Recordings, 1987 & 1994 Unreleased Studio Recordings
Licensed to KZbin by
Pink Floyd (on behalf of Pink Floyd Records); ASCAP, Sony ATV Publishing, UNIAO BRASILEIRA DE EDITORAS DE MUSICA - UBEM, LatinAutorPerf, LatinAutor - SonyATV, and 10 music rights societies
Sam Brown - Stop (Edit)
Writers: Bruce Brody, Sam Brown, Gregg Sutton
Licensed to KZbin by
UMG (on behalf of EMI); SOLAR Music Rights Management, Downtown Music Publishing, UMPI, LatinAutorPerf, UMPG Publishing, IMPEL, Abramus Digital, CMRRA, LatinAutor - UMPG, LatinAutor - PeerMusic, BMG Rights Management (US), LLC, UNIAO BRASILEIRA DE EDITORAS DE MUSICA - UBEM, BMI - Broadcast Music Inc., ASCAP, and 22 music rights societies
U2 Elevation Tour - Live from Boston - June 2001
Universal Music Group

[@claudiocesar303]

Just heard she singing "Walking in the Sands" with Jeff Beck on guitar and an excelent group of musicians ! Jeff just rocks ! And Imelda is melting icebergs !!!!!!!

[@MrPedur]

Imelda May is an amazing singer and a wonderful woman.❤

[@anonleeleichner3915]

Just heard her for the first time with Robert Plant....what a beautiful, clear, singing voice.

[@fosterhellendoorn4656]

Wow. Love hearing her. Imelda impresses me a lot as a person

[@louisippolito1460]

That was the best goddam interview I've ever seen!! Holy Moly!!

[@SilvinaBlues]

Imelda is such a grest singer. I love her words about Aretha, Janis and all the singers that influenced her...

[@ShantiLaraPeace]

Imelda rocks. Her amazing voice, her individuality, what she stands for, her beliefs.

[@Rackelhane]

Such a wonderful woman. She is Great.❤❤❤

[@jameschristy5204]

What an amazing interview. Thanks Imelda

[@bourbonking1035]

Imelda May you are a special woman x

[@jimbyrne1844]

Knocks it clean out of the park for me with that first answer! Lovely interview

[@jeffspicolli593]

She performed at the recent Eric Clapton/Rod stewart Tribute for Jeff Beck and she was flat out gorgeous!

[@brianstewart2032]

Beautiful, superbly talented, intelligent and a wonderful human being!

[@anthonyrichter1456]

Couldnt have said it better myself.

[@breatherepeat]

That Fisher Price cassette tape recorder changed my life too!!! Such a wonderful memory from childhood. Thank you for sharing, Imelda!! Much love!!

[@MrCherryJuice]

Nice to see Sam Brown mentioned because she was a fabulous singer (though sadly lost her singing voice some years back) as was her mother, Vicki Brown, one of the Breakaways, the female backing group who backed many stars including Jimi Hendrix on 'Hey Joe'. Worth noting that Clare Torrey's vocal on 'Great Gig in the Sky' was covered by Ms. Brown when Pink Floyd toured. She was also part of Jools Holland's band and was arguably the brightest star at the 'Concert for George' with he take on 'Horse to Water'. Imelda is also a fabulous singer. Indeed, she is surely one of the greatest, most authentic voices of these times.

[@janelleetsitty36]

Fisher-Price little cassette player (boom box) 😆😆😆 that is so adorable

[@melfree]

One of the performers I can see around. a great woman.

[@javi72715]

Grande Imelda May, decir rock es decir Imelda, te queremos Imelda, gracias

[@elvisbegic855]

Dear and great Imelda. P.s. I love you

[@clairelouisecrocker]

Great interview, as always x

[@MrPnew1]

What a talented and gorgeous lady Imelda is

[@theburpman8006]

Imelda May is a beautiful singer

[@robertmunoz4277]

All of my love and respect to you imelda ,my son mentioned you and Bruce Lee were not of this world 💔

[@user-br4sp4lc7j]

Красива и талантлива...,губы и глаза,БОЖЕСТВЕННЫ!!!

[@randallfrank5682]

You are correct Imelda, we need each other. We are the Human Race.

[@MrPnew1]

Yes, as George Costanza says in Seinfeld "We are living in a society here!!!"

[@madogblue]

Oh how I love Imelda May. So sad when she left the band with her husband and all that great music

[@user-pj2ml1zr8i]

Покорен! Имельду слушаю редко - это, как шампанское, к особому настроению...

[@7boomerang7]

My favourite female artist so much energy and love. Kind of makes me think of Amy Winehouse when she was at her best.

[@againstall6830]

I totally admire you Imelda, so talented and an Independent lady😘 However I have no respect for U2 after World Aid where they amongst other Irish celebrities pocketed a lot of money 😔

[@MillwallMike15]

One of the best rockabilly voices mutated into an unrecognizable pop rock starlet.

[@rifelaw]

And now "Dark Side" is over a half-century old. So boggling that music that was a half-century old then was from 1923.

[@jimmycrawshaw8070]

U2 pay your tax bono imelda may is gr8 tho

[@bluedoor4435]

I wonder what first attracted a man 20yrs younger to Millionaire May 😂😂💲💰🤑

[@V8Deuce]

She used to be a hot Rockabilly chick. What happened? Now she looks like every other gal out there

[@scatcatcnut]

Imelda has reinvented herself to the point that apparently rockabilly had no influence on her even though that was what made her name. Was it all bogus? Was it just her husband, Darell, who was into it and she went along for the ride? Seems like she's trying too hard to disown what she was.

[@marksieving7925]

What made her name is the fact that she's a great singer and writes great songs. The genre is irrelevant. Rockabilly fans tend to look at Imelda, and because she sang a particular genre at a particular time, say "This is what she is, and all that she is." That was never true. She did rockabilly songs for a time, but that was never all she was.

[@allisnotwhatitseems.]

That's an extremely simplified characterisation of her journey. It's also wrong however even if you were 100% correct what's wrong with that. Where's the crime in reinvention? What's wrong with wanting to move on. When someone finds love, marries and loves but then sadly falls out love is sadly divorces are they wring to reinvent themselves and find a new love and disown their past. Damn, right they are. Alternatively, you seem to know quite a bit about her so I would hazard a guess you may even have been a fan. If this is true then you need to question your value systems rather than condemn others for progressing. Live, love and let live. Root out begrudgery. It's absolute BOLLOX mate.

[@markmcstea5258]

Reinvention or redirection etc is fine but to disown the genre - and by extension the fans- that helped make you isn't great.

[@nevernevernetmedia7928]

Learn to rise above the discomfort of being challenged by people who push themselves. Try to be inspired instead.

[@satori2273]

@@markmcstea5258 We are all making course corrections constantly, it's called growth, I believe? You have to adjust to not just your circumstances, but to the new things that you are learning, the new things that come into your life. They change the way that you think, and your direction may change as a result of this. I'm sue you see this in your own life, as we all do.

[@Canyon2023]

She had to obsessively copy other vocalists because she doesn't have her own unique voice like all the masters before her.

[@barhawley123]

Not what she said at all..she is unique..but was inspired by great singers ...Could you "copy" those sounds? Wow..what a ridiculous thing to take away from this video.

[@tonywright8294]

Never heard of her !