editor's choice

Talented singer–songwriter, musician, composer and poet Polly Jean aka ‘PJ’ Harvey is all about experiencing new things and pushing existing boundaries.

Currently recording her ninth album at London’s historic Somerset House, to timed audiences, Harvey comments:

‘When you’re making music with other people in a space, you connect on a very primal level in a musical conversation, communicating emotionally and musically. There’s very little barrier and you’re not only letting in the other musicians and the music, but also the surroundings and being open to everything that’s ever gone on in and around the space.’

Harvey, who has recorded several highly acclaimed albums and received all kinds of accolades, including an MBE, has also, among other things, guested as an editor for BBC Radio 4’s Today show and collaborated with talented musicians such as Nick Cave, Mick Harvey, John Parish and Thom Yorke. Harvey, this year, joins the likes of Cave and Leonard Cohen in publishing a volume of poetry, The Hollow of the Hand (Bloomsbury; autumn 2015). We can’t wait.

This is one of our favourite Harvey songs  – ‘This mess we’re in’, featuring the aforementioned, rather brilliant Mr Yorke (from Harvey’s 2000 album, Stories from the City, Stories from the Sea).

Tags : Bloomsbury, Leonard Cohen, musician, Nick Cave, PJ Harvey, poetry, Polly Jean Harvey, Somerset House, Stories from the City, Stories from the Sea, Thom Yorke