Next Wave Class Of 2014: Indiana

Dark and soulful, up all night and all day...

It’s hard out here for a female in pop. Especially one who’s recently given birth to her second child.

“I’m up all night but not for any rock star reason, I’m feeding a baby!” Indiana laughs. “It’s so empowering, though. I’m proud of my situation.”

With a name paying homage to everyone’s favourite fictional archaeologist, the singer-songwriter was discovered without even meaning to be found. By chance, John Beck heard her version of ‘Gabriel’ that she’d put up online.

“I thought it was by Joe Goddard, but he’d remixed it,” she says. Not only did Beck get in contact and invite her to his studio for some collaborative writing, he admitted to preferring her cover to the original.

For someone whose path into the industry was more or less accidental, she’s already sung to two institutional giants in the UK – the monarchy (“It was a scary day, but at the end of the day the Queen’s just a little old lady”) and our most cherished festival (“I just remember thinking, ‘Oh my God, I’ve just said hello Glastonbury!’”). Having sprung up from the East Midlands at an alarmingly rapid pace, she is now on her way to releasing an album.

Some artists, when tasked with describing their sound, return little more than a blank stare and an “umm” or an “ahh”. But not Indiana, who looks us in the eye and declares that it’s “moody, electronic, ’80s-inspired synths with haunting layered vocals”. Matching this dark, soulful sound, in visual form her tracks are fantastical, fairy tale creations, where she’s taken on a directing role.

Now her hard work is truly paying off as Goddard, the man who inspired her to record in the first place, is on board for remix duty on her next single. “He said he was really excited to get onto the project. For it to come full circle is amazing,” she glows.

We round off on the topic of Harvey and Etta, her two children, and she emphasises that she’d like to think her situation “could inspire other people to not have to decide between having a family or a creative career. You’ve just got to be willing to be up all night and up all day!”


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WHERE: Nottingham

WHAT: Menacing, melancholic poptronica with swirling synths

GET 3 SONGS: ‘Mess Around’ (video above), ‘Smoking Gun’, ‘Bound’

FACT: Simon Amstell came to a supporting slot of hers, specifically to see her, because he left immediately after her performance.

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Words: Felicity Martin
Photo: Neil Bedford (website)

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