Flo Morrissey is the most promising songstress emerging out of the UK as of late. The twenty-year-old makes 60s/70s-inspired alternative folk/pop that situates herself well beyond her years. Morrissey's songwriting and vocal maturity are both sultry and nostalgic, cutting deep with folk-tinged ties in honest lyricism and ethereal production à la Noah Georgeson (Joanna Newsom).
Tomorrow Will Be Beautiful (via Glassnote) is Morrissey's lavish debut, which captures all said and more. Lush and romantic, the ten-track offering seeps with elegance and grace, most evidently heard on highlight tracks such as "Pages Of Gold" and "Show Me". She's an old soul at heart who ponders and postulates the wonder of timelessness and sublimity.
During Iceland Airwaves, we met Flo at the Blue Lagoon just outside of Reykjavik to talk shop while floating around in the geothermal pool, sipping smoothies. She then went on to play a magical Airwaves show that evening at Fríkirkjan, a captivating old church in the heart of Reykjavík.
EARMILK: What does Iceland Airwaves mean to you as an artist? Especially as it's your first time performing.
FLO MORRISSEY: Iceland itself has always been this vision in my mind of being one of those out-of-time kind of places in the world. It looks so magical and it produces so many incredible and inspiring people… I could go on forever talking about it. Yes, well, my expectations were high for Iceland Airwaves but they definitely gave me the experience I was looking for.
EM: Tell me your favourite non-music moment from Airwaves.
FM: Right now at the Blue Lagoon… no doubt! Although I can feel my hair getting very dry… Top tip, girls! Use conditioner!
EM: As a young woman in the music industry, do you find that your age works as an advantage or disadvantage? When did you start getting "taken seriously"?
FM: It used to be a disadvantage because people wouldn't take me seriously as a young girl going to meetings alone at the age of sixteen or seventeen. But as soon as I turned eighteen and found the right manager, label and wonderful team, I knew they "got me" and would look out for me. It's a collaborative effort.
EM: Your album title Tomorrow Will Be Beautiful acts as a nice sentiment. Instead of living in the moment per se, you take note of the beauty and possibility of tomorrow. Expand on that.
FM: Ha! Well it's funny how fast things change, as I'm kind of now trying to embrace "today is beautiful," but I guess what I meant by that is that you can make anything beautiful… the mundane, the experience of sadness, etc. It's really up to you as to how you look at things. It was also something nice my Dad had said to me one night when I wasn't feeling the best and it really just resonated with me. Easy as that.
EM: Who listens to Flo Morrissey? What do your fans look for in music and what do they get out of yours in particular?
FM: I like to think a mix of people, but most importantly those who just want to feel and be a part of something. I like the idea of creating a world and giving listeners my hand and they can give me theirs back in return.
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