Keeley Forsyth is a composer, singer and actor from Oldham in the north-west of England.
Built upon sparse arrangements, Forsyth’s music is centred around a singular, emotionally raw and magnetic vocal delivery, by turns devastating and uplifting. The characters who populate her songs tell stories of the high and low tides; of freedom and entrapment, of hard-won triumphs and the darker corners of domestic life. Over the last years Keeley has built a reputation for dramatically captivating live performances reflecting her interests in contemporary theatre, dance and movement.
Forsyth will be performing at this year’s Pop-Kultur festival in Berlin.
FACTS
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1. What is the biggest inspiration for your music?
the voice as a healer, and for survival
2. How and when did you get into making music?
with the help of a harmonium from my local charity shop in London, selling for £50-
when I was 32
3. What are 5 of your favourite albums of all time?
Matthew Bourne- This Is Not For You
Adam Coney- Ashwin and Above
Arvo Pärt- Tractus
Cocteau Twins
Harold Budd- The Moon and the Melodies
Puce Mary- The Drought
4. What do you associate with Berlin?
I recently rewatched Andrzej Zulawski’s Possession, so at the moment, I associate a subway underpass- and the wall.
5. What’s your favourite place in your town?
Tempelhof
6. If there was no music in the world, what would you do instead?
working in natural habitation with chimpanzees
7. What was the last record/music you bought or listen?
John Bence – Archangels
8. Who would you most like to collaborate with?
Katie Mitchell- theatre director
9. What was your best gig (as performer or spectator)?
Colin Stetson
10. How important is technology to your creative process?
– Good microphone, my producer uses Ableton
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Energy and ideas are most important
– I made my first record with just a borrowed mic and Garageband free software-
11. What can we expect from your performance at this year’s Pop-Kultur 2024 festival?
an electronic stripped back performance of the hollow
