Florence and The

MachineWinner of the ‘Best British Album’ award at

the Brits with an album which has

stayed in the British Top 40 chart for nearly a

year, Florence Welch is taking the U.K. by

storm. A girl after our own heart, Fix takes a

look at her whirlwind success, her

inspirations and just a few of the reasons why

we love her so much.‘Lungs’, Florence’s debut album, pretty much

dominates my iPod. With it’s orchestral sound,

rhythmic beats and haunting vocals it provides

a refreshing change from the mass produced

pop music culture we live in, this girl’s got soul!

“I want my music to sound like throwing

yourself out of a tree, or off a tall building, or as

if you’re being sucked down into the ocean and

you can’t breathe,”Florence exclaims.

And that it does. It’s an an intense mix of

fantasy, reality and gothic amazingness, made

up of kisses, cosmic love, hate, death, coffins,

girls with one eye, hope, stamping, one man

choirs, booze, harps, orchestras, wails,

astrology and genius.

Florence started songwriting at a very early

age; by the time she’d left school and begun

art school she’d already written songs such as

‘Kiss with a Fist’ and had high hopes to make it

into the music business.

She refers to herself as a ‘geek’ who

‘completely loses control’ when she’s in love,

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which explains some of the

passion behind her work, but

also makes us, the smooth

moving contingency of Europe,

adore her.

“Everything is about boys!”

Florence laughs. “The whole

album is about love – and

pain. People see my lyrics as

crazy, but to me it’s an honest,

heartfelt album.”

Florence admits she writes

most of her best lyrics during

the times she’s hungover and

feeling rough (wish I could

function quite so well during

times like these) as these are

the times the free, crazy

thoughts appear in her mind

(this sounds more like me)

and get scribbled down in her

notebook.

“You’re lucid,” Florence

reveals, “but you’re not really

there. You’re floating through

your own thoughts, and you

can pick out what you need. I

like those weird connections

in the universe. I feel that

life’s like a consistent acid

trip, those times when things

keep coming back.”

Deep stuff.

The Machine, which

accompanies Florence’s

genius, varies from Florence’s

own bashing on the studio

walls to create rhythm (what

happened during the

recording of the haunting

‘Between Two Lungs’) to her

own work on piano or drums.

Her current ‘machine’

however consists of seven

talented musicians including

long time friends Tom Monger

who plays the harp, Chris

Hayden on drums, Rob

Ackroyd on guitar and

Isabella Summers rocking the

keyboard.

Her performances with the

Machine are unique, no two

are ever the same. Neither are

her outfits which are super

inspiring second hand, vintage

kitsch!

So she’s a down to earth,

alcohol embracing style icon,

who openly admits to

unsmoothness regarding the

male species. How can she

not go far?!

She admits her career fills her

with fear despite her tough

nature, - she’s nervous but yet

so passionate. Resourceful as

ever though Florence uses

these elements in her work.

“I feel things quite intensely,

which is why the music has to

be so intense. I’m either really

sad or really happy, I’m tired

or completely manic. That’s

when I’m at my most creative,

but it’s also dangerous for me.

I feel I could write some good

songs, or break some hearts.

Or tables. Or glasses.”

Since the release of ‘Rabbit

Heart’ in 2009 millions of

copies of Florence’s work

have begun circulating the

globe, and good on her we

say, for being true to herself

and adding an extra

dimension to today’s music

scene.

“It sounds so cheesy, but I

want to touch people. Not in a

weird way. I just want to help

them feel what I’m feeling.”

LEGEND.

music f i x

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