New Music Interview: Spark

By Talia Last edited 168 months ago

Last Updated 02 December 2010

New Music Interview: Spark

One Londoner we're fairly certain will be cropping up in all the end of year tipping music polls is 18 year old Jess Morgan. Based in Walthamstow, she's now known as Spark and makes pulsating electro pop songs with a sprinkling of Marina and a look that means we almost expect her to break into 'Look at me, I'm Sandra Dee' at any moment. So far we've only really heard a couple of tracks with taster single Revolving catching our attention. We caught up with her to say hello!

Hello Spark! Please introduce yourself to Londonist...
I am a young lady from the east side of London town, I'm eighteen. I used to be good at football, I'm not good at swimming at all, I make bad jokes and someeeetimes I make music! Har. I'm a singer, writer - all of that. Oh, and my name is Spark.

Whereabouts in our fine capital are you from and what's awesome about it?
I'm from Walthamstow and oh god... Erm, we have the longest Market in Europe?!

Yes, it's probably not the likeliest of places to visit on a day out... but if you were to take us there, what would we do?
I'd take you to the Market, you wouldn't find anything you really want (harsh but fair) and I'd take you to an old school Pie & Mash shop for some authentic London food. I know how to treat um! Pahhh.

What are you upto at the moment then?
Well I am currently in the process of recording my album which will be released next year - pretty exciting times! I've been on a good few tours and so am working on stepping thaangs up for the new year. There are talks of a mini tour around February as well as another soft release. That's the short term plan. Not bloody bad. I'm a happy girl!

What's been the most important London location in your career so far?
Hmm, tough one! But I'm going to say Shoreditch House because that's where I signed my record deal. That makes it pretty important!

What's your favourite London venue and why?
I played Koko in Camden last week actually which was the biggest gig for me so far, definitely a favourite - it was a special one!

And where would be a super cool, unusual place to play?

Maybe a cinema or something like that. It would depend on the music though, and if in public it would have to be somewhere that people would actually stop and listen.. so for me maybe somewhere completely random like on the London Eye - that'd be pretty intimate! Or in a big shop, or at Buckingham Palace! Wouldn't say no to that.. ;)

The London Eye is turning out to be a recurring answer to that question. Maybe we need to sort it out!
What about something more grubby... have you ever busked? How was it?
I actually have, just for a laugh. Even though it wasn't really all that funny. It was alright! A homeless man tried to give me £2 and I obviously couldn't accept, but that meant a lot!

What other London bands should we be checking out?
Well there's this band called Paper Crows that everyone should check out if you want to do yourself a favour!

And finally what's your London secret?
This isn't the coolest place but it's my favourite place (at least it used to be) it's this area on the backstreets of Tottenham Court Road with gravel stones and benches, I used to sit there and read sometimes. It was my secret place! But the last time I went there were loads of people there, so it's not so much of a secret anymore! Gravel stones and benches, I am a bit too rock n roll over here..

Random. We like it.

Spark plays in support of Janelle Monae at a sold-out Shepherd's Bush Empire on Sunday.