A self-proclaimed daydreamer, Kerry Leatham is no longer one of the endless undiscovered gems on London Town’s live circuit. Hailing from Colchester and currently sheltering under the Tape Club Records umbrella, if her increasingly great songwriting wasn’t enough to entertain, collaborations with fellow Tape Clubbers Dogtanion and Peter Lyons are bound to gather her a hefty horde of fans. She sat down with Wonderland to discuss inspirations, the Peter & Kerry project, and her ever-steady rise – check out her “Smack My Bitch Up” esque promo video below, which charts some of her recent, debauched nights out.

How did your involvement with Tape Club Records begin?

Mr. James Bright (a fellow Tape Clubber) stumbled across a video of me singing on YouTube and passed it over to Will who owns the label. It all evolved from there, really.

Has music always been something that you’ve wanted to pursue as a full-time career?

I think I first had the realisation that I wanted to pursue music when I was about eight. I wrote a song about a googley-eyed coral ornament that I picked up from a church fete that had lost an eye. I burst in on my mum in
the shower and made my sister sing backing vocals with me. It was a moment.

You’re inspired by artists as diverse as Bob Marley and Bjork. Who would you say has been the biggest influence in moulding your signature sound?

I’m not sure I have a signature sound yet – it’s something I’m still working on. I grew up listening to artists like Bob Marley, Van Morrison, Bjork and Ani Difranco. I wouldn’t say I take influence from them directly, but I feel like those were the kind of people that made me want to make music of my own when I was starting out.

You’ve collaborated with fellow Tape Club creatives Dogtanion and Peter Lyons. Both projects sound very different. Do you enjoy exploring eclectic genres of music?

It’s one of my favourite things to do – I love it as much as creating my own music. I’m always learning from people that I collaborate with and picking up new ideas that I maybe wouldn’t have thought about had I just been working in my own little bubble.

Tracks of yours have featured on various film soundtracks – “A Different Light” on 4,3,2,1 and “Run Dry” on Adulthood and Greys Anatomy, for example. Would you ever consider lending your vocals to a film score?

I would absolutely love to do something like that. I would love to be a part of creating a film score, but maybe that’s something I could look at doing much further down the line when I have a little more experience.

Your collaborative album with Peter Lyons was released last March. What can we expect from your first full length debut record, Stories From The Self Obsessed?

I’m sort of leaving that alone, I feel like I spent too long messing around with that album. I’m starting to write songs for a new LP, but this year is mainly about releasing the “Peter And Kerry” album. I’m really excited about it.

You have a very striking image and are endorsed by Fred Perry. How fashion conscious are you?

I guess I’m fashion conscious to a certain extent in that I like to feel nice in the clothes that I wear, but not really in a “following trends” kind of way – I’m not savvy enough to keep up with that. I just like what I like and wear what I wear.

Words: Shane Hawkins
Video – ‘Knees’ – Peter & Kerry
Kerry Leatham