Hannah Collisson speaks to blues singer Jo Harman about her burgeoning career, what influences her songs and her current tour

Jo Harman’s first album went down a storm, and in recent years she has toured the UK and Europe extensively, and supported the likes of Don McLean and The Cranberries.

Despite all this and having been voted Female Vocalist of the Year at the 2014 British Blues Awards, Jo does not seem like the sort of person to let success go to her head.

In fact she gives the impression that she is making music simply because she is compelled to do so, rather than to gain approval.

“It is about expressing myself, and wanting to sing things live, and trying to be happy,” explains Jo, adding that she is not entirely comfortable with the idea of awards.

“I’m not sure that music should be a competition, but it was lovely to be recognised.”

The singer-songwriter describes her musical influences as spanning blues, gospel, soul, country, rock and other ‘roots’ music. Her debut album Dirt On My Tongue was released in 2013 and she has not stopped since.

Jo has started this year as she means to continue – out on tour, and she will be playing in Worthing on March 5.

Originally from Devon, and now based in Worthing, Jo completed a degree in performing arts before studying at the Brighton Institute of Modern Music.

Brighton is however one place that she has rarely performed live.

“I love Brighton, but we have never focused on it.

“Really important to me in the first years of development, was that it wasn’t about getting really big in Brighton, which can be a bit of a bubble, but to get out.

“It would be nice to put in a Brighton gig at some point though.”

Jo has come a long way from her classical beginnings – when she was younger, she played the bassoon to a high level with youth orchestras.

But she says despite the appearance of having burst onto the music scene all of a sudden, this does not quite tally with reality.

“I have been gigging everywhere and just doing my thing; I’ve got a great team behind me,” says Jo. “Overnight success is never overnight success, whoever you are – it’s a myth.

“I had been writing for a few years before that playing with lots of different musicians, getting out there, earning my craft, and developing.”

Interestingly Jo does not come from a musical family, although they have supported her career.

“My dad was a big music fan, but never a musician. I inherited all his records,” says Jo.

“I discovered Aretha Franklin when I was about 13, and that changed the course of my life. She’s got a wonderful mix of soul and blues and gospel.

“I’m not religious but gospel music really does something to me – it’s the sincerity and the belief, it’s so from the heart.

“Big choirs and voices together – it’s very powerful. I always like building up choirs on my records.”

Rather than bringing a choir into the studio, Jo layers up her own voice to create the choir sound, which she admits is great fun, and jokes this alone is good enough reason to make a record.

The songs on Dirt On My Tongue are about everyday experiences Jo explains, with the important thing being that the resulting record was special, honest and sincere and was what seemed right to her at the time.

“The songs are about things such as moving house, breaking up with someone, anything that can happen to you.

“But I very much felt like I came into my own, and finally felt ready to make an album.

“In one sense there’s not really very much pressure because it’s the first album, but at the same time, you are never going to have a debut album again.”

As it turned out, the album met with an incredibly warm reception and Jo says the lesson she learned was to focus on making an album that was important to her.

In 2013 Jo was one of 12 artists to play to over 300,000 people at Parkpop in The Hague. This was one of over 50 European festivals and gigs she played in 2013 alone.

Last year a live album Jo Harman And Company-Live At The Royal Albert Hall was recorded by the BBC, an extensive touring schedule took in France, Spain, Germany and the Caribbean, as well as the UK, and Jo and her band were nominated for four British Blues Awards.

Jo is currently working on her second album, which she says might be out at the end of the year, but no promises she says, as it is very much a work in progress.

“I have no idea what route it is going to take,” says Jo. “I just want to make a sincere record.

“And there will probably be fewer ballads; there were a lot of ballads on the first record.

“When I get into it I really do enjoy it, when I get into the groove it flows. I’ll either write on my own or with a co-writer.”

She adds that she would love to write or do a duet with folk/blues/roots singer-songwriter Foy Vance (“he is just stunning”).

This year is shaping up to be another good one for Jo as V2 Records are releasing Dirt On My Tongue in France in April, and her song I Shall Not Be Moved is to be featured in the film ‘Dartmoor Killing’ by BAFTA award winning writer and director Peter Nicholson.

Jo has recently been to the cast and crew screening of the film, which she describes as a moving experience.

“It is beautifully shot, and was shot in Devon, which is where I’m from originally, which is a coincidence.

“Watching it was a bit of an emotional moment (her song is played on the end credits).

“You don’t really think about how you are going to react, but it was an important moment.”

Another boost has come in the form of £15,000 from the UK Government’s Music Export Growth Scheme, which will go towards preparations for a planned tour of the USA in 2016.

“I’m really looking forward to it, but finding the prospect a bit scary at the moment, because it is a massive country,” says Jo.

  • Jo Harman is at the Connaught Studio, Worthing, on March 5. Tickets are £15.50, visit worthingtheatres.co.uk or call 01903 206206.