O Hell

Name, where are you from?
O Hell, from Brighton.

Describe your style in three words?
beg, borrow, steal.

What’s the best gig you’ve ever been to?
Junun was this project by Shye Ben Tzur, Jonny Greenwood from Radiohead and the Rajasthan Express. They made this incredible record in this Indian hill fort, all these incredibly different musical cultures coming together unselfconsciously, and I managed to see it live twice. The best was at this theatre in London, me and some mates were in the seated part but as soon as those incredible drummers started playing everyone was up dancing.

If you could be on the line up with any two artists in history?
Nirvana and The Beatles. I wish I could give you a less obvious answer but, I reckon this is everyone’s actual answer anyway.

Which subcultures have influenced you?
Early '90s grunge - I remember loving the convergence of pop writing and unhinged punk, and also realising it was OK to be as incredibly shabbily dressed as I was.

If you could spend an hour with anyone from history?
I’d like to have a drink with PJ Harvey, since she’s the hero of all my heroes.

Of all the venues you’ve been to or played, which is your favourite?
I was on a very DIY tour of Europe once, and we played this venue called Horst Klub in Kreuzlingen. I remember it being really hot when we arrived, and there was a little food caravan outside that looked like a big lemon on wheels, and the guy brought us plate after plate of incredible vegan junk food, and we ate it with the venue crew on this big table under the trees. They had a huge skate bowl up the side of the venue too. The show itself was a blast, everyone was dancing immediately. A real hidden gem of a place.

Your greatest unsung hero or heroine in music?
Mark Lanegan. No one sings like him. He’s in that tradition of Leonard Cohen and Tom Waits where it feels like the weight of all experience is in their voice, as well as people like PJ Harvey, who really f*cking mean it when they sing, that kind of white-hot passion that sounds evil and gives you shivers. I read his book 'Sing Backwards & Weep' recently and it’s so brutally honest, the life he’s led and the work he’s produced is astonishing.

For more on O Hell, including where to stream or purchase her latest tracks 'Capri Sun' and 'Down', visit linktr.ee/ohell.