In the Green Room: Jen Cloher
Fresh from the release of their fifth studio album, Jen Cloher chats music-making, finding yourself and what to expect from their upcoming show at Lion Arts Factory...
Image by Marcelle Bradbeer
Congratulations on your new album, I Am The River, The River Is Me. How was making this record?
It was a long process. I was initially going to make the album in Aotearoa/New Zealand. But I ended up recording it [in Naarm] between lockdowns and sending files to friends I hoped would play on the album in Tāmaki Makaurau/Auckland. It took two years. But it was great. I had so many collaborators come on board – 24 different [individuals] contributed to the record!
You’re performing at Lion Arts Factory in May. How do you think the new material will translate to the stage?
My whole life has been making records and then touring them, so I’m always thinking about how [songs] will translate to a stage. Even though it’s quite a big record in terms of arrangements – there’s horns and choirs – the actual body of each song needs to always work with just an acoustic guitar. That’s the litmus test: if you can’t play it solo in a room, it probably [won’t] translate to a bigger stage.
On the record, you reckon with different aspects of your identity, particularly your Māori heritage. What was the catalyst to build an album around this concept?
I’ve always been really proud to be Māori. Over lockdown, I started to learn Te Ao Māori, and when I was writing songs, words started to creep into the lyrics. For me, this album is a real homecoming. It’s an acknowledgement of the incredible Māori women I come [from]. It wasn’t something I planned. It was unexpected, and as a result, it took me on a really interesting journey.
Has making this record helped you understand yourself and your place in the world a little better?
Absolutely. That’s what life is, isn’t it? Finding out who you are. We do it in all sorts of ways: we have relationships, jobs and kids, we travel, and we take part in things that we’re interested in to evolve and discover. For me, it’s an ongoing lifetime journey of being in my culture and pursuing my cultural language, but I think it’s helped me feel more myself.
May 20 | Lion Arts Factory
