Beth Orton makes an uncompromising record that is completely hers

I’m not going to say that getting dropped from your record label is a good thing, per se, but for Beth Orton, it gave her the opportunity to take the reins — and make an uncompromising record that is completely hers. After buying a beaten up piano at Camden Market and placing it in her garden shed, she began to write the songs that would end up on Weather Alive. The experience was exactly what she needed. She also took the opportunity to produce the album herself, presenting her with freedom that she otherwise may not have had.

In this conversation from earlier this summer, Beth talks about the lack of constraints making Weather Alive, why she’s happy to have flown under the radar for her career, and how her children have helped her re-examine her life. There’s a sense of gratitude and ease, coupled with a no-nonsense attitude that makes for a great conversation.