11. Connie ConverseHow Sad, How Lovely

I’d never heard of Connie Converse before I saw Anna & Elizabeth – this amazing American duo – singing one of her songs, Father Neptune. I’m always drawn to sea shanties, but I remember thinking, wow, where does this come from? Her songs felt very different to me, but also familiar – I like to think it’s me. ‘One By One’ is about a woman walking in the dark, and it’s heartbreaking, but so beautiful. ‘Trouble Man In The Sky’ is about her falling in love with Orion, and it all going wrong. Even in her humorous and philosophical moments there’s an underlying sadness, which for a folk singer is very attractive [laughs]. And then she left home one day, left her family a letter, saying, I’m going, just let me be. So ambiguous. Then she wasn’t heard of again. But even before that, he’s a fascinating songwriter.

Her songs reminded me of Molly Drake’s. They’re so unusual, but so human. And I’m not a songwriter, I’m a singer, so I’m always about finding songs to sing. Ones full of intelligence, humour and melancholy that feel a bit apart, they always speak to me.