Review: Heather Peace Album Launch
After announcing the release of her much anticipated debut studio album, Fairytales, on 21 May, Heather Peace held a launch at Madame Jojo’s in Soho to celebrate in style.
Pulling up in a cab at 7:30, the pavement outside the venue was already buzzing with excitement. The demand for Heather’s music has been so great that when she decided to self-fund her album and tour, her Pledgemusic page had hit its target within 10 hours of going online. A far cry from the pub gigs she used to play for her mates!
“Making this album has really been a massive labour of love for me. I’ve wanted to do it for a long time but it hasn’t felt quite right until now. To have been able to do this on my own without a record label is really down to the relationship I’ve built with my fans – they have been amazing. They’ve come to see my gigs over and over, bought merchandise and pledged their hearts out! Now, I can’t wait for them and everyone else to hear it,” said Heather.
Going down the stairs into Madame Jojo's was almost like entering a who’s-who of the lesbian world. Famous faces like Horse and Alison Moyet, waiting in anticipation. Lorraine Kelly, (yes!) Clare Balding and Suran Dickson of charity Diversity Role Models all bumped shoulders, with a couple of Heather’s fellow Lip Service cast members showing their support too. Fiona Button (Tess) is even more beautiful in real life! *Dribble* We accidentally ask new Lip Service cast member Anna Skellern AKA Lexie if she had watched the new series of Lip Service. Fail. Just enough time for a tequila before the show starts then. Sorry Anna.
Unlike what the BBC stylists do with policewoman DC Sam, Heather walks on stage looking glam as hell… eye makeup, wow! The room falls silent as Heather takes a seat in front of her keyboard to perform her first single Better Than You. If we didn’t know the power of Peace’s vocal chords before, we do now, as she sings about an emotionally abusive relationship: “The way you broke me down was clever/ Almost unnoticeable/ To all our friends it looked like I was crazy/ And totally irrational…” Before turning it around to a place of strength: “Now it’s time to leave/ I’ll find Better Than You/ Even though I’m broken Now/ I’ll find Better Than You.”
Our personal favourite is song ‘Sabotage,’ which Heather noted her mother didn’t like the name of. “Sabotage is/ My favourite pastime/ Don’t look at me so forlorn,” Ours too, Heather, we nodded our heads in agreement as we sipped on another double vodka. The audience were completely captivated for the rest of the set as Heather showcased her skills: singing, piano and guitar playing, comedy.. yes, comedy. Northern charm - always a winner.
All-in-all, an absolute smash of a night. Heather Peace, you’ve won the hearts of g3 HQ, and she’ll win yours too. Pre-order your copy of ‘Fairytales’ now.
All pictures copyright Michelle Robek.
