Imogen Heap: the life of a song

The seventh instalment in Brighter Sound’s Artistic Director Series brings Grammy and Ivor Novello award winning, Imogen Heap to Manchester to lead an exciting project with a focus on cutting-edge technology.

‘The Life of a Song’ explores the many elements involved in the creation and production of music. This ambitious programme is an insight into Imogen Heap’s processes and the future of the music industry.

Over five days, Imogen will lead a residency for twelve up-and-coming songwriters, musicians, producers, entrepreneurs and video makers from across the North West of England. The group will collaborate on the creation of a mini-ecosystem around specially-written music and film, which Imogen and the group will unveil at Band on the Wall in Manchester on Thursday 6 October. Meet the 12 musicians.

Imogen Heap is recognised for the ways in which she interacts and works with her audience. Her latest initiative – and widely quoted ‘Mycelia‘ – focuses on connecting the dots for a fair and sustainable music industry ecosystem. Heap is also the composer for the West End musical “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child” which opened at London’s Palace Theatre in June 2016. As Imogen explains:

“Who knows what’s going to happen but I’d like to begin the songwriting process with the morning papers, tea and discussion and perhaps by the end of the week, have a release of our recorded song and video. Alongside this, an exhibition with all the data we can possibly muster about the work. There are so many facets to being a recording artist and technology is moving so incredibly fast. It’s vital artists are brought into the front and centre for who these technologies shape our own futures.”

Using Blockchain technology – alongside Imogen’s pioneering ‘Mycelia’ initiative – the group will focus on connecting the dots for a fair and sustainable music industry, taking an alternative approach to the process of writing, recording and releasing music.

The residency is produced by Brighter Sound in collaboration with Band on the Wall and is funded by Youth Music and PRS for Music Foundation. This is the seventh in the Artistic Director Series and follows previous residences with:

Anna Meredith