Photo: WENN
Paloma Faith has spoken out about her left-wing political beliefs in a new interview, saying too many musicians are "sheepish about saying anything."
The singer has brought left-wing Guardian columnist Owen Jones as her support act on her current UK tour, asking him to deliver a speech between her support act and her own set on social injustice, the NHS and the tendency of the right to blame their problems on immigration.
Speaking to The Guardian ahead of her Brighton gig, Faith said: "I was raised to be politically aware. As a child, still in my pushchair, I was taken on every anti-Thatcher march going, practically every weekend. And my mum is a staunch feminist who brought me up with the confidence to have a voice, to believe it could count, unlike what’s going on in society now, with people thinking their voice is insignificant, so they don’t do anything."
She added, "I was with a journalist the other day and he said: 'Do you think you’ve become more political?' I said: 'No, I was biding my time until my voice would be heard.'"
The singer also suggested that the media are afraid to ask her about her political opinions, saying, "It’s strange how the media previously avoided asking about my views. I’ve always been very open about them, but whenever I went on a chat show or whatever, nobody would ask. Also, as a woman, you often get criticised in the media. I get messages all the time going: 'Don’t mix politics with music.' I’m like, what bloody planet are you living on?"
She went on to criticise the amount of rock bands who are too afraid to give their opinions on politics: "The NME tried to interview me once about my opinions, at a festival. There were loads of rock bands there, but everyone was sheepish about saying anything. I remember saying to them: 'If the NME have got to interview me, a fucking pop star, then we’re all fucked.' They asked if they could put that on their website and my label said no, because they were afraid. You can print that."
Paloma Faith's UK tour continues tomorrow night (19 March) in Birmingham, before continuing on to Glasgow, Leeds, Nottingham and Liverpool. See remaining tour dates, and buy tickets, below.
Thu March 19 2015 - BIRMINGHAM NIA
Fri March 20 2015 - GLASGOW SSE Hydro
Sat March 21 2015 - LEEDS first direct Arena
Mon March 23 2015 - NOTTINGHAM Capital FM Arena
Tue March 24 2015 - LIVERPOOL Echo Arena
Wed March 25 2015 - LONDON O2 Arena
