Enigmatic English singer, songwriter and composer Mica Levi has been hard at work with her Micachu and The Shapes bandmates Raisa Khan and Marc Pell on their third album, Good Sad Happy Bad, out September 11th on Rough Trade. It’s their first album in three years, and is already garnering rave reviews.
In the the interim, Mica kept herself quite busy. She co-wrote and produced an EP for fellow Brit artist Tirzah and she composed the soundtrack to 2014’s indie darling Under The Skin, for which she won Best Composer at the 2014 European Film Awards.
I caught up with Mica to talk about her return to the band and what’s coming next.
AfterEllen.com: How did you find yourself in music?
Mica Levi: Lucky, I suppose. From a young age I’ve been around music because I was raised by musicians.
AE: What has your experience been being an out woman in the international music scene?
ML: I’m not sure I’ve been aware of a difference. There are all sorts of people who end up doing music.
AE: Do you think your sexual identity has shaped your music?
ML: I really don’t know. Not consciously.
AE: What makes this project unique and what different do you get to explore with the Shapes than you do with your composing and other various projects?
ML: Family. It’s more physical and collaborative. Over the years, it’s developed it’s own sound that is shared between us three. We made this record by mistake, in a sense.
AE: Do you have any plans or interest in scoring another feature film?
ML: Yeah, I’d like to do something like that again.
AE: What can we expect from Good Sad Happy Bad?
ML: It’s live recordings with karaoke vocals used like instrumentals, a lot of the songs are motivational but with an understanding to hard romantic moments.
AE: After the album release what comes next for the band?
ML: Tours and music.
AE: Where is your favorite city to play or hear music?
ML: Good question. Glasgow is fun to to play. Pelourinho, Salvador is probably the most musically expressive place I’ve been to.
AE: What’s your current jam?
ML: “Klien” [and the] Sula Bay EP, in general.
AE: What’s one thing we wouldn’t be able to find out about you through an internet lurk?
ML: I have seven sisters.
For more on Mica and the band, visit their website and follow them on Facebook.
