Imogen Heap

Brit Songstress Imogen Heap

The one-woman wonder performs four dazzlings songs in Rolling Stone's midtown studio

AMANDA TRIMBLE, Rolling Stone

 

Imogen Heap

Photograph by Statia Photography

Brit songstress Imogen Heap was trained as a classical pianist while growing up in Essex, England, but her sound is more electro-pop than chamber music. Her latest album, Speak For Yourself, consists of computer manipulated sounds ranging from her own voice to piano to carpet tubes, layered with electronic beats and Heap's introspective lyrics.

Heap has been releasing beautiful music since her 1998 debut, I Megaphone, but it took a couple of choice TV and film placements to really put her on the musical map. Her breakthrough moment came in 2004, when her song "Let Go" was used as the soundtrack to the emotionally charged final scene in the Zach Braff-directed romantic comedy Garden State. The track, a breathy, swelling love song that sounded tailor-made for the movie's poignant finale, was recorded in 2002 under the moniker Frou Frou -- a one-off electronic music collaboration between Heap and producer Guy Sigsworth (who's worked with Madonna and Bjork).

The music had an impact: not long after the movie's release, producers for the tune-heavy series The O.C. approached Heap about using some of her songs on the show. (Four of her songs have been featured on episodes of the show, including "Goodnight and Go," performed here live for Rolling Stone.)