The UK-based singer-songwriter Birdy, who is known internationally for her hits “People Help the People”, and “Skinny Love”, is performing on the first night of the festival. In addition to her older records, she will be enchanting the audience with an acoustic interpretation of her latest album “Portraits”. We had the chance to talk to Birdy about her upcoming performance at Zermatt Unplugged and find out some personal travel habits as well as where the 27-year-old singer draws inspiration for her music.  

 

Birdy, you will be performing at the music festival Zermatt Unplugged, where you’ll be the headline act on the opening night. Why did you decide to perform at this festival, specifically?
When I was told about the festival, it just sounded so magical. Since it’s unplugged, which I really love, it was an opportunity to do something different with the set. What will be special about it is that we’ll have a quartet of string players. The show is going to be cut into three parts: just me and the piano, then the string players, and lastly the band. I’m very much looking forward to playing like that and it being so intimate. Obviously also getting to play in such a beautiful setting – it’s going to be amazing. 

You’re going to be performing in the middle of the Swiss Alps!
Ah, I’m so excited! I’ve never been skiing so I’m hoping I can do that.

How will you be traveling there from the UK? 
I’ll be traveling by plane, but I think some of my band members are taking the train. I heard it’s meant to be one of the most beautiful train journeys in summer.

Let’s play a quick round of “This or That: Travel Edition”. I’ll give you two terms and you choose your preferred one when flying. First, you’ll need to pack your bags. Pack lightly or pack everything you own?
I love packing lightly but I always end up bringing way too much. Just because I always leave it to the last minute, and then I just feel like I must bring it all!

Early morning flight or night flight?
I’m not really a morning person, so I don’t like getting up early. But I prefer flying in daylight, it makes me feel safer for some reason.

Get to the airport super early or barely on time?
I think I do get there early; I’m quite good at that. When it’s a family holiday, that’s when it’s always stressful because everyone is always late. But when it’s for work I’m normally on time. 

Be the first one to board the plane or the last one to board the plane?
Normally the last.

Hand luggage or checked-in bag?
Hand luggage. Just because everything goes more quickly.

Window seat or aisle seat?
Window seat.

Sleep or stay awake?
When we’re touring, we’re always so tired, so we usually just pass out. So, I’d say sleep.

Sweet snacks or salty snacks?
Salty snacks.

Tomato juice or a glass of champagne?
Probably a glass of champagne.

Read a book, watch a movie – and we’re adding a third one here – listen to music?
I probably listen to music the most. Actually, I find flying very inspiring. I think it’s because you’re shut off from everything. There’s something about flying that makes me feel very emotional, I always end up crying when it’s a long-haul flight. Especially when I’m watching a sad movie. It’s something about being up that high, I don’t know why. Do you find that as well?

There really is something almost nostalgic about it.
Yes, it is like that. It’s a good time to write and listen to music. Maybe it also has something to do with going away from home. I find that being away from home always makes a good inspiration for writing, too. 

What are other moments where you find inspiration for your music?
Normally when something big happens in my life, I write about it. But what is kind of witchy is that sometimes I write about it before and don’t realize what I’m writing about. And then this big thing will happen in my life, and then I have the realization. It’s really weird how it’s something you kind of already know in your subconscious a little bit. But I guess what inspires me is my surroundings. I’m really inspired by nature, for instance by where I grew up in the countryside. That shaped the sounds of my early records, myself as a musician and my songwriting.

You like nature, is this reflected in your favorite travel destinations?
Definitely. I love Switzerland, it’s so beautiful and we’ve been there a lot. On my last tour, we played in Lausanne, at the Docks. That was so beautiful, we went swimming that day during spring in Lake Geneva, and it was the coldest swim I’ve ever done in my life! I actually spent a lot of time in Switzerland on my early records. I also found India, specifically Goa and the Andaman Islands to be amazing. I do love a beautiful beach, and just being by the water.

Do you have any oddly specific personal travel habits?
I quite like having my own pillow on the plane and I always do a little prayer before we take off, but I think everybody does that. 

You were discovered quite young, when you were twelve, and you have performed countless times since then. Do you have any rituals that you do right before you go on stage?
Normally, for me, the hardest bit about performing is the talking on stage. I find that difficult. Therefore, I kind of need ten, fifteen minutes where I’m just alone to calm myself and get focused. I’ll shut myself away, and everyone’s always asking me if I’m okay, and I tell them that I’m just doing my ten minutes. After that I can relax because I’m centered and then I’ll just be with the band and have a great time. That’s just the bit that makes me nervous. But once I’m on stage, I absolutely love it. 

Are you not nervous at all anymore, once you’re on stage?
If I haven’t played for a while, then it will take about half of the show to get into it. But if I’ve been doing a tour, I get back into it straight away, which is nice. Now, I haven’t played in a while. But I think at the Zermatt Unplugged, it is going to be such a special show, with so much beauty around there, so I’ll just be amazed by it.