Trump used my song at a rally .. I was so disgusted I took a spiritual shower
Musician KT Tunstall is set to release the second part of a trilogy of albums. She talks about her inspiration, how adoption impacted her life and why she worries about music being used by politicians for their campaigns
KT Tunstall is quite literally, going places. Due to a scheduling issue, our interview takes place in the back of a taxi en route to the airport where she’s catching a flight to France.
The well-travelled singersongwriter is about to release WAX, the second part of a trilogy of albums exploring the themes of spirit, body and mind – a concept that came to her in an American park.
Tunstall, 43, said: “I didn’t have the idea of making a trilogy until I was on tour with my last record, KIN. I was trying to meditate in a park in Nashville and opened my eyes and had this solid vision that this is what I should do.”
While KIN focused on spirit, WAX sees her take on the body – and she adopts an electric guitar-driven sound.
She said: “KIN was about surviving s*** and coming out stronger. Divorce, my father dying, moving continents and having to start again.
“That’s led to a place where I feel free and want to make rock ‘n’ roll. Electric guitar is the most physical instrument for me.”
Despite the physical theme of WAX, Tunstall insists there’s a more spiritual edge to its lyrics. She said: “It’s all tied into emotions turning into physical problems. The body image stuff is a very superficial part of this record. “We are these transcendent, conscious souls experiencing the physical world and we basically have to drive a meat car. We’re totally fallible.” WAX features the playing of former Ash guitarist Charlotte Hatherley and for her upcoming tour Tunstall will have an all-women band – but acknowledges the next generation of female rock musicians do not have enough role models to pick from. She said: “Women are ruling it in pop and in urban. There are great female artists at the top of the charts regularly. But there is a massive hole when it comes to rock music. “I don’t really know why. It might be that rock isn’t quite as fashionable at the moment. But in my age group there is myself, PJ Harvey and Shirley Manson. They’re a bit older than me and I’m looking around thinking, ‘Where are all the women?’
“There’s got to be role models for kids, for them to think they’d really like to do something.”
Tunstall stops short of supporting initiatives which would see festivals ensuring 50-50 representation on bills.
She said: “I don’t think there is a need to put a number on it. A band should be on a festival line-up because they’re good.
“It’s going to be solved by every single level of the music business supporting female musicians to become successful.
“There’s been a status quo of a massive imbalance of male acts across the board.”
Tunstall’s musical abilities were evident from an early age.
She had been placed for adoption when she was 18 days old and, though her adoptive parents were not musical, they were hugely supportive of her talent. She talks warmly of her adoptive mum and biological mum, saying: “Now I’m older, I have a really good relationship with my biological mum. There is a lot of love.
“It can be difficult, especially as I’m well-known. The Scottish tabloid press were more interested in her than they were in me. We’ve got a very nice relationship and I’m very close to my adoptive mum.
“It’s a beautiful thing to give a kid a great upbringing when they’re in a vulnerable situation.
“For kids, being kept in orphanages or adoption centres until they are two or three, it’s too late.
“I wasn’t going to inherit any hereditary skills from my adoptive parents. Right from the get-go that’s what I was into. I was begging them for a piano when I was four.
“I was like a little Fife Mozart. I got 149 out of 150 on my grade one. I saw my piano teacher and she told me that I brought my colouring book instead of my music to the exam. I just went in and smashed it.”
Tunstall now lives in the US. Her song Suddenly I See was used by Hillary Clinton’s campaign when she ran for President in 2008.
Her music has also been played at an event for the man currently in the White House.
She said: “The difficult thing about someone using your music for their campaign is, what if they become president and start a war? And you’re the anthem?
“Donald Trump apparently used one of my songs at a rally. I’m having a f ****** spiritual shower, absolutely disgusted.
“We work hard to make meaningful art. To have someone commandeer it for a political agenda we vehemently disagree with is not fair at all.”
As our journey ends, I ask Tunstall if she has ever had the chance to thank rapper Nas.
He inadvertently gave her that big break by pulling out of an episode of Later... With Jools Holland in 2004.
She recalled: “Nas’s father was playing trumpet on his single and he got sick. I got a call with 24 hours’ notice asking if I would like to be on.
“Much love to Nas. I should buy him a beer really.”
WAX is out now.
Bands should be on the lineup because they’re good
KT TUNSTALL ON 50:50 REPRESENTATION ON FESTIVAL BILLS