MY FAVOURITE VIEW
Most of the time life is pretty fast-paced for singer/songwriter Katie Melua, but whenever she’s in need of some calm, there is one place she’s always drawn toé
Katie Melua is drawn to the calm waters of The Serpentine
Throughout the seasons, Londoners are drawn to the lake’s beauty
On crisp winter days the Serpentine Lake in Hyde Park is a beautiful sight. I have lived in west London for the past 15 years and regularly jog to the park. At the lido café I usually stop for a coffee – or hot chocolate in winter. It is a moment of quiet contemplation amid the rough and tumble of city life. Across the water most years you can see the park’s Winter Wonderland fairground – a distant note of colour, sadly cancelled this year. Beyond that the rooftops of London townhouses stretch out. All that rich tapestry of life is playing out, yet here at the water’s edge it is peaceful.
Not that the Serpentine is devoid of activity. In all seasons there are brilliant, crazy swimmers who dive into the lido – a part of the lake. It’s great to people watch, surrounded by the cheerful flower boxes of the café – lovely in spring, with cyclamen and snowdrops peeking out. Another of my favourite sights is the swans. The collective noun for the birds is a ‘ballet’, though when they take to the air they put me more in mind of a jumbo jet! I once spent hours watching them, mesmerised by their preening. There seemed to be a meditative quality to all of their work.
That serenity was actually the starting point for my latest album. I am lucky to have what I consider the best job in the world. My career kicked off in 2003 when I was 19, and I had a pretty fast ascent to fame. Watching the swans inspired a return to songwriting in 2019, culminating in Album No 8. Varied influences helped build the collection – I took a writing course with the Faber Academy to hone my lyrics, and drew on jazz, on folk song, on Bob Dylan. But the overall tone owes much to the tranquil notes of Hyde Park, with some songs directly referencing the healing effects of nature, such as Remind Me to Forget.
Life in my industry is frenetic.
You feel the pressure of wanting to produce something worthy of all the promotion. But the satisfaction can be enormous, too. One day I’ll hear a song I wrote drifting over the airways, and it’s joyous. Music is so potent; it can travel with you, even if just in your head, providing a soundtrack as you enjoy the places you love.
For tour dates and downloads, head to katiemelua.com