The Way I Work... Arlo Parks
In our series where we look at the things, places and people that inspire a creative’s working life, Funmi Fetto meets singer-songwriter Arlo Parks
London-based musician Arlo Parks has many accolades to her name for music: Best New Artist at the Brits in 2021; Mercury Prize Album of the Year for her debut Collapsed In Sunbeams; and two Grammy nominations, to name a few. This month, she takes a new direction, turning her lyrical talents to poetry with the release of her first collection: The Magic Border. She sits down with Service95 to discuss the inspirations behind this new book, what’s on her working playlist and the most unforgettable trip she’s ever taken.
On Her Working Day… I’ll wake up at around 9.30AM, stretch, drink an enormous glass of water and make a strong coffee with whole milk. Sometimes I’ll go to an intense HIIT class to shock my body into motion and sometimes I just potter around checking on my plants. The beginning of the day is admin, emails and calls at the kitchen table. I’ll have a podcast on, usually On Being or Pam’s early morning show on NTS Radio – I can’t stand silence. Then I’ll drive to the studio and dig into the meat of the work at about 1PM.
On What Inspired Her To Write The Magic Border… I imagined personifying the idea of healing – begging for them to come towards you, to give you relief.
On Her Working Rituals… I’m constantly in motion, so there’s rarely consistency to where I work. I tend to jot down ideas when I’m on a plane – the space for boredom that travelling allows for is crucial for me. And I write lyrics in my garden or by the ocean; I need that sense of feeling peaceful and small. I like to be surrounded by art books and to create a cocoon wherever I am – that sense of being warm and in a little magic space.
On Her Working Soundtrack… I always listen to music when I work – or when I do anything, really. When I’m writing lyrics, I’ll listen to anything that gives me space to think – Komachi by Meitei, Debut by Björk or Calico by Ryan Beatty. In the studio, I’ll have a soup of songs that I want to collage from. Recently, it has been Can’t Hide Love – Live at the Jazz Cafe, London/1995 by D’Angelo and The Hillbillies by Baby Keem and Kendrick Lamar. Music makes me feel happy, comfortable, grounded and inspired – I feel in touch with my essence when I’m listening to music.
On Her Work Uniform… Black scuffed Eytys boots, oversized Yohji Yamamoto shorts, a distressed black band tee – usually Nine Inch Nails, Black Sabbath or Radiohead – and a black Porter-Yoshida & Co. tote bag. Black makes me feel so strong; it’s a shield but it’s also expressive – I feel rooted wherever I am. I also always wear my sapphire rings that my sweet friend Bleue Burnham made for me and the bunny pendant my partner gave me. Those feel like protective lucky charms.
On Her Signature Scent… I’m a huge Diptyque fan. My signature scent is Orphéon – it’s jasmine, cedar and juniper berries. Whenever I’m in the studio I burn their candles, either Feu de Bois, Essence of J.G. or Oud. The room will be thick with the smell of leather, wood fires and sandalwood. Curating the smell of a space makes it feel sacred – I want it to feel like a cathedral.
On The Places That Inspire Her… The Akigawa Valley just outside Tokyo, Big Bear Lake in Southern California, the Welsh countryside and the streets of Barcelona. A trip that will always stick with me is exploring Japan and South Korea with my best friend Daniyel and my partner. We wandered through Tokyo at night through the fluorescence, ate ramen at Ichiran, went wild swimming… It was just so cleansing and exciting and I was with my favourite people in the world.
On The Creatives She Admires… I admire Yves Klein for his commitment to colour, minimalism and the void. I love Annie Ernaux for her courage and her ability to move people with the most economical use of language. Cheryl Dunye is hugely inspiring for her commitment to shining a spotlight on the Black lesbian experience. I admire Issa Rae for highlighting the multifaceted quality of Black friendship and humour.
On Her Favourite Artwork… It’s a photograph of Kurt Cobain, cigarette in hand, chipped nail polish, sunglasses on, scrubbing his teeth with his fingers. It was taken by Jesse Frohman months before he died. There’s something mischievous about it but also deeply sad.
On Her Favourite Instagram Accounts… @Tiwa_select – an art platform started by Alex Tieghi-Walker. I just find his curation fascinating. @puppy_pillow is a collector of folksy little trinkets. @orfayo does doodles of passing thoughts and everyday philosophy. And @i_d magazine for all things culture.
On The Best Career Advice… Do what you find unbearable not to do.
And The Worst… You’ll care less and less about each record you make.
The Magic Border is out now
Funmi Fetto is a contributing editor at British Vogue, a columnist at the Observer Newspaper and the former Global Editorial Director of Service95
