Joy Crookes on channelling her roots in music: “This album is a very London thing”

Joy Crookes has discussed how she called upon her own London heritage to inspire the sound of her debut album.

The London singer has released her acclaimed debut album ‘Skin’, a record which sees her reflect on experiences of heartbreak, racial justice and growing up in the capital.

Joy Crookes has also joined  Ted Baker’s Street Party Sessions, a series of bespoke live events in which five artists worked with the fashion brand to design their ideal performance setting to reflect their own inimitable style.

Crookes has previously said her London upbringing is in the record’s DNA – immediately bringing to mind the sounds of the capital that previously shone in albums from The Clash.

“I am a London girl and that doesn’t discredit anywhere else,” she says.

“But it is a melting pot and the whole thing about me not sticking to one genre on this album is a very London thing.

“If you take London Calling by The Clash, there’s so many influences and they only would have got that by fucking around on The Westway and Paul Simon on being from Brixton – the mixture of London that is always there.”

But before that album arrives, there’s the small matter of a prolific collab with Ted Baker on their Virtual Street Party Series – which sees her joining artists such as Bastille, Alicai Harley, Little Simz and Jungle to shine a light on outstanding British talent.

“I love the fact they’re incorporating music into their campaign and it’s nice as an artist when you can just be yourself,” she says.