We speak to Scarlett Johansson
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Orange was lucky enough to get the first UK interview with top Hollywood actress Scarlett Johansson to talk about her new album of Tom Waits covers, Anywhere I Lay My Head...
What inspired you to record this album?
Scarlett Johansson: I got presented with the idea of doing an album, with no strings attached – I had complete creative control. I love to sing and I am a vocalist, but I am not a musician. It's not like I have a stash of songs the world needed to hear, but I will do an album of standards. I felt like I could re-imagine these songs: I'm a huge fan of Tom Waits and thought it would be interesting. The fact that I was a 23-year-old woman would open a whole new perspective.
Was singing in the karaoke scene in Lost In Translation anything to do with you wanting to do this?
Scarlett Johansson: Not really. I kind of sing that badly, to be drunk in the bar. It's not like it was my debut moment and the record labels are going to be listening! They were just like, sing it off-key, kinda casual. Its more for me, I always wanted to do this. When I was a kid I wanted to do musical theatre and stuff like that, I always loved to sing, but since I went through puberty my live musical ambition went out of the window. I always assumed I would do something maybe related to music in film someday, but I never thought, “I can’t wait to record my debut album”.
What was it like working with David Bowie?
Scarlett Johansson: I had seen him a couple of nights before I left for Louisiana [where the album was recorded], he was interested in the concept of the album and everything, and he knew I was working with [producer and TV On The Radio guitarist] Dave Sitek. I mentioned Dave Sitek and I jokingly said, “If you ever come down...”
A couple of months later I was working in Spain and Dave called me and he was like, “So your never gonna guess who I have got in the studio”. It's funny, we were like, “How can we get Bowie down here? Wouldn't that be great?” Sure enough, he sent off rough mixes and Bowie was like really into it. He had written out pieces [he wanted to sing on]. He leant his voice like an instrument to the album, it’s a huge dream for me. I just think its awesome that he's such an incredible supporter of up-and-coming musicians. I think it’s so cool how he is so enthusiastic about it.
What do you think of British music?
Scarlett Johansson: I love lots of British music, from you know Pink Floyd on. You guys seem to keep producing some pretty cool music. Of course there is a music scene in New York and Baltimore, and music comes out of all different parts of the States including stuff from the South like Kings Of Leon.
Are you a fan?
Scarlett Johansson: I do like Kings of Leon. I've always liked them. I'm excited to hear their new stuff – I'm happy to hear how their sound is progressing. It's like they're growing up with their music. It's always like that with young songwriters, you kind of experience their lives with them, as they graduate college and you see them find love. It's nice to have that relationship with a band, like with Dylan, I feel like we have witnessed his whole life.
Picture: PA Photos
