For Crying Out Loud Issue #38

We can’t get enough of VV Brown

By Leah Urbom
Published: December 1st, 2008 | 12:00am

At the age of 24, Londoner Vanessa “VV” Brown has already managed to write an incredible story. She constructed her first song on piano at age five, spending her childhood making music with family or in church. Leaving college behind to pursue musical dreams in Los Angeles, Brown mistakenly wound up on a major label at 19 — providing backup vocals for the first Pussycat Dolls album.

Understandably disillusioned (“I lost my identity, my voice, everything”), she sold her keyboard to fund a return flight and ended up broke and back home by age 22.

Discovering an old guitar at a charity shop one day, Brown snapped it up — and snapped off five strings, since she doesn’t play chords. This, her one-stringed guitar with nail polish fret marks, was the tool used to compose the whip-smart song that landed her a contract with Island Records, “Crying Blood.” With deceptively upbeat melodies backing high-concept pop, the single (released to UK markets in November) also mixes swing, soul, and a wash of Phil Spector — all illustrated on the brightly spunky music video that appears destined for an Apple ad.

The singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist cites a slew of inspirations, including asshole boyfriends, old jazz, Aretha Franklin, the Stones, Queen — even the Super Mario Land theme. Brown refers to her music as “doo-wop indie” or “musical mashed potatoes,” but says, “I can’t really explain what my style is. It’s just me, really. And that goes for my shoes, too.”

At the moment, Brown is content making music and living with family in London. Remarkably centered, she declares, “I just want a simple life — with extraordinary music in it.” Well said, VV! Check out Brown’s new single, “Crying Blood,” and keep a lookout for debut, Travelling Like the Light, jitterbugging its way to stateside record stores next year.