Polly Paulusma

NEW mum Polly Paulusma suffered agony and ecstasy producing her striking new album.

The songs were written in despair after she suffered two miscarriages.

But the album was recorded in joy when she discovered she was pregnant again...and beautiful baby daughter Valentine was born last winter.

Says Polly: “The writing and recording of an album are two very different parts of the process.

“I wrote the entire album before we knew we were pregnant again and recorded it as the baby grew inside me.

“When I listen to the songs now there is a real tension between the two states of mind I was in.

“I had written it in the absolute plummet of despair but the recording was joyful and I think you can hear a lot of joy in the music.”

The new album - Fingers and Thumbs - is released later this month (June) and marks a major change in Polly’s family life.

“We’ve recently moved to the country which is better for the baby and also easier for me to get around the country on tour,” said Polly.

“I never thought I would leave London and city life.

“It is going to have a big effect on all of us and probably a big impact on the next recording.

“Half our life is still in boxes and I have to rebuild my studio for rehearsals. But I like the rebuilding thing - it’s all part of starting over again.”

Polly stunned London’s acoustic scene with her acclaimed debut album Scissors In My Pocket in 2004.

It came after years of flirting with music - along with potential careers as an academic and a novelist.

The Daily Telegraph described the album as “outstanding...and passionate”.

Says Polly: “After the intensity of the second album I am not sure what is going to inform and inspire the next one.

“It all depends on what happens to me. I have got lots of ideas but I seem to be going through a musical phase at the moment and I am not thinking too much about the words.”

Polly hopes to tour in the US after the album is launched stateside in the early summer.

And she’s on the road again in Italy where her music has really captured the national imagination.

“Of all the places in all the world, for some reason they really get what I do,” said Polly.

“I really have no idea why that is. A couple of songs were used in TV adverts so my music may have entered the Italian national subconscious that way.

“I couldn’t have asked for things to have gone better there which is great because I really love Italy.”

Touring with a young baby poses its own problems...but the Paulusma family has pitched in to help.

“Valentine’s grandmother looked after her on my first tour after she was born,” Polly explained.

“We coined the name Groadie for her - a mix of granny and roadie.

“My husband is in charge of baby on the next tour. I am really lucky to have such a supportive family.”

ends

Copyright: Bernie Saunders, June 2007