Cultural Life: Beth Orton

Beth Orton

Music

I love Frank Ocean at the moment. His music sounds like a mixture of R&B and hip-hop, but is also reminiscent of vintage Prince, which is always a good thing. I really enjoy listening to Michael Kiwanuka as well; the songs on his album, Home Again, are just beautiful. I’ve also been rediscovering Laura Nyro and Stoned Soul Picnic.

Books

I’m re-reading London Fields by Martin Amis. My husband is also reading me Proust’s Swann’s Way. He’s got a great voice when reading aloud, like my own personal audiobook. I’m also enjoying Nature and Selected Essays by Ralph Waldo, which is about his thoughts on nature, history and being human.

Television

I don’t actually have a television set plugged in right now, all it would have is four fuzzy channels! But I do have my computer, and I’m obsessed with watching 30 Rock on it. I admit that I watched Downton Abbey while I was having my baby. I found the whole thing brilliantly ridiculous and mind-numbingly stupid, but it was a good story.

Films

My new favourite thing right now is actually the BFI on the South Bank because the screen is so big. I went to see Jack Lemmon in The Apartment there a couple of weeks ago.

Beth Orton will play at Port Eliot Festival, St. Germans, Cornwall (www.porteliotfestival.com) tonight