Death and relationships

Virginia "Gin" Wigmore talks to VICKI ANDERSON about her access to kittens on demand, why she's not "marriage material" and her fascination with death on debut album Holy Smoke.

Speaking shortly before a performance supporting David Gray in front of a sold-out venue packed with Australians, Wigmore, who has called Sydney home for the last three years, is delightfully genuine.

"I'm just trying to hold back the f...ing nerves from leaping out of my throat. David Gray! He's one of my heroes. I'm pretty f...ing scared right now."

Wigmore's father died when she was 16 and on the strength of her EP, dedicated to him, which includes the award-winning song Hallelujah and her double Tui award-winning collaboration with Smashproof on the hit single Brother, she was signed in the United States by Motown Records.

This led the 23-year-old to Los Angeles and the chance to record Holy Smoke at Capitol Records, where the likes of the Beatles and Brian Wilson recorded classics.

Her backing band?

None other than Ryan Adams and the Cardinals.

"My A&R guy from Island Records was staying in the same apartment block as the Cardinals and got to know Ryan and eventually he gave him some of my demos and said 'do you want to be Gin's backing band?' and they were like 'yeah, f . .ing awesome'. Now we're so tight."

Wigmore describes recording earlier this year as "old- school", done in single takes.

"It was quite last minute, really. It came together fast but right up to the last minute. I finished the last song the day before we went into the studio. Usually a first album has old songs on it but I'm really glad this one is all fresh. It's all what's on my mind over the past six to eight months."

And what's on her mind is people, death and relationships: not necessarily in that order.

"I've been through a f...ing bad break-up recently. Apparently I'm not marriage material. He claimed that I'm too much of a rock star. One of the things he said was that he wouldn't find me attractive if I got another tattoo. So I thought f . . you and got my half-sleeve tattoo finished.

"You can't deny who you are, can you? Anyone who doesn't accept you for you isn't worth knowing. Break-ups still suck though."

A recent headline - Addicted to Death - has the star laughing.

"I wouldn't say addicted, more that I've been thinking about it. Death is one thing humans are scared of. I find that interesting. I've been consumed by it, I guess, over the past six months. I like the shapes of crosses, skulls, the shape of skeletons - that's a tattoo I have. I'm not a girly girl.

"I took love songs and twisted it on its head and imagined it from the perspective of a ghost. One of the songs on the album is called Dying Day. I know I'm only 23 but I think about where I'll go when I die.

"It came from a dark place but some of the sounds are throwbacks to the likes of Buddy Holly."

This leads to a morbid-sounding, but actually light-hearted and thought-provoking, discussion on songs to be played at our funerals.

Wigmore's is Don't Stop Me Now by Queen while mine is Flash of Light by US group Crocodiles.

"You have to think about it and put it out there," she laughs, "Or some great aunt will play something dreary you couldn't stand.

"Death is ever present. Because of what happened to Dad . . . I think I am just quite intrigued."

Having gotten on so famously with her, the Cardinals are flying to join Wigmore for performances in Australia and a one- off show at the Powerstation in Auckland in November.

"I hope to come down to the South Island and do a few shows over New Year's Eve and early next year."

She plans to move to Los Angeles next year for 12 months, for her album's US release. "I've got itchy feet now, I need to go there while I've got all this energy and I'm pumped up."

Her life has changed since the last time we spoke.

Then, Wigmore was walking around a Sydney park filled with glue sniffers trying to find somewhere to sit down. These days she has her own army of helpers.

"It's crazy. I have people who make sure my beer is topped up and cool, that I have incense and fairy lights wherever I go. I recently had to do an interview with Rolling Stone magazine. I was very nervous about it and my project co- ordinator - I have a project co-ordinator - said 'I'll bring out some kittens, that will relax you'. Kittens!

"I ended up sitting out in Los Angeles eating raspberry frozen yoghurts and playing with six kittens my project co- ordinator brought in especially for me and the girl from Rolling Stone to play with," she says,

"I must tell my project co-ordinator that I'm more of a dog person."

Holy Smoke is out on Monday through Universal.

Gin Wigmore is a New Zealand singer/songwriter from Devonport, currently based in Sydney

Her song Hallelujah, about her pain at her father's death when she was 16, saw her beat 11,000 songwriters from 77 countries to win the US-based International Songwriting Competition in 2004

Hallelujah also featured in the season six finale of One Tree Hill

Her collaboration with Smashproof, the single Brother, picked up Tuis for Best Music Video and Highest Selling NZ Single

- © Fairfax NZ News