Photography by Ben Moss
Shoreditch is renowned for its elaborate and eccentric nightlife during midday; however it’s merely the smell of coffee that brings the streets to life at 12:00pm. Situated in the epicentre of Shoreditch, ‘The Elbow Room’ awakens gradually as the pool players slowly come in for a weekend game and perhaps a drink or two, for midday merriment. The lights are dim; the precise amount of activity was taking place. The bar, not too busy, but busy enough and the regular Shoreditch collective, one of which dressed as a Guinness pint fired up for a wild day ahead. It became clear the day was only commencing.
Geneva Lane enters in coherent Shoreditch fashion, comfortably dressed in an oversized cardigan already fit to settle her throne as Elbow Rooms Pool Queen. She perches herself on the pool table, as we get ready for her interview. It becomes palpable that she is indeed a free spirit - the playful kind - to be precise. As soon as she laid her eyes on the pool table and the balls set for playing, my senses instantaneously knew those balls would not be formed neatly in a triangle for too long! She tells the all too familiar anecdote of London Transport complications before we fire into a conversation about the grounds of music and most importantly her music.
Photography by Ben Moss
Identified for being a quarter of Belle Amie - a girl-band compiled on the infamous vocal talent show X-Factor, Geneva has decided to combat the music industry as a solo artist, bringing forth her sound to the platter.
Pocketing a litany of musical influence beginning from her fathers influence of the blues and soul to her own penchant for RnB, to which she admits trying to imitate as a young girl. It is this culmination of influence that impinges her “quirky” sound. She states that her music derives from her own experience directly connecting to young girls. However Geneva elaborates that her music has a certain depth that will appeal to the more mature listener. Collaborating with artists is paramount in today’s music climate, so when I asked which artist she would most love to collaborate with she replied with “I Would love to collaborate with Ed Sheeren, but I think everyone would love to collaborate with Ed Sheeren. He’s an amazing musician and a brilliant lyricist and I think we’d make beautiful music”.
A lady full of wit and cheerful charm is reflective through her debut single “Karma”. Her vocal prowess expresses a feisty woman in this track, yet a softer sound on the acoustics balances this out. She conducts herself as a musician/artist who relishes the stage, “every show is most memorable to me, every single show, every single person I meet is most memorable to me” It is this instant connection from the stage to the audience alongside her generous attributes that will propel Geneva into a whole new pool table, into a whole new ballgame.
Follow Geneva on Twitter: @GenevaLane
Written by Kimberly Ranola | Filmed by Ben Moss & Clippz | Edited by: Clippz