Voice Notes is a new column where we ask artists how they developed their approach to singing.
For the past nine years, Jehnny Beth has been known as the dynamic, theatrical bandleader of English rock outfit Savages. Together with Gemma Thompson, Ayse Hassan, and Fay Milton, the group has achieved critical acclaim for its British post-punk parallels and live theatrics. . The move isn’t much of a surprise. The French singer’s tender yet ferocious sound and on-stage energy have long captivated audiences.
Beth has also been drawn to French singer Édith Piaf for her trembling vocals, and has found herself channeling the stylings of Verity Susman, vocalist for British group Electrelane. “You wouldn’t know if it was a trumpet, or if it was her voice, and I loved that idea,” says Beth of Susman. On theoff Beth’s solo record, she tries to replicate that same vocal pattern at the end of the track.