I’ve developed a girlie crush.  I’ve only recently discovered Paloma Faith since she started promoting her ‘A Perfect Contradiction’ album, but now I’ve seen her interviewed a few times I think she is the perfect Poster Girl for authenticity (if that isn’t an oxymoron).  Smart, sassy, and a complete original.  The proverbial breath of fresh air, in a balmy sea breeze kind of way, how can you not love her?

“I think what makes me different from the Average Joe

is that I feel free to be myself and express myself

in the way that I want.

If that makes you mad, we’re living in a world of dire straits.

If anything it makes you more sane.”

 

~ Paloma Faith

 

Conforming simply isn’t an option for Paloma.  As she explained with a shrug to Paul O’Grady, it’s just so much easier to be herself, it means she doesn’t have to worry about what she is saying.  Art without the artifice.

I was going to say being authentic comes naturally to her then realised how daft that is.  Being authentic comes naturally to us all.  It’s the layers of learned behaviour and insecurities that screw us up. 

“Once you accept that we’re all imperfect,

it’s the most liberating thing in the world.

Then you can go around making mistakes

and saying the wrong thing and tripping over in the street

and all that and not feel worried.”

 

~ Paloma Faith