Touring again across the U.S. has been a long time coming for Arlo Parks, but the wait is finally over.
The British singer-songwriter has already performed a number of shows on the West Coast and described the experience as “cathartic” after having to scrap U.S. dates on her last tour, in September 2022, due to burnout.
“Even from a physical standpoint, being able to run and shout and thrash on the guitar and jump down during ‘Caroline’ and sing with people has been cathartic,” she said in a phone interview. “There’s also such a big sense of catharsis from having these songs that I made in the studio with friends in an intimate space becoming so much bigger than me and bigger than those rooms.”
The British artist brings her “My Soft Machine” tour to Atlanta’s Heaven at the Masquerade on March 20. The tour is in support of her critically acclaimed sophomore album of the same name, which was released last May.
Credit: Alexandra Waespi
Credit: Alexandra Waespi
Parks’ debut album “Collapsed in Sunbeams” was a critical success, winning the 2021 Mercury Prize, awarded for the best album released by a musical act from the United Kingdom or Ireland.
It was undoubtedly a tough act to follow. However, the artist instead frames “My Soft Machine” simply as the capturing of a moment in time.
“Records are important and they are time capsules but they are one of many,” Parks said. “This next step felt important but all I had to do was capture where I was at in my life now, and that alleviated some of the pressure. I had to think about the things that I wanted to tell now — not looking back and not looking forward.
“That separated me from the sense of needing to outdo success or needing this record to do something in particular,” she continued, “I just wanted to make something that felt as good as possible and beautiful and true.”
Parks’ songwriting paints an intimate portrait of her life experiences in such a visceral way that you can almost see the scene unfolding before your eyes. Discussing her songwriting process, the artist said she likes to write about precious moments such love immediately to “bottle that lightning.”
However, she acknowledged that more complicated feelings take longer to process and put into lyrics. “When it is something that is a little more complicated and long-standing or something that I’ve been healing from for a while, then I have to sit with it for a bit. I have to allow myself some distance from it before putting it into words.”
Following the release of “My Soft Machine,” Parks also released her debut book, “The Magic Border.” It’s a collection of original poems, song lyrics and photographs that give the reader intimate insight into Parks and the creative process that shaped the album.
Though her music contains strong poetic elements, the artist said that composing poetry is a much more revealing process than songwriting.
“The form of a song is a bit more restrictive because there is this sense of wanting to distill what can sometimes be a massive feeling into one line in the chorus,” said Parks. “In poetry, I have more of a fluid approach. There’s space to leave those ideas vast and unstructured. But in songs, I feel like I have to boil it down to its essence.”
Parks believes that art should exist “on the edge of risk and comfort.” Certainly, her work thrives in that liminal space between the two extremes.
“It’s about moving into new ground,” Parks said. “So much of it is about adventure and feeling like I’m learning and growing and pushing myself. It’s about getting over the fear of making mistakes. Especially as I’m lucky enough to do this all day, every day, then I feel like part of my duty as a creative is to be constantly questing in that way.”
Credit: Ryan Fleisher
Credit: Ryan Fleisher
The rawness and fearlessness that Parks shares in her songwriting has created fan bases around the world who feel a powerful connection to the artist, especially during her concerts.
That was clear when Parks made her Atlanta debut at the Shaky Knees festival in October 2021, performing songs from “Collapsed in Sunbeams.”
“Parks commanded the stage from a platform right in front of the monitors, clearly enjoying the experience,” the AJC reported. “Her dreamy pop/R&B mix blended perfectly with the fall sunshine. . . . Judging by the crowd’s reaction and familiarity with her music, Parks will hopefully make a return visit to the city in short order.”
Now, with “My Soft Machine” out for nearly a year, fans have had time to live with the album and, for many, the meaning of the songs has only deepened.
“As soon as songs are out in the world, they take on a life of their own,” Parks said. “I think that’s the best thing about releasing music, it becomes more vast and multifaceted than it did when I was writing them.”
At 23, the British singer-songwriter already has had experiences that have been invaluable to her development as a performer, most notably when she supported acts such as Harry Styles and Billie Eilish on tour.
“It was a baptism of fire,” Parks said. “To be able to command a space like that definitely teaches you how to be yourself but also project that energy outwards.
“Harry [Styles] plays with a band and it feels so natural and organic and all about the music,” she added. “Seeing him do that inspired me and helped me craft my showmanship as well.”
CONCERT PREVIEW
Arlo Parks
March 20. Doors open at 7 p.m. $30.50 plus fees. Heaven at the Masquerade, 50 Lower Alabama Street, #110, Atlanta. www.masqueradeatlanta.com
