If a band can’t play ‘live’ live, at least playing at Peter Gabriel’s studio is a decent alternative. That’s what Babeheaven figured as they filmed a live performance video at Real World Studios.
In My Arms is the fourth single from Babeheaven’s debut record, Home For Now.
Chantal Adams’ footage of the West London duo made up of Nancy Andersen and Jamie Travis comes hot on the heels of a Babeheaven video that was nominated for a UK Music Video Award. Margaret Bowman filmed Cassette Beat on 35mm at Andersen’s grandmother’s cottage in Sussex.
Family is important to both band members’ musical development more fundamentally too. Andersen’s father was a commercial jingle writer and Travis’ dad founded Rough Trade Records. The children of these musical men first met aged 13 and then, as adults, found themselves collaborating more and more, encouraging them to form the band.
Like every touring band, Babeheaven has been impacted by COVID-19, but not exclusively negatively. Andersen explained: “As a person of colour and a plus-size woman, I’ve never felt that comfortable with myself as a performer. Over lockdown I’ve had a lot more time to think about how I want to be perceived on stage.”
“It’s been really valuable to work on remembering that I’m on that stage for a reason, particularly as a person of colour. I think it’s important for an alternative band to be fronted by somebody you wouldn’t normally see – I don’t need to be over-sexualised, or our music to be put into a box of R&B, just because of my skin or body type.”
Babeheaven’s debut album, Home For Now, is out on November 20, 2020. All being well, they’re due to play Village Underground in London on February 23, 2020, followed by a European tour in April 2021.