Laura Doggett: Suffering for her art

Singer-songwriter Laura Doggett first came to attention when her song, Old Faces, was chosen to soundtrack ITV's crime drama Broadchurch.

Originally written about Salisbury, where the 21-year-old grew up feeling like an outsider, it perfectly captured the series' suffocating small-town politics.

It also showcased the singer's ground-shaking vocals. Smoky, deep and expressive, they set her apart from the shrill divas that currently populate the charts.

Her new EP, Into The Glass, highlights the range of her writing - from the propulsive electronics of the title track to the stripped back and mournful Beautiful Undone, inspired by the starlings that swarm around the old pier in Brighton.

Speaking to the BBC ahead of a headline slot at Radio 1's Big Weekend Festival, she talks about her frustration with modern pop lyrics, and the injuries she sustained on the set of her latest video.

Into The Glass is an extremely dramatic story about a woman fleeing an abusive relationship, but it's told with such economy. The line "both arms around your neck" tells you everything you need to know. How much work did those lyrics take?

That song's been on a big journey. At first, I was writing it quite romantically - like the arms were thrown around the neck, and then I decided, no, it's more about fighting.

When I play it live, I can't help but put both arms around the mic, quite aggressively.

I love the song because it's post-leaving. It starts when the car leaves the drive and she says, "I'm not coming home tonight".

In hthe video, you run through a window. Was it dangerous?

It was sugar glass, but it was quite scary because it looked just like a real window.

The main thing I had to do was not hesitate - because obviously it's so unusual to run full pelt into a pane of glass!

Did you get any injuries?

Only tiny little ones. A few cuts. They were quite surprised because it's not supposed to [cut]. Everyone was like, 'we're not doing that again' - even though we had two panes in case I messed up.

A lot of people know you now because of Broadchurch. How did it feel when your song was picked for the trailer?

Oh man, it was insane. I was so happy and honoured it fit Broadchurch - because it's about small-town communities. It found its emotional match through a completely different story.

I remember we were sitting around the table at Christmas and it came on TV. I was like [throws hands in the air] "aaaarrrrgh!" That was my first taste of anything like that.

Have you had any other "pinch me" moments?

When I was supporting Years & Years in March, there was a 14-year-old girl at the front, singing all the words to Old Faces. That's the first time that's happened. And for someone to turn up specifically to see me, as a support act, was a really big stepping stone.

Have you always wanted to be a musician?

As soon as I did GCSE music, that's when I realised. I was doing drama and music and I couldn't decide which one I wanted to do. And then it just happened.

I applied for the Brit school and didn't get in, so I moved to Bath for a BTEC in music. It was just what I had to do.

What did you play for your GCSE course?

I played flute, but I was only grade 2. I love the flute, I still have it. But every time I play, people in the house get angry!

Were you studious at school?

Oh absolutely, definitely. I have a thirst for knowledge. Which now I'm really annoyed about - because there's so much I want to learn.

I pretend I have no time, but there's definitely time. I just don't have the drive. Maybe I'll do an Open University course on tour.

Which one?

I think I'd like English Literature.

Do you read a lot?

Absolutely. Books are a really big part of my songwriting. I love The Beach [by Alex Garland] and there's a song on my EP called Eskimo Twist, which is loosely based around it.

What are you reading right now?

At the moment, I'm reading Caitlin Moran's How To Build a Girl. She's hilarious.

You've talked about feminism informing your music. Is Caitlin's book part of that?

Actually, as a 21-year-old, I haven't felt at all oppressed in my life. I'm lucky because people before me have fought all the battles.

But as I grow and learn about the subject, it's true - there's things we don't talk about as women because they're not seen as proper. How do we learn about stereotypes? Where in our lives do we make these decisions? That all feeds into songwriting.

Do you think women write different lyrics to men?

Interesting. I haven't thought about it before - but I'd probably say no.

At the moment, I find a lot of lyrics quite safe, whether they're by men or women. But maybe that's always been the way?

Someone like Tracy Chapman, she stood up and tried to make a social change - but then her biggest song is Baby Can I Hold You Tonight, which is beautifully written but ultimately about a relationship.

You've worked a lot with Matt Johnson, Jamiroquai's pianist. How did that come about?

When I first met my publisher, they were like, "Laura, you're writing poetry to piano... you need melody, so we're going to put you together with Matt".

I was shocked. And terrified. But I went in and played him some of my songs and we changed them together. He's shaped my learning of how to write. So now I can also say, "OK, if I want more people to hear this and like it, I can put a chorus here".

What's the best piece of advice he's given you?

When I was 16 I was angry at a lot of things - how we treat animals and how we treat the planet. I couldn't understand why no-one wanted to talk about these serious things and I had a lot of judgments.

Matt just said, "make observations in your lyrics, not judgments, because nobody wants to be judged." It changed my whole approach to life.

You're headlining the BBC Introducing Stage at Radio 1's Big Weekend on Sunday. Do you know who you're up against?

We're just before Taylor Swift which is amazing. They don't programme anyone at the same time as her - which is a bonus because if I was on against her, there'd be no-one there!

And we're playing with her again at Hyde Park so I'm going to be like, "Hi, remember me?!"

Are you going to shove a copy of your EP under the dressing room door?

Apparently she has heard it - because she approves all of her support acts. So I was jumping up and down when I heard that.

Laura's Into The Glass EP is out now on RCA Records. Her debut album is due later this year, and she plays the BBC Introducing Stage at Radio 1's Big Weekend on Sunday, 24 May.