Clay is the third full length album by contemporary singer-songwriter Flo Perlin. A Londoner with Iraqi
and Belarusian heritage, Flo Perlin began learning the cello at the age of five, later falling in love with
the guitar when her Colombian teacher Cesar Rodriguez-Duran (the same person who taught Michael
Kiwanuka) introduced her to the world of Bossa Nova, which influenced her own finger picking style.
Combining this experience with a diverse range of influences from artists such as Zero 7, Laura
Marling, Buena Vista Social Club, Suzanne Vega and Erykah Badu, enabled Flo to develop an
accomplished talent, further enhanced by a unique vocal style and ability that is instantly recognisable
– a rare gift in today’s musical landscape.
In addition to the soothing and hypnotic nature of her voice, Flo Perlin is able to create beautifully
crafted, melodic and poetic songs that address common yet complex issues, intertwined with
profound and personal perspectives. In light of this, BBC 6 Music have described her as ‘a true
storyteller’. Clay itself is a metaphor for the human capacity to adapt and adjust to different experiences
and challenges. Just like clay, we mould and change shapes. This album reflects Flo’s personal
experiences of belonging and growth.
Though every song on the album is both deeply impactful and a delight to hear, highlights include
‘Mother Tongue’: Reflecting on feelings of belonging and how even though the language of Flo’s
ancestors was not passed down through generations, she inherited a way of expressing herself through
music, conveying how we as descendants inherit their traits regardless. ‘Friend Of Mine’ explores how
we can be our own best friend or our worst enemy, expressing the importance of being good to the
person you see in the mirror. ‘Part Of Me’ is a song about how our great loves stay within us. From
Flo’s experience of parting ways with a lover, this song articulates the initial feelings in a relationship
of losing a part of yourself. Flo is honoured to have composer Kaidi Akinnibi feature on ‘Part Of Me’. Akinnibi has a multi-faceted outlook on music, as learned from the sounds of Kinetika Bloco, Jazz
Warriors and his explorations in the vibrant UK music scene. This shows in the eclectic variety of
artists he works and writes with, including Tom Misch, Wizkid, Black Midi, Celeste, and many more.
Flo’s previous work has already gained her an international audience, with her single ‘Baghdad’
achieving over 4.4 million streams on Spotify, as well as air time across a whole range of leading radio
stations, including a much discussed live performance and interview on the BBC Radio 2 Folk Show,
not to mention a string of high profile gigs and festivals including Cambridge Folk Festival, Wilderness,
Celtic Connections and Americana Festival, plus shows at The Green Note, Omeara, and EARTH
Hackney.
Now with Clay, Flo Perlin continues her creative journey, presenting her very best work to date as it
is born in to the world, to be enjoyed those who appreciate sincere music of the very highest quality.
