Music

A heap of talent

Imogen Heap is a Grammy nominee whose songs have helped set the mood in big movies and TV shows.

By TIMES WIRES
Published February 5, 2007

NEW YORK -- If Imogen Heap were as widely known as her music, she would be a household name.

Heap's dreamy, computerized songs have been prominently featured in the film The Chronicles of Narnia and on TV on CSI, Six Feet Under and The O.C. But the 27-year-old musician and singer-songwriter hasn't gotten a lot of mainstream exposure herself.

Though the self-produced Brit has been in the business for more than 10 years and had indie success as part of the duo Frou Frou with the 2002 song Breathe In, the name Imogen Heap is unknown to many music fans whose knowledge revolves around pop hits and commercial radio. Her Grammy nomination for best new artist might change that - at least a bit. She's also nominated for her song Can't Take It In from Narnia.

Why do you think you've had so much success in TV and film?

It's not all over the place on radio, and when people are looking for things that are kind of interesting and exciting for their film, which is new, or their TV program, which is new, they don't necessarily want something that is constantly on the radio. ... So it kind of works in my favor that I'm not 24-7 on the radio, if at all (chuckles). Another reason is that I can do it all in my studio, and get things together pretty quickly.

Were you always comfortable being outside the mainstream?

Obviously, you pour your heart and soul into a record, and it's always nice to hear that it's going well on the radio because it means that you're reaching people that may or may not like it but at least they get the choice. It's the easy way to get to people if you can get it, but it's very difficult to get in the first place. ... It's almost impossible. So I have to really rely on things like film or TV. But it's not because I want to be famous or because I want to sell lots of records and I want to be on the radio, but I want people to have the choice to hear it, because then they can make their own decisions.

Were you surprised at your best new artist nomination?

I had heard that I was on the ballot form, which every single band on the planet is on, and I just felt like, there's no way. But I know that certainly within the music scene and the art scene and the film scene ... I am quite well known ... so I think that's why perhaps I'm there.

Watch it

The Grammy Awards

The 49th annual show is Sunday at 8 p.m. on WTSP-Ch. 10.

[Last modified February 5, 2007, 11:56:19]