[slideshow_deploy id=’17438′]
Whether it’s a styled press photo, an informal session with Glass photographer Justin van Vliet or bathed in mood lighting on stage, this six-piece dream-pop ensemble, fronted by Sophie-Rose Harper, are well-dressed and pretty good to look at. (“We’re very much about the French fashion icons of the ’70s,” Sophie told Glass. “We all share a love for Jane Birken.”) Not surprising then that the band was contacted by Burberry to feature in the Burberry Spark sunglasses campaign – rumour has it Burberry CEO Christopher Bailey really liked their cover of Jeff Buckley’s Lover, You Should’ve Come Over.
A treat for senses both visual and aural, The Night VI are at times retro – as in the ’80s-esque Wonderlust – and always heartfelt, as in the conversational Sienna: “I hope you’re happier with Sienna / I hope you marry her … in an orange grove – the way we always said we would.” Glass caught up with them during a studio songwriting session to talk beginnings, lyrics and past projects.
Bogart, Anna and yourself met when you all went to school at the French Lycée, South Kensington, London together, but you only formed The Night VI much later on with three other members, how did that happen?
Sophie-Rose Harper: We were all playing in separate bands around London, and Jack and I decided to form The Night VI. We were all acquainted with each other because it’s quite a close circuit. We basically hand-picked our favourite people and they liked the music.
Jack Gourlay: Sophie and I met through mutual friends in bands we both know and decided to have a go together.
Were your musical leanings evident in your school days?
Sophie-Rose: Anna was learning classical harp; that was always something she did. Bogart comes from a legacy of musicians, so in his family he’s always been surrounded by music – his parents were kind of pop stars in France. And I’ve always sung, so yeah, it was evident pretty early – like when we were 14 or 15 years old.
Anna Pesquidous: Bogart [Giner]’s parents are Patti Layne who’s Canadian and Cecil Maury who’s French. She’s a singer and he was a singer-songwriter, her career was more successful in the ’80s than his. He then went on to concentrate on music production. They were a stunning couple; you can see where Bogart gets his good looks from.
Your debut single is called Thinking Of You. Are the lyrics (I lay low in my hotel room thinking of you/ When I’m the loneliest I’ve been after a few/ I’m done with being alone) written for anyone in particular?
Sophie-Rose: At the time they were directed at my partner [Mystery Jets guitarist Will Rees] who was touring across the globe; I hadn’t seen him in weeks and weeks and weeks. Jack and I were away writing together and that’s where it came from I guess.
Talk us through the song-writing process of a band with six members.
Sophie-Rose: Jack and I do everything pretty equally; it’s very much a collaboration between the two of us as we don’t write with the others.
Jack Gourlay: Sophie and I generally start from one idea, whether it’s a title or a lyric. Sophie may come in with a few lyrics or an idea written down, and then I’ll get my guitar and we’ll put our headphones on and hit record. We’ll just let it run on record for 40 minutes, and just jam really. I’ll just play and see what comes out. Then we’ll play it back and if there’s something that stands out we’ll work on it more from there. We’ll look at the lyrics together in depth, and really polish them – make them into a story. We’ll keep developing it and when it’s ready we’ll take it to the other four. It’s always a bit of a challenge getting the six of us together so we try and do a lot of preparation before.
Is the genre of music you’re playing now quite similar to the bands you were all in previously.
Sophie: No, not at all, actually; none of them resemble what we’re doing now. None of them were as good [laughs]. We were all growing up – we’re still growing up – but when you start young and you look back at the stuff you wrote when you were 15 or 16, they’re a completely different message and tone. You’re young and naive – and you haven’t experienced love. I’d like that music to be buried and never heard!
What sound are you looking to create with The Night VI?
I don’t think we tend to aim for a sound, as such, but I think the subconscious lets in any influences that we listened to growing up. For Jack it was predominantly Fleetwood Mac and Lindsey Buckingham, and for me I grew up listening to a lot of soul and folk singers such as Joni Mitchell and Aretha Franklin. I think that naturally comes through in the music.
by Natalie Egling
Photographs by Justin van Vliet
Heroine, Sophie’s personal-favourite single, will be released in September
The Night VI is: Sophie-Rose Harper (vocals), Jack Gourlay (guitar), Anna Pesquidous (harp), Bogart Giner (bass), Kristy Buglass (keys) and Bo Morgan (drums)
Sophie at Elite Models Special Bookings