Polly Paulusma

Polly Paulusma
Background information
Birth namePolly Riley-Smith
Also known asHippolyta (Polly) Paulusma
Born (1976-11-10) 10 November 1976 (age 48)
GenresIndie pop
Occupation(s)Singer-songwriter, musician
Instrument(s)Vocals, guitar, piano, keyboards
Years active2004–present
LabelsOne Little Indian Records
Websitehttp://www.pollypaulusma.com
http://www.myspace.com/pollypaulusma

Polly Paulusma /ˈpɔːlzmə/ (born 10 November 1976) is an English singer-songwriter.[1][2]

Career

[edit]

Paulusma's first album, Scissors in my Pocket, was largely recorded and produced by herself at her home.[3] Her second album, Cosmic Rosy Spine Kites (an anagram of the first album's title) features the same tracks, four of which were recorded with a string quartet; the rest at a gig in Manchester, England, where she supported Jamie Cullum.[4] She has supported other artists on tour including; Marianne Faithfull and Coldplay. Paulusma played at the Glastonbury Festival in 2005.[5][6]

In 2004, Paulusma self-produced her first album using her computer.[7] Paulusma and her management used the internet, just as it was becoming widely accessible,[8] and other contemporary methods of distribution to reach a larger audience. Two of Paulusma's tracks, "Over the Hill" and the live version of "She Moves in Secret Ways", were issued as free downloads through Apple's iTunes Store.[9] Paulusma was one of the first musicians to use Myspace, her own website, blogs, and a link to a forum, to connect with them and keep them up-to-date on her touring and recording plans.[10]

Paulusma's third album Fingers and Thumbs was released in the June 2007 with its corresponding sister album Fights and Numbers as an iTunes-only digital download.[11] Paulusma founded a small record label called Wild Sound Recordings Ltd in 2012 and in 2012 released Leaves from the Family Tree with its corresponding sister-album The Small Feat of my Reverie in 2014.[11] Since 2012 Wild Sound has signed nine indie folk artists including Maz O'Connor, Stylusboy, Harry Harris, Matthew The Oxx, Dan Wilde and Mortal Tides.[12]

Paulusma teaches Cambridge English undergraduates in Practical Criticism as part of the English Tripos.[13][14] Paulusma is a postgraduate CHASE scholar at the University of East Anglia where she is researching the influence of traditional folksong on the writings of the British novelist Angela Carter.[15][16]

Critical acclaim

[edit]

In 2004, The Guardian described Paulusma on Scissors in My Pocket as, "a voice capable of some unexpected twists".[7] Rolling Stone said Scissors in My Pocket was “an enchanting debut of understated, intelligent folk pop”.[17] Uncut suggested Paulusma could be "a worthy successor" to Joni Mitchell.[18] In 2012, Space City Rock reviewed Leaves From The Family Tree, stating, "this could be a huge album".[19] In 2021, For Folk's Sake reviewed Invisible Music: folk songs that influenced Angela Carter, calling it "a literary, clever, erudite, elegantly crafted offering from Polly Paulusma".[20] In 2022, Folking called Paulusma's The Pivot On Which The World Turns "a record that has an immense heartbeat with an eternal pulse".[21]

Personal life

[edit]

Paulusma is the daughter of medieval historian Jonathan Riley-Smith.[1][22]

Paulusma's first son was born on 10 November 2006 (coincidentally Polly's own birthday) and her second son was born on 1 August 2008.[23]

Paulusma and her husband, Mick Paulusma,[23] lived in the thinnest home in London for 12 years.[24] Located in Battersea, the 7-foot-7-inch-wide (2.31 m) home was where Paulusma recorded her first album Scissors in my Pocket and the demos for Fingers & Thumbs.[25] Since 2010, the couple has lived in Cambridge, England.[23]

Discography

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b Coleman, Nick (8 June 2007). "Cultureshock". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 27 July 2012.
  2. ^ "Music Biography". AllMusic. Retrieved 27 July 2012.
  3. ^ Cowen, Nick (12 May 2004). "No clone of voice". The Daily Telegraph. London. Retrieved 27 July 2012.
  4. ^ Sullivan, Caroline (9 March 2004). "Polly Paulusma". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 5 March 2023.
  5. ^ "2005 Glastonbury first round line-up announced · News ⟋ RA". Resident Advisor. Retrieved 5 March 2023.
  6. ^ New Releases Now | Polly Paulusma, The Pivot On Which The World Turns…, retrieved 5 March 2023
  7. ^ a b Sweeting, Adam (23 April 2004). "Polly Paulusma, Scissors in my Pocket". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 5 March 2023.
  8. ^ "Yes, 2022 is already the worst. So let's revisit the '00s DIY club scene known as 'bloghouse'". Los Angeles Times. 6 January 2022. Retrieved 5 March 2023.
  9. ^ "Free iTunes 2005". MacRumors Forums. 28 December 2004. Retrieved 5 March 2023.
  10. ^ "The Year of the Music Blog". NPR. 2009.
  11. ^ a b "Polly Paulusma's latest sister-album is out on 10th Feb - Rock Club UK". www.therockclubuk.com. Retrieved 5 March 2023.
  12. ^ "Wild Sound allies with Proper on distribution | Complete Music Update". Retrieved 5 March 2023.
  13. ^ Anonymous (14 August 2018). "Polly Paulusma". www.ice.cam.ac.uk. Retrieved 5 March 2023.
  14. ^ "Where do the songs come from? Polly Paulusma in interview". Three Monkeys Online Magazine. 1 January 2005. Retrieved 5 March 2023.
  15. ^ "Hippolyta Paulusma". www.uea.ac.uk. Retrieved 5 March 2023.
  16. ^ Spencer, Neil (10 April 2021). "Invisible Music by Polly Paulusma review – a vibrant celebration of Angela Carter the folkie". The Observer. ISSN 0029-7712. Retrieved 5 March 2023.
  17. ^ "Special Issue: 50th Anniversary of Rock, 50 Moments That Changed the History of Rock & Roll". Rolling Stone Magazine. No. 951. 24 June 2004.
  18. ^ a b Uncut (31 March 2004). "Polly Paulusma - Scissors In My Pocket". UNCUT. Retrieved 5 March 2023.
  19. ^ a b "SPACE CITY ROCK » Polly Paulusma, Leaves From The Family Tree". Retrieved 5 March 2023.
  20. ^ Budworth, Quentin (29 April 2021). "Album | Polly Paulusma – Invisible Music – For Folk's Sake". Retrieved 5 March 2023.
  21. ^ a b c "POLLY PAULUSMA–The Pivot On Which The World Turns (Wild Sound)". Folking.com. 5 October 2022. Retrieved 5 March 2023.
  22. ^ "Professor Jonathan Riley-Smith". The Times. ISSN 0140-0460. Retrieved 5 March 2023.
  23. ^ a b c "The Secret Lives of Lecturers: Polly Paulusma on teaching Shakespeare and playing Glastonbury". Varsity Online. Retrieved 5 March 2023.
  24. ^ Hewitson, Jessie. "Slim pickings". The Times. ISSN 0140-0460. Retrieved 5 March 2023.
  25. ^ "Through the keyhole: The places we call home". The Independent. London. Archived from the original on 27 August 2007. Retrieved 1 May 2020.
  26. ^ "Record of the Day - In tune. Informed. Indispensable". www.recordoftheday.com. Retrieved 5 March 2023.
  27. ^ "Cosmic Rosy Spine Kites (2005), by Polly Paulusma". Polly Paulusma. Retrieved 5 March 2023.
  28. ^ "Polly Paulusma - Fingers & Thumbs". Life. Retrieved 5 March 2023.
  29. ^ "ORGAN THING: A rather fine first taste of Polly Paulusma's forthcoming collection of traditional folk songs gracefully recrafted…". THE ORGAN. 26 February 2021. Retrieved 5 March 2023.
  30. ^ "Discography". discogs. Retrieved 27 July 2012.
  31. ^ "Polly Paulusma - The Small Feat of My Reverie". Folk Radio UK. 28 July 2014. Retrieved 5 March 2023.
  32. ^ "Dry Cleaning, Taylor Swift and more: April's best album reviews". the Guardian. Retrieved 5 March 2023.
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