East London music artists: Vanity Fairy interview
My evening with London musician Vanity Fairy (real name Daisy) started as a disaster. As I was about to board the overground, I realised I’d left my phone at home and had to go back to get it, making me over 30 minutes late. We had planned to meet at The Mildmay Club due to its sparkly dance hall, but on arrival were told they were in the middle of commercial filming and the only place we could take photos was the garishly lit Members Bar with everybody staring. We then decided to try Bar Dona, cue a 20 minute trundle to Stoke Newington high street. It’s a cool mezcal bar with incredible red velvet interiors but alas there was a jazz night on, rendering photo taking tricky. Luckily, their sparkly entrance saved the day and we picked up the rest of the interview at a nearby pub.
Daisy has a fantastic energy, from her amazing handmade outfits to unwavering kindness, she has all the makings of disco icon, without the diva attitude. A very enjoyable evening despite the hiccups. Read the interview below and follow Daisy to find out about her latest shows.
Tell us a bit about yourself.
I’m Daisy. I recently moved to East London from Suffolk. I’ve been performing as Vanity Fairy for four years. My brother co-writes and co-produces the music with me.
People who come to my shows tend to describe the music as ‘fun and joyous’. Once a lady came up to me after a show and said ‘your music should be described on the NHS’ which was so lovely. I love bringing happiness to people through music.
70s and 80s disco divas have been very influential in my musical journey. Artists like Womack and Womack, Diana Ross, Sylvester and Sister Sledge.
What do you like and dislike about East London?
London is the polar opposite of where I grew up - a tiny, quiet village in the countryside with nothing going on, and the nearest city a 40 minute drive away. The city can feel very overwhelming as a result. Sometimes it’s a bit much. So many people. I miss being in nature. The peace, the fresh air. But on the flip side, it’s so nice to be here.
There’s so much going on. Being able to see my friends and playing music at the drop of a hat is brilliant. I love the music venues, the cafes, the art scene, the fancy greengrocers - I like to window shop in those.
Which London artists are you most excited about right now?
I really like Jessica Winter - she’s what I’d describe as ‘kitsch art pop’. She’s wonderful, her songs are so catchy. Really interesting production. Also Warmduscher, Opus Kink and Mermaid Chunky are all fantastic.
What does a day in East London look like?
Although I play music and love to see friends perform, I’m generally more of a day person than a night person. On a day in East London, you’ll find me exploring different cafes. I love WAVE (We are vegan everything).
I spend most of my free time going to gigs. The Windmill in Brixton and The George Tavern in Whitechapel are my favourite music venues.
Finally, what would you be doing if you wern’t making music?
I’d have Vanity Fairy as a fashion brand. In a Halsten-esque / Zhandra Rhodes style. Sequin-laden, glittery, kaftans. Based in London, but delivered to the world!
Learning to sew is on my bucket list but at the moment my friends hand make all my stage outfits. I go shopping and pick the fabrics, give friends a rough idea of the style and then they turn them into stage-worthy garments
Listen to Vanity Fairy
