Talking Shop: Norah Jones

Norah Jones' debut album is the tenth biggest seller of the noughties

Grammy-winner Norah Jones releases her fourth album studio The Fall today.

Seven years ago, aged 22, Jones burst onto the music scene with her multi-award winning debut album Come Away With Me.

This time around, she is experimenting with a variety of genres and also recently collaborated on a track with hip hop star Q-Tip.

The album was produced by Jacquire King, who has also worked with the likes of Tom Waits and Kings of Leon.

---

You've experimented with several different sounds on this album - were you trying to break with the past?

I felt compelled to do it because the timing felt right. I made some demos of the songs, and I liked them but it didn't sound much different from my last record, sonically. I really wanted to experiment and I knew I'd have to use different people if I wanted to do all that stuff. I hired a great producer to help me get out of my comfort zone.

Do you think this points the way you're going next?

Maybe. I'm trying to take it one album at a time. There's lot of things I want to do but they're all over the place.

Do you feel a lot of pressure to live up to the Grammys you won for your debut album?

It put a lot of pressure on me but I tried to not think about it too much and I still try to not let that pressure in when I'm actually making music, but certainly you feel it. Having made three albums now I feel a lot less pressure and I feel a lot of freedom to just try things out, which is great.

You recently recorded a track with Q Tip - how did that come about?

We had some mutual friends and he wanted me to sing on a song. I've always admired what he does, so I did it and it was fun. We just did a video, which is cute.

In 2007, you starred in My Blueberry Nights with Jude Law - are you planning to pursue acting again?

Not necessarily. It was a great experience, and it was fun, but acting and being in a movie is such a huge time commitment I'm not sure I'm prepared to do it again unless I had a really long period where I didn't want to make music. It's just so time consuming, I'm just lazy I guess.

When they put my record out I had very low expectations, and it was just insane Norah Jones

Your songs have been featured in several TV talent shows, such as Dancing with the Stars in the US - could you ever see yourself being a contestant?

I can't really see myself doing that because it's so public. I'd play a song on that show, I don't know if I'd be able to dance on it though. I like silly Bollywood dancing, I'm not sure if I could do ballroom dancing.

You recently played at an Apple press conference for the launch of iTunes 9. How do you feel about how downloading has taken over from physical music?

I think it's important for people who love music to retain physical CDs or even vinyl, because it sounds so great and so much warmer than music over the internet. You've got to go with the flow. I download stuff from iTunes, when I'm travelling it's the most convenient thing. I hope there are some audiophiles still out there.

What about the problem of illegal downloaders?

I have mixed feelings, because I think it's great for young people who don't have the ability or the money to buy lots of music to be exposed to music, but I definitely agree that you shouldn't be able to just download a bunch of albums for free. I don't know what the right step to take is.

Do you think it's harder for young artists to make it now than it was when you started?

For a young artist to really make it and make money is a lot more difficult these days. I have a friend in New York who's quite well known and she still seems to struggle, and I think it's partly because of the whole downloading thing. You can't make as much money selling records these days.

Did you ever doubt you'd make it?

I had very modest expectations when I first moved to New York. I didn't even expect to get a record deal. When they put my record out I had very low expectations and it was insane - it really baffled me. I didn't even have time for goals yet, I was so young.

Norah Jones was speaking to BBC 6 Music reporter Rodrigo Davies.