Joan Armatrading, BRIT Award and Grammy nominated singer-songwriter, has been a trailblazer in the music industry for decades. Known for her soulful voice and introspective lyrics, she continues to inspire both musicians and listeners alike. However, my interview with her didn’t exactly get off to a smooth start. Amidst the end-of-term rush, I unknowingly gave her not my mobile number, but my mother’s. I had triple-checked — or so I thought.

As the time for the interview approached, I stood on a chair, desperately trying to get a phone signal. At 11:10am, I received a call — not from Joan Armatrading — but from my mum. (Please, feel free to laugh.)

“Ava,” she said, “Why has Joan Armatrading’s assistant just called me?”

“It’s a very different music industry [now], but one thing hasn’t changed: people still make music”

Luckily, Armatrading was kind enough to forgive the blunder of a tearful 19-year-old student, and at last, the interview began — on the correct number.

My initial nervousness quickly faded as I heard Armatrading’s warm voice and laughter. After stumbling through my introduction, I began the inevitable questions.

Q: Joan, in what ways have you changed as a person since you first emerged onto the music scene?

Joan Armatrading: I haven’t changed at all. My ideals, beliefs, and goals — those important things have always been there.

Her straightforward response made me realise that following a script would be pointless in such an intuitive setting.

Q: That seems rare in such an intense industry. Is there a secret to staying so true to yourself?

Joan Armatrading: I keep things simple. I don’t need to complicate my life with unnecessary things. I don’t swear, drink, or smoke. If I say no, I mean no. You can try, but I know what I want.

At that moment, it became abundantly clear that no one, and I mean no one, tells Joan Armatrading what to do.

Q: Is that individuality essential to success? And what do you think are the most important aspects of achieving success in the music industry?

Joan Armatrading: Don’t be delusional. Don’t set yourself goals you can never achieve because you don’t have the capacity to. Know your limits.

Q: Do you think everyone knows their limits? It’s easy to get confused, especially in a high-pressure place like Cambridge, where everyone strives to be limitless.

Joan Armatrading: Most people know their limits, but they often want to impress. You have to stay true to yourself. Don’t push past boundaries if you can’t handle it, just to impress someone else. If you can only walk five miles and feel amazing at the end of it, then do that. Pressure is good, but don’t overstep your limits. Put pressure on yourself within your capacity. Set deadlines. Know what you want—people who don’t know are never satisfied.

Listening to Miss Armatrading was as inspiring as I’d hoped. By now, I had finally shaken off the slight nausea from her unexpected conversation with my mother. Although, considering my mum is a super-fan, it could have been worse.

“I keep things simple […] If I say no, I mean no. You can try, but I know what I want”

Q: Has the music industry changed since you first started? I imagine social media has affected the integrity of the music being created today — and perhaps fuelled a bit of delusion too.

Joan Armatrading: It’s a very different music industry, yes, but one thing hasn’t changed: people still make music. The economics and technology of music production have changed massively. When I started, everyone was very music-oriented. Over time, it became more about economics, less about creativity. People now want to produce mass music. When I bought a record, it cost pounds. Now it costs pence. Back then, you needed a record company. Now, anyone can release their own music. There’s a beauty in that, of course — anyone can make music now. So, I wouldn’t say music is fundamentally different, just new.

“It’s a very different music industry, yes, but one thing hasn’t changed: people still make music”

As we neared the end of my interview, which had practically turned me into an adrenaline junkie, I asked one final, cliché question.

Q: What makes Joan, ‘Joan’?

She laughed and took a moment to consider her response.

Joan Armatrading: My voice, obviously. The subject matter. I write about people, emotions, love, interaction. That’s been the defining theme of my career. To write good music, you need empathy. We’re all different. Take an accident: one person sees it from the left, another from the right — those different perspectives will give us different stories. When I write, I try to see situations from these different perspectives. Love is the most overriding emotion we have. We’re all searching for someone — whether a partner or a friend, we’re all looking for closeness. That’s what makes my music mine. And believe me, I’ll never give up on the music business.

And so, our conversation came to a close. Joan Armatrading’s conviction, her empathy, and her unyielding sense of self made a lasting impression. It was clear that after all these years, she hasn’t just stayed true to herself — she’s remained an inspiration for artists and audiences alike.