Paloma Faith: My six best albums — Nina Simone, Miles Davis and more

MARVIN GAYE: What’s Going On (Motown)

This inspired me to write the album The Architect which is about the demise of community. We live in a generation where people are apolitical and over‑sensitive so it was difficult to start a political conversation without alienating people.

This was the benchmark album for me because he does it in an inclusive and ambiguous way.

NINA SIMONE: Baltimore (Sony)

This conjures up memories of my youth. I was raised by my mum who’s quite a free spirit. She has no rhythm whatsoever but she was so beautiful singing out of time to this. Simone spoke about social/political subjects and was an empowering symbol for a young girl – intelligent and talented.

ERYKAH BADU: Mama’s Gun (Universal/Island)

I’d always loved R&B then the neo-soul movement happened. It was inspiring because it had a depth to it, like the soul I’d grown up listening to. She spoke about issues that appealed to me.

MILES DAVIS: Kind Of Blue (Sony)

My dad was a jazz fanatic and every weekend I’d go to his house and he’d ask me to choose a letter. Then he’d go to that section in his massive vinyl collection.

We always returned to this one. It defined my relationship with my father but I came to understand it in a musical way.

TRACY CHAPMAN: Tracy Chapman (Rhino)

I used to do a lot of road trips with my mum and my stepdad as a kid. We’d often play this. I remember laying on the back seat, feeling the movement of the car and knowing this word for word.

AMY WINEHOUSE: Back To Black (Island)

Amy is almost the thread that ties my musical influences together. She had the right mix of what we love from a bygone era and a contemporary style of writing.

I’ve tried, but she was the only one who could sing about having a kebab and make it sound romantic. She left us with a perfect album.

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