Friday, Aug. 1, 2008

By PHILIP BRASOR

"Made of Bricks," the debut album by Kate Nash, went straight to No. 1 when it was released in the U.K. last year. On the White Stage on Friday afternoon, the 21-year-old singer-songwriter from London was wide-eyed and singing clear as a bell, the better to understand those candid lyrics. She's pretty candid all around.

It's been a busy year for you. What have you learned?

I've learned how to perform differently, how to portray myself differently depending on the circumstances. I used to just sit there and it was really about storytelling — looking people in the eye and making sure they understood. But now I play big gigs and I've had to adjust to that loss of intimacy.

What about the media?

They like nothing better than to put a girl on a pedestal and then knock her off. And they want girls to bitch with each other, because the media's so male. The sexism is still pretty shocking.

What's your impression of the festival?

I haven't had a chance to look around yet. I hope to see some shows. Tomorrow, I'm seeing my boyfriend's band, The Cribs. I also want to see Seasick Steve and, of course, some bands I don't even know. Some Japanese bands, definitely.

Grandmaster Flash By JASON JENKINS	Neon Neon By SIMON BARTZ	CSS By SIMON BARTZ
Tricky By PHILIP BRASOR

We welcome your opinions. Click to send a message to the editor.