Detroit native Heather Greene is like so many American musicians today—famous in Europe. So far, that is. But she's making waves everywhere from Berlin to Edinburgh, so we caught up with her at Joe's Pub in NYC, where she was debuting her new material live here for the first time. Accompanied by the Tosca String Quartet (who, may we add, are quite the indie darlings this month—they joined Voxtrot on stage last week), and are the same four women who lent their strings to Heather's first album, Five Dollar Dress. Heather's delicate, haunting voice has been compared to Norah Jones and Corinne Bailey Rae, but her full, lush sound is all her own. Pulse sat her down for a chat after the set.

You worked with the Tosca String Quartet on your debut album. How did you meet them originally?
We became friends through a gentleman by the name of Stephen Barber. He's this amazing string arranger, and he became a friend of mine because he was doing some work in New York with a guitarist named Chris Whitley. Chris and I used to sit at the same café together. When I was doing my record Stephen was just like, "Listen, I have these girls down in Texas and I think they'd be amazing on your record." I went and bartended a million more shifts and saved the money and put them on the record. Three years later, they show up and say, "We're going to be in New York the same time you are, what do you think about doing a show together?" I was like, "We have to."

You're working on a new record in Scotland—how's that going?
The new stuff's a little more poppy. We took this pretty, lush sound and added more electronic elements. Moving more into Morcheeba, Air. It's still me, but it's fresh. A little more European because I've been based there for a while. More London-like. I feel like this record will address, like many singer-songwriters do, relationships, but the full spectrum from beginning to end. First meeting, first falling in love, falling apart, getting back together again. In Scotland, I just start thinking about life in more detail. I was given a 100-year-old piano by a guy down the street and I play on that in the morning—it's been really amazing.

What's living in Europe like? The buzz for you there is growing big-time.
There's been a really nice response there. Cities like Berlin are starting to sell out really big shows. We did the Paris Blue Note festival, we just did three shows in London; the BBC has been really supportive. I'm based in Edinburgh now, but I can fly to Paris for $50. Berlin is less than $200 and you're there. That sort of thing, it's just crazy. It's like a kid in a candy store if you like to travel.

You're big into DIY—albums, tours. How do you make that work?
I love the DIY thing. I feel good that the first record was completely on my own, and I'm doing it again because, I don't know, it's just nice to be free. It's longer and it's harder and it's a lot of tears, but I know in the end it'll be worth it.

Stay tuned for more info on her new album, and check out Five Dollar Dress here!

- Robin Monheit

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