Natalie: Her mothers sketch

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In many ways, it was the most unlikely gig I've ever seen. Which isn't so surprising when you consider that, in many ways, Merchant is the most unlikely person ever to sell millions of records.

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At 46, the American singer-songwriter has been performing for more than 30 years, and says that, in terms of her place in the music industry, "I probably feel the way Ella Fitzgerald felt at Woodstock" — an artist out of her time. Yet even in her 20s, Merchant had that quality. Her songs mesh pop, folk and jazz, and she has a reputation for earnestness, with lyrics that address everything from alcoholism to teenage pregnancy to female poverty. She also has a reputation for doing exactly what she wants — and somehow emerging triumphant.

Leave Your Sleep is a case in point. The record began when she had just had her first child, a daughter, at the age of Recovering from a caesarean and spending hours breastfeeding, she experienced a wild rush of energy.

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I felt more connected to other people, but also to the past and future. Literature gives us a window into other people's experiences in other places, in other times, so I thought it would be really interesting to investigate how different people had written about motherhood, and childhood.

She began singing the sketches of the songs to her daughter, and while Merchant's enthusiasm was enormous, the project wasn't exactly welcomed by others. Merchant paid for and co-produced the record herself. It finally came out earlier this year: There is talk of turning the material into a play. People clearly responded to the haunting husk of songs like If No One Ever Marries Me, its lyrics written by year-old Laurence Alma-Tadema in the late s — a girl who did, indeed, never marry.

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They liked the light, lusty jazz of The Janitor's Boy, its lyrics written by Nathalia Crane in the s. Crane published her poems at 10 and was hugely successful, until her reputation faded in her late teens. And they responded to the quirky groove of Bleezer's Ice-cream, a list of "28 divine creations" that include the unpromising but undeniably inventive "cocoa mocha macaroni" and "tapioca smoked baloney". But most of all, I would guess, people responded to Merchant's low, emotional woodwind voice, a sound that can take the happiest lyric and translate it into tears.

She herself thinks she's "a really mediocre singer — what I do well is write", but the audience at the Apollo seemed to disagree with the first half of that statement.

As the performance progressed and she moved to older, more familiar songs, her hair came loose and jacket was shrugged off, hands twirled about her head and hips swung from side to side. By the final song, Kind and Generous, thousands were on their feet. Merchant grew up in a rural part of New York State, the third of four siblings — her parents divorced when she was seven, and she was brought up by her mother.

She "wasn't very sophisticated", she says. The kind of year-old girl who, instead of having a boyfriend, would have a crush on a dead, 19th-century author!

She went to college at 16 — a year or two early — hoping to become a visual artist. One day, she found herself at an open mic in an artist's loft, with a book of songs she'd bought from a charity shop that morning. She wasn't at all confident, she says, but the band that would become 10, Maniacs asked if she'd be their singer; she soon dropped out of college, and was with the group for the next 12 years.

Seven years in, they had their first platinum record and, along the way, Merchant became good friends with the other politically minded artists of the era: But Merchant wasn't entirely comfortable in the band. As the lyricist, she wanted to write "about social issues, social ills. As her star rose, the band's record label suggested changing their name to Natalie Merchant and the 10, Maniacs, "and I begged them to just let me please keep my name for myself".

The label also sent her out on "missions" with stylists, "but they soon fatigued of that, because it was pretty hopeless. One of the first things I learned from my mother was JOY. She was so good, so good at always creating an atmosphere.

We would always clean the house singing and dancing to music, the kitchen was always full of delicious smells and laughter, and she has the best sense of humor, can turn any situation into a laugh. I hope that I am even a little bit like her…. Be nice, be humble, be generous, and the hardest part, accept others as they are, without judgement…with only the rarest exceptions.

My mother taught me the skills I think we all should master: One very important thing I learned from my mom is that being with someone who makes you laugh makes up for almost everything. Times get tough and relationships are hard work, but if you have laughter, you can make it through anything. My parents have been married for 47 years and they still crack each other up.

My mom always told me that I would always be okay as long as I was always doing and being my best. That helps me keep things in perspective, and always hold myself— not others—accountable for my actions.

My mom is an artist. She always told me to try everything. To her, no experience is a waste; you can learn from them all. One of the things I learned from my mum is the disciplined pursuit of less — and sometimes, the benefit in doing nothing at all.

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Never equate it with laziness or lack of ambition. Ma maman… taught me how to be a boss. I watch her lead in work and life with strength and unshakeable determination. She gave me the incredible gift of never questioning the fact that as a woman I could and even had to express my opinions loudly have it all. My mom taught me many things just by leading by example.

You must have patience. My mom taught me everything I know about strength and perseverance. These are wonderful, beautiful, inspiration-full. I lost my mother just over a year ago.

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Oh, to be able to turn back the clock and tell her a million times more how wonderful she was. Because it was never enough. Hug and kiss yours while you can. I miss Her and I love Her so much so much…. I learned so many valuable lessons from my mother.

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