Imogen Heap – The Listening Chair

Imogen Heap’s The Listening Chair is an ever-under-construction song, with an added minute every seven years in Heap’s life. This nearly 6-minute track is included in this year’s release of Sparks, to be released on August 18th.

Here’s The Listening Chair in Imogen’s own words:

I will never live to experience the finished feeling of this song, as it will only be finished when I die!

Every 7 years, another minute is added to the song. From a fill in the blanks lullaby of the first minute to the torment of feeling you’re in the wrong job, relationship and town coming into my mid 30s! 35 when I wrote this, 5 minutes long. Perhaps the next 7 years will be expressing some memories of my own children? I do hope so!

Inspired by the many hundreds who sat in The Listening Chair and shared with me their dreams of a ‘song still to be written’. I wanted to figure out whether there was a common missing song thread people were aching for but instead something more interesting perhaps arose. Roughly each 7 year age group were concerned or wanted to hear a song about similar topics. I resonated most with those my own age at the sudden realisation perhaps I’ve gotten it all wrong!

I settled upon writing the song to connect with all these people through us sharing life experiences over time. I look forward to every 7 years dusting off and bringing out The Listening Chair again, connecting this period in my life and those who shared this journey with me to people in my life when I’m 42, hopefully with kids in tow!

Concept by Imogen Heap
Directed by Alexander Goodman and Imogen Heap
Lighting Designer: Michael Lebor
Production Assistant: Roesja Blok
Set Design: Imogen Heap
Production Assistant: William Goodman
Set Production: Catherine Verna Bentley and Colin Gordon
Production Assistant: Marios Sofos