In a UK-only event, Kazuo Ishiguro’s “The Summer We Crossed Europe in the Rain: Lyrics for Stacey Kent” was launched by the Southbank Centre and Faber Members to honour the marriage of literature and music. The evening celebrated the 17-year partnership between the Nobel Laureate and well-known jazz singer Stacey Kent with musical performances and talks. The event is a part of the Southbank Centre’s Literature and Spoken Word Spring Season, which runs from March to June 2024.
Ahead of the festival, Southbank Centre’s head of literature and spoken word, Ted Hodgkinson, said: “This programme offers unique events interweaving spoken word and music, alongside talks illuminating the historical underpinnings of the present and uplifting storytelling about experiences which are often underrepresented in literature.”
The Kazuo Ishiguro – Stacey Kent partnership
Since 2007, Ishiguro has been crafting lyrics for Kent, brought to life with music by Jim Tomlinson. The trio’s pieces examine love, longing, and the fleeting beauty of travel. The published collection featured breathtaking graphics by Bianca Bagnarelli, an artist for The New Yorker, and provided a unique window into their collaborative process.
“She has the ability to mix melancholy, sadness with hope and courage… My more recent books perhaps have a little bit more hope in them.”
Kazuo Ishiguro
Ishiguro gave details about how his love of music has shaped his narrative in a conversation with journalist Samira Ahmed. “My more recent books perhaps have a little bit more hope in them,” he reflected, praising the unique mix of melancholy and optimism in Kent’s voice that inspired his writing. This interaction of emotions has become a hallmark of their songs, offering a distinctive blend of literary and musical artistry. He credited this change to Kent’s uncommon ability to express sadness without becoming resentful—a characteristic that sets her apart in the jazz vocal lineage.
Discussing the influence of specific songs on his novels, Ishiguro revealed how George Gershwin’s “They Can’t Take That Away from Me” resonated with him, leading to themes explored in his novel “Never Let Me Go.” “It was one of the few instances when I had a particular line, a particular emotion that I was aiming for all the way through the book,” Ishiguro recounted.
Kent spoke about the collaboration, saying the three artists were in sync from the beginning: “We find a way to sing our way out of disaster. So when Kazuo Ishiguro, this novelist whose work I loved, picked [the song] “They Can’t Take That Away From Me”… I gravitated.”
Collaboration, influence, and evolution
The writer then touched on the subtle relationship between his songwriting and novel-writing processes, noting how collaborations, particularly in music, demand a different creative approach. He discussed his engagement with film and other media, talking about the adaptability of his storytelling across different formats.
Ishiguro uses song lyrics and cinematic references to demonstrate his exploration of emotional landscapes. One such example is Tom Waits’ “Ruby’s Arms,” which inspired a crucial change in “The Remains of the Day.” The way many artistic mediums interact substantiates Ishiguro’s conviction that storytelling—whether it be in the form of songs, novels, or screenplays—can change people. The film version of the Booker Prize-winning novel starred Anthony Hopkins and Emma Thompson, and was nominated for eight Academy Awards.
“I feel sometimes that with a particular story, if somebody said, ‘You’re not allowed to write it as fiction on the page,’ I wouldn’t just say, ‘That’s the end of that’. I would say ‘In that case, I’ll see if I can do it in a song or in a film.'”
Kazuo Ishiguro
Addressing the influence of the Nobel Prize, Ishiguro remarked, “I like to think it hasn’t changed the way I approach my work.” He spoke about the importance of remaining grounded, avoiding the pitfalls of the ‘Nobel genius syndrome’ that can lead to overreaching beyond one’s expertise.
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The discussion also ventured into Ishiguro’s approach to his book titles, revealing a playful yet profound selection method, aiming for titles that resonate on multiple levels. He said: “Good titles have to serve a double function. I think they have to have a shop window function. So that you think ‘What a cool title’. But the other function is that when the person is reading the book, watching a film, or listening to a song, something falls into place.”
Questions from the audience prompted reflections on the parallels between jazz improvisation and novel writing, the impact of travel on artistic expression, and the potential for exploring new media. Ishiguro shared his multidisciplinary approach and explained the difference between solo creation and collaborative efforts.
The evening concluded with contemplations on travel, not merely as a physical act but as a deeply ingrained metaphor for life’s journey. The discussion offered a rare glimpse into the symbiotic relationship between words and music, between individual creation and collaborative artistry, resonating with a broader understanding of human experience and artistic expression.
You can watch Salman Rushdie live for free here between April 21st and Apr 28th from 2.30pm. He will share his survival story and talk about his new book “Knife” via the Southbank Centre’s livestream page.