#43 Alba Frederick, poet, podcaster, & artist

'If I want to tap into a feeling, music can really help me get into that space'

Alba Frederick is poet, podcaster and visual artist from London. In 2018, she joined the writing collective ‘Invisible Presence’ for British/Latinx writers and has performed in venues across London. In 2021, she released a pamphlet featuring poems and illustrations, and is currently studying a Masters in Creative Writing and Wellbeing.

Where do you write?
In writing workshops, in notebooks, on trains, on my skin, on paper stapled to walls, on notes in my phone, into my voice memo app. 

Editing happens on desks—at home, in my studio, cafes or libraries. 

What can we always find on your desk?
Scraps of paper/post-it notes with poem ideas or quotes that I’ve collected. Leaflets from exhibitions I haven’t been to. 

Morning writer or late-night words?
I prefer the morning or afternoon when my mind feels fresher! But I will work on writing anytime.

Coffee, tea, nibbles?
I went through a stage of tangerines. Generally, I don’t like to have snacks around when I’m writing—they distract me!

What's your most tempting distraction?
WhatsApp. I love connecting with people and sharing photos, thoughts, and sometimes my work in process with loved ones/poet friends.

What's that we hear on the speakers?
It depends on what I need at the time of writing. Sometimes it’s silence. Sometimes music forms part of my process. If I want to tap into a feeling, music can really help me get into that space… So it could be anything from Clint Mansell’s ‘Lux Aeterna’ to Britney’s greatest hits! 

Perfect bookshop to hide in on a rainy day?
I love Waterstones. I used to visit one on Gower Street in London with a coffee shop on the ground floor, and an art gallery and stationary shop in the basement—perfect combo! I also love libraries. They’re so peaceful. There’s no pressure to buy anything, and I love reading the notice board. You never know what treasures you’ll find there!

What's your most treasured book?
100 queer poems [edited by Mary Jean Chan and Andrew McMillan] is one of my current favourites. Such variety and quality in there! And I love the journey the book takes you on if you read it cover to cover. 

Dream writing location?
I have a dream to stay somewhere in Scotland, surrounded by mountains in a room with a window, filled with books and a desk. 

Three writers (dead or alive) to have dinner with?
Mary Jean Chan, Joelle Taylor, and Christina Rossetti. 

One poem that has changed your life:
The Invitation by Oriah Mountain Dreamer. 

Pictures by Ewa Emini.