Imogen Heap’s Capital fans playing key role in latest video

For most, a front row seat to see their favourite singer is about as good as it gets.

But singer-songwriter Imogen Heap has given fans in the Capital an even bigger treat – by taking to the piano in their living rooms to shoot her new video.

The Essex-born songstress – a former member of the duo Frou Frou and best known for tracks including Speeding Cars – also performed at venues including Henderson’s Restaurant.

Heap, 34, put out an appeal on Twitter for fans to feature in the video for You Know Where to Find Me.

She told the Evening News: “In the video, you’re not going to see my face, just the back of me, playing the piano, and I’ve asked people to let me have a look through their wardrobes because I really wanted to embody the person that the piano belongs to.

“The song is written in the first person – it’s a song to a daughter, a husband or brother which says, I’ll be here for you, you know where I am.”

The track is the latest in her fourth solo studio album, due for release early in the new year.

Heap – a Grammy and Ivor Novello award-winning artist who has produced collaborations with Jeff Beck and Sean Lennon – added: “There were a lot of excited people out there on Twitter who couldn’t actually believe I would be coming to their houses.”

The night before filming Heap performed another song from her album at the TED annual conference in the Capital, an event bringing together people from technology, entertainment and design.

Explaining her decision to film the video in Edinburgh, she said: “My mum grew up here and so did my uncle. I only narrowly missed being born here myself, so I really wanted to connect myself with a place that’s very dear to me.”

One of those who welcomed Heap through their doors was Archie MacFarlane, 35, from Newington. “I found out about the project through Twitter, as Imogen had tweeted that she was looking for pianos in Edinburgh. It’s a great idea – most of the ideas Imogen has push the boundaries.”

Johan Wallentin, 48, from Dean Village, who also took part, said: “It’s great to have this opportunity to be part of something.”

NET MOVERS

How other artists have reached out to fans via the web:

n Feeder – Just a Day

A competition on the band’s website invited fans to send in their own videos of themselves miming to the song.

n Graham Coxon – What’ll It Take

Coxon put a video on his website of a man performing moves and instructed fans to send in videos of themselves copying the moves. The films were then inter-cut into the official music video.

n Michael Jackson – Man Behind the Mask

Released posthumously, fans were invited to upload videos of themselves performing certain aspects of the song, including superstar, back up and beatboxer. The material received was then used to create a video “collage” to accompany the song.