Favourite film?
I just saw The Florida Project and I recommend that highly. It's centred on a motel in which residents stay long-term, and pay for the room as if it's rent. It's quite a simple tale about a young girl and her mum, who's also quite young, and they don't have much money at all. Not much happens, but you're gripped from start to finished because it's beautifully written and really genuine. The child actor is Brooklynn Prince, and she's incredible in it, maybe the best I've ever seen. Generally, though, I like a good western.
Social media account
I recommend removing social media from phones at least. I’ve deleted mine. These days there’s so much stuff that I don’t really care about and don’t need to see, when I could be out in a park or even just looking around instead. It was worrying me, all the time I was killing. So I take a book with me now, and I read that, or I write in a notebook. Obviously, I want to keep in touch with everyone, but if I need to post, I’ll turn on my laptop and then turn it off. Plus my mum is so on Twitter that if something comes up I need to read, she texts me to let me know I need to get back to them. It’s easy when I have my mum as my social media manager.
Podcast
My friends Jordan Rakei, Tom Misch, Barney Artist and Alfa Mist have a podcast together called Are We Live, where they just talk shit. It's not because they're friends of mine that I like it; just listening to it makes you feel like you're part of the group. Also Romesh Ranganathan's got one called Hip Hop Saved My Life. There's a good episode with Jehst, who's one of my favourite rappers. And you can check out my episode if you really want to.
Gadget
A pen. It’s the gadget that’s still the most useful to me. I write down anything that pops into my head, but there’s a load of other uses too. I could use it to protect myself if someone tries to rob me, or as a zipline if I need to get out of a building quick.
Photographer
Alex Webb has a book called The Suffering of Light, and I'm a big fan. He's a street photographer and takes wicked photos. I'd sound like a fool if I tried to explain his talent in words, but they're brilliant.
Restaurant
I recently went out for a very special person’s birthday, I took her to a Greek restaurant in Primrose Hill in London called Lemonia. It’s like being on holiday in Greece and going out for dinner in an old town. The people there are so friendly, and the food is wicked and quick. I’ve been trying to eat less meat and I haven’t had lamb for a year, but I had the lamb kleftiko. I couldn’t not. It was like butter; it just melted in my mouth. I always feel guilty when I eat lamb. I hate the fact that they’re young; it breaks my heart.
City
I love Sydney and Melbourne equally. The people there are friendlier than they are in London, and it’s as far away as possible from London, which makes it even better. It’s quieter, the food’s good and the people like to drink. They have Guinness out there too, which I was surprised about. But I’ve been promised the best pint of Guinness in Dingle, so we’ll see.
In conversation with Shilpa Ganatra
- Loyle Carner plays Other Voices in Dingle this weekend
