Laura Mvula’s teenage obsessions: ‘I thought a briefcase was the most buff thing ever’

The singer-songwriter recalls the life-changing joy of playing in an orchestra, the beauty of her first braids and being empowered by Eternal

The first orchestra I played in was Birmingham School, a concert orchestra. The first time I played in a symphony orchestra was this powerful, life-changing experience, like the first time I took a plane - you know, when the engine kicks in and you're about to take off? Playing with the brass section behind us and full woodwind, I was blown away by the magnitude of the sound.