Trixie Whitley back doing what she does best (Includes interview)

Born in Ghent in 1987, Trixie Whitley left Belgium with her mother at the age of one and moved to New York City where her father, acclaimed recording artist Chris Whitley, was based. Active in music from a very early age, Trixie featured on four of her dad’s albums before his untimely death (from lung cancer) in 2005.

Porta Bohemica was released in October last year and is Trixie’s second full-length album (her first, Fourth Corner, came out in 2013). A year and a half in the making, the record is a pleasing combination of musical genres – topped off by the singer’s haunting voice – laying bare her considerable talents as a thoughtful, heart-on-the-sleeve songwriter.

“I saw a ‘Porta Bohemica’ sign years ago and thought it was quite fascinating,” explains the 28 year old, who put out her first solo effort – an EP entitled Strong Blood – in 2008, revealing where the name for the album came from. I always liked it as a possible title for something further down the line.

“As I was working on the record, I looked it up and discovered it was this abandoned train line which sparked something mysterious in my imagination and resonated with me regarding the process.”

Trixie Whitley: ‘Porta Bohemica’

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“I knew I was on a journey not knowing where I would end up and fully embraced that aspect of it,” she continues. “From the beginning of the process, my intention was to allow myself to fully understand and listen to my own instincts – which is much easier said than done and ultimately can only come from a sense of trust and confidence. That in itself demanded a lot of vulnerability and fearlessness to be able to create as openly as I possibly could.”

The standout tracks for me among the nine on offer are “Salt,” “Closer” and “The Visitor” (Ms. Whitley cites “Salt,” “Eliza’s Smile” and “Soft Spoken Words” as hers) and as she will soon begin a worldwide tour – starting in Boston on March 3 – I wondered what fans can expect to see and hear on this jaunt and whether there are any countries not previously included on her tour itinerary where she would one day like to appear.

“Fans can expect a diverse set with a pretty dark and moody sound, more so than in the past,” replies the ambitious entertainer, who lists Nick Cave, Thom York, Brian Eno and PJ Harvey as artists with whom she would love to collaborate.

“I’m playing drums again on these upcoming tours and performing more with just a mic as well while being supported by my fellow bandmates. I’d love to perform most anywhere where I haven’t yet: Ireland, Sweden, South America, etc.”

Porta Bohemica is out now and can be purchased from iTunes.

For more information on Trixie Whitley, visit her official website.