Jo Whiley makes some noise for Mencap

Islington had one more reason to attend church before the holidays. Believers and non-believers alike gathered at the Union Chapel for a special lady (other than Mary): BBC Radio 1’s Jo Whiley. The songstress is the face of Little Noise Sessions, an annual acoustic gig fundraising event for the charity Mencap. This year’s sessions took place from 16-25 November. First Pint contributor Soo Kim had an exclusive backstage moment with the award-winning host.

“Good God, your hands are so cold!” she says with motherly concern as her hands reach mine for a handshake. Growing up with a disabled sister, this maternal instinct developed early on. Whiley’s sister Frances was born with Cri du chat syndrome, a genetic disorder that made Frances prone to obsessive behaviour and temper tantrums and left her with no sense of danger.

Life with Frances was “eventful,” she smiles. “Every child has accidents that happen to them growing up, but Frances probably had more than most.” She was in and out of the hospital every time she hurt herself.

Whiley recalls several moments of great sisterly bonding. The pair took frequent bus trips to the record store in town and created radio music shows using their father’s recorder.

Years later, Frances is still a huge pop music fan, enjoying the likes of Will Young and Newton Faulkner. Her sister became the reason for Whiley’s close-to-heart involvement in Mencap, known as “the voice of learning disability.” “I’ve grown up with people with disabilities all my life, all of Frances’ friends. So I’m naturally inclined to help people like that.”

Their shared love of music is what brought the Radio 1 DJ to Little Noise Sessions. She couldn’t have asked for a better place to stage these intimate gigs. “I don’t think we could ever do it anywhere else because so many musicians want to play at the Union Chapel now.” This seemingly plain church building boasts a ceiling modeled after the Sistine chapel and features beautifully lit arches, all providing the perfect acoustics for a live music set.

Little Noise Sessions has received annual buzz since 2006. Its star-studded past lineup has included the likes of U2, Chris Martin, Noel Gallagher, The Killers and Snow Patrol, to name a few.

This year’s sessions were a powerhouse in themselves, featuring David Gray, Mika, Alexandra Burke, Corinne Bailey Rae, Florence and the Machine and many others. Spanish guitar duo Rodrigo y Gabriela brought the church down with their racing, powerful Latin beats.

Whiley brings up-and-coming talents to the sessions each year as well. This year’s “not-to-be-missed” new artists included Erik Hassle, a soul-singing rocker from Sweden, and the quirky and sweet Golden Silvers.

Despite the demanding years of coping with Frances, Whiley isn’t phased at all and hasn’t lost her twinkling smile. As she says, “Everyone has something they’ve got to deal with in life, and Frances is just mine I guess.”