Dress Sister Jane / Boots Stylist’s own

I read that last year, you were studying at a university in Brighton, working on your music career and balancing a hospitality job. That sounds like a lot.

It was quite intense. It was a lot of hard work and commuting because I was going to London a lot to work on my music and write demos, and then I was coming back, working night shifts and then also trying to do my degree at the same time. So, it was a lot, but then it all paid off when I finally graduated and then did music full-time, so it kind of all fell into place. I’m glad that I did it.

What did you study?

I did Music Business and Media.

You released your debut single, “Trampoline,” over a year ago now. Had you finished with your degree at that point?

No, I was still studying. Yeah, it was April 2025 I put that out. So yeah, still finishing my degree then.

Were you always confident to lead with that song? 

Yeah, I think from the moment I made it, it was a really special song for me. And I’d been working on demos for a few months prior. And as soon as I did this one, I was like, okay, this is the one. I just felt like it kind of summed me up and who I was as an artist. It was clear. 

Dress Paolina Russo / Boots Stylist’s own

Your follow up release, “My Endeavour,” did even better and remains your most popular to date. What is it about that song that you believe clicked?

I think it’s just because it’s very authentic and it’s just a bit strange. I don’t really know many other songs that sound like it, and I kind of just went super weird with it and just let myself fully express all my ideas. At first we weren’t sure if we were going to use that one, and then it just kind of got a bit addictive, and everyone kind of thought that it was kind of a brave one to put out. But I guess people like it just because it’s weird and it’s different.

I watched an early interview from when you supported Nieve Ella. You explained touring was a very new concept for you. Since then, you’ve headlined your own tour, supported Erin LeCount and performed at Reading and Leeds. How do you feel about performing now?

Yeah, I’m a lot better. And back then I was terrified to perform. I would get really shaky before. I was really nervous, just because I cared so much. But now I actually really love it and look forward to it. It’s one of my favourite parts of being an artist. I think once you do it a few times, you just get used to how it feels. And, you know, everyone in the crowd is there to have a good time and to listen to your music. So I’ve kind of got rid of the fear for now, unless I probably would still be super nervous if I did a big show. But yeah, I really love it.

Top Stylist’s archive / Capris Sourtai

How much live experience did you have before you began releasing professionally?

Basically nothing. I never did busking or open mics or anything. I sang a little bit at school. Sometimes I would do the school gig nights, but I just kept myself in this shell because I didn’t want to put myself out there. And once I stopped holding myself back, I really just found it addictive and loved it.

One of my favourite songs from you is “I’d Do Anything,” which takes on a more electronic approach. Has going out on tour influenced that slight shift?

No, not really. That one is actually tricky to navigate live because obviously it’s super electronic and I play with a real band. And it sounds different live, but it is kind of cool to have that different version when it’s live. But yeah, I do really love that song.

Your latest single, “Magnetic Love,” feels like the perfect song to release as summer comes to an end.

Exactly, yeah. It’s just a super fun, romantic, whimsical, quirky song, and it’s just about having a crush on someone and wanting to have a summer fling with them. It’s nothing too serious, but yeah, it’s just a super fun kind of end-of-summer pop song. We have made a music video which has that whole aesthetic, the kind of end of summer and the romance and driving in a convertible. Super excited for that.

Full outfit via Azura Archive

Your second EP is coming out soon. How is the other material sounding?

I’ve actually been working on finishing up a few things for the rest of the EP this week. There’s three more tracks to come out on this EP and they all kind of complement the other songs I’ve put out in different ways. I have one that’s a bit more emotional, one that has a bit of the electronic element to it, and one that is kind of a bit crazy like “My Endeavour.” One of them is a very weird song, which I’m hoping people like as well.

When do you hope to release it?

I’m hoping it will be out in November, but we don’t have the set date yet.

The artwork for your debut EP and its singles were all drawings by you. For the singles from the upcoming EP, the art direction has you appearing on all of them in the form of a collage. Has this been intentional?

Yeah, so I love creating art and I wanted to do something different for my second EP. Obviously, I did draw the ones for my first EP, but I just wanted to try something different. I’ve done collages for this EP and I just wanted to push myself and challenge myself to try out different styles. But I definitely can see myself in the future trying out another style. And I think that’s something I want to do for each project, is do a different style of art. So yeah, changing it up each time, but always creating them myself.

Do you remember the first song you wrote?

I have been writing songs since I was actually a young child. My mum found this piece of paper of a song that I wrote to her when I was five. And it was just a cute little song like, “Mum, I love you.” And I’d written chorus, verse, bridge. It’s crazy. I must have been writing songs since then. But properly, I think I wrote my first proper song on the guitar when I was 12.

Top Stylist’s archive / Capris Sourtai

You must have archived recordings from throughout the years.

I have loads. I was always recording myself when I was younger in the early 2010s. I had a little iPad and I used to always sing and film myself, but I wasn’t as good then.

You must have songs you are purposely saving for when you choose to release your debut album?

My files are exploding. I have maybe 100 songs hidden in my files because I’m just always creating them. And there are definitely a few on there already that I want to put on my album. So, it is hard to choose between songs when you love them all for different reasons. But that’s the whole fun of selecting them, I guess, and putting them all together.

Do you ever suffer with writer’s block or are you finding inspiration to write constantly?

Yeah, honestly, I kind of am creative all the time, and it kind of just comes to me unintentionally. Like, a song will pop into my head, or something will inspire me and I’ll write a song about it. I don’t necessarily sit down like, right, I need to think about a song and I need to write a song. I kind of just have all of these ideas banked and random things in daily life inspire me all the time.

Do you hope to write for other artists too?

I would love to write for other artists. I think there’s a real quality in writing for other people because you can detach yourself from the lyrics. So I definitely would love to explore doing that in the future. At the moment I’m focusing on my project, but I definitely could see myself doing that.

Dress Paolina Russo

Is it easier to write songs from someone else’s perspective?

Yeah, I would say that a lot of them aren’t because I like to write from the perspectives of characters and situations and movies and put myself in those shoes. But I’m challenging myself a lot more recently to write from my own perspective because that’s truly the way to write a song that comes from the heart, I think. One of my songs is the perspective of a mermaid or an astronaut, a fairy, things like that.

And lastly, can fans expect you back on tour soon?

It’s in the works. We don’t have anything fully planned yet, but I’m super excited to tour. I really want to go to Berlin. I have a lot of fans in Germany, and I’m really hoping I can do a show there next year. And I also have some exciting support shows coming up that I can’t say yet, but next year I’m doing some really exciting support shows.

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