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INTERVIEW
Little Boots first waltzed into the spotlight back in 2009 when the debut album Hands came out with hit songs like New In Town and Remedy ranking in the U.K.'s top twenties charts. Over a decade later, the electropop starlet has three albums under her belt and a new one underway, coming to us next month. We catch up with the English artist on her upcoming solo endeavours and what to expect with her latest launch.
You were born and raised in Lancashire. Can you tell us how this region influenced your musical aspirations?
I grew up in Blackpool which was very much a showbiz town traditionally so I think that had an effect. Even when I was very young I was in pantomimes and as a teenager, I joined lots of local bands and groups. It's a very down to earth place which has helped keep me grounded, although I found the opportunities for music there limiting and eventually moved to Leeds then London.
When did you first realise music was your calling?
I went to ballet lessons when I was around five years old and quickly realised I wasn’t very good, but I did love the old man who used to play the piano for us and I asked my mum for lessons. I’ve been playing ever since.
You were the lead singer of Dead Disco before you went solo. What were your most memorable gigs during this time?
Hmm, it's all quite blurry! I remember driving us at all hours of the night to play Club NME shows in places like Stoke, we had to carry all our own gear and were never treated particularly well… but I think it's all part of earning your musician stripes.
We had to carry all our own gear and were never treated particularly well… but I think it's all part of earning your musician stripes.
How did you come up with the name Little Boots?
It was a nickname from a friend as I am pretty tiny and have very small feet, it just stuck.
When "New In Town" and "Remedy" came out, they were smash hits. How did it feel when you first found out they were on the charts?
Again this is all fairly blurry, it was all quite surreal and happened very quickly. The pressure was intense and I knew there was a lot of expectation on the record so really it was almost a relief when some of the songs broke the top 10, but then when they didn’t stay there it was a big disappointment! In hindsight, it's all part of the rollercoaster of the music industry and I’m proud of what those early songs achieved.
You've got three albums under your belt and a fourth one that's coming out next month. Can you share with us what to expect with the new songs and what were your inspirations?
The new album is very much a return to my roots, it's a DIY disco-pop record at its heart which I think is what people always loved about me from the first record, so it's nice to return to that feeling but with a better sense of ownership and who I am as an artist. It's a nostalgic record in many ways but also future-facing. I really tried to put the songwriting at the heart of it and wrote most of it from the piano. It's also the first record I’ve totally produced myself which is something I’m proud of.
Who are your musical influences?
Obviously, ABBA is a big influence, I love 70s songwriters like Carol King, Elton John, The Beegees…
And finally, what are your top five tips for aspiring singers, and why?
I don’t really consider myself a singer so I’m probably not the person to ask! Singing is just something I did to get songs written. But I guess you need to be driven and determined, be prepared to admit when things aren’t working and learn from your mistakes, be as authentic as possible, find what is unique about your own voice/you as an artist, also you need to have a bit of a business brain. These days I think you need to learn that side of things as much as your craft.
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