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INTERVIEW
Pixie Lott is a name that stands out in pop culture. Known for her incredible vocals and distinctive style, she has evolved continuously over her decades-long career. Since selling 1.6 million copies of her 2009 debut album Turn It Up, Pixie has notched up three UK No.1 tracks, sold in excess of four million singles, secured four BRIT nominations, won 2 MTV EMA Awards, all while collaborating with the likes of Stevie Wonder, Pusha T, Jason Derulo and Lionel Richie. Not only that, she has fronted campaigns for Dolce & Gabbana, performed at Fendi’s Paris Fashion Week, judged The Voice Kids, appeared as a guest judge on The X Factor and more.
Summer 2024 saw the release of her fourth studio album, Encino. A top 10 album in the UK independent charts, Encino is packed full of autobiographical songs of romance, family and nostalgia, and sees Pixie taking control of her career for the first time. In this interview with CSP Times, Pixie reveals more about her music career thus far, her new album Encino, her go-to fashion brands and top tips for aspiring musicians.
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
You started your music career at an early age – from 15 years old. What has been your proudest career moment to date?
One of my favourite things was my Crazy Cats tour, going around the UK and meeting everyone for the first time who had been supporting me and my music. I felt the same when I when I visited other territories and countries for the first time, because you don’t realise the support until you go to those towns and those countries. Meeting Crazy Cats on the tour around the world when I was travelling and doing promo for my first album meant the absolute world to me.
Who were your musical inspirations growing up?
Growing up, I listen to all the big singers they taught me how to sing, which were Mariah, Celine. I love all the big singers like Aretha, Stevie Wonder. I also love Britney and Christina because they were super young and they were out there living their dream, and for me as a young girl seeing that, it was super inspiring and it gave me the push. It was like Wow, if other young girls are out there doing it, then it’s possible for anyone. So that’s where I started out.
I feel super lucky with who I’ve collaborated with over the years. I feel like I secretly manifested it when I worked with Stevie Wonder, Lionel Ritchie and John Legend. All legendary artists and super talented people I grew up listening to.
What were the most important things you learned at a performing arts school?
My performing arts school was amazing, especially the one I went to, it taught you to be yourself and celebrate different personalities. It wasn’t like other schools that try to make you all the same, a cookie-cutter kind of thing. My school wasn’t like that which was great. There was never a dull moment. The whole school was filled with all these crazy characters. It also taught me professionalism and to be hard working in this career. It also helped to grow up around performing, music and dancing, drama – living and breathing it every single day.
You've become a fashion icon, wearing both boutique and big brands. How would you describe your personal style?
Thank you so much! I would say I like classic (style) with quirks. I love a lot of vintage and retro influences that keep my style classic but I love individual style and quirks and little things that make you different.
I think it has changed over the years. When I first started out, it was all about big black smokey eyes, messy long hair, a headband round the middle and little hot pants. Lots of bangles, bracelets and chains. I kind of had a indie, hippie style. I’ll always have that at heart but as I got older I learnt that less is more. Sometimes more is more is good too. I got more into high fashion. I like to mix it out and dress up for big occasions. But also just do jeans, a shirt and boots on a casual day.
Where are your go-to boutique fashion brands?
There’s a really cute brand called Sister Jane that I wear quite a lot. They have really individual pieces, but they’re more accessible and they sell on the high street. I think I’ll always pop into Zara, Mango and good Old Face, Marks and Spencers… They’re probably my favourites.
Congratulations on Encino! Can you tell us more about the album and music?
It’s basically the first album I’ve put out in a long time, so I spent a lot of time on it. It was all about creating something that was hopefully timeless, as in it could come out at any time and not feel out of date because it was not following any trends. It was about real songwriting, real music, made for performing at festivals and going on tour. It’s all about playing with the band, and telling stories that mean a lot to me, or stuff that I’d gone through during those five years of writing it. But just making a real body of work rather than loads of different of sounds, loads of different songs just picking it and putting it all together, it was a very focused and considered body of work. I’ve been so excited for it to finally be released and now it’s out there.
And now I’m on this trajectory of music I just want to keep it going and not wait 10 years for the next album to come out. We have a single Show Me Love at the moment, and then there will be another single after this and another one after that. It’s all focusing on the album.
What are your top five tips for aspiring musicians?
I always say to go to as many auditions, open mic nights, meetings and writing sessions as possible. You never know where it might lead to. One tiny baby step can lead to another. If you keep doing that, you might meet the right person along the way. That’s what happened to me anyways.
Also, keep showing up. There’s going to be millions of no’s, but if you can’t imagine doing anything else and it’s in your bones, you just have to keep picking yourself up and going onto the next step. “So you didn’t get the audition, ok that’s fine.” You might have learnt something that will help you with the next thing, or you might not have learnt anything at all but you move onto the next thing. That’s always helped me massively.
I would also say to write as many songs as possible, perform at as many pubs or nights as possible to get that experience under your belt. That way you get so used to performing that when it comes to the big shows, you’re not nervous anymore. It would be worst thing to have your first show be a big show and feel that pressure, but if you’ve got all that under your belt, it will serve you well.
Times have changed so much since I started out, but social media is a medium you can use for free and it can really help you, even if you post a verse up or a chorus. I know a lot of creatives are perfectionists, so it can be hard to post something. But as soon as you start posting your voice or your music, you get used to it and you’ll post more, and it’ll get better, and you can see what reacts well. You never know who might be watching you. We didn’t have that when I first started out but you can put something out and people in all different countries can be watching you, there’s no other way to reach that many people that quickly. There’s definitely pros and cons to social media, but that is something you can use at any time for free, and it’s great for a new artist.
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