Pixie Lott is famous for her pop classics from the late 2000s and 2010s. Now she enters back into the music scene, ten years on from her last album release with her new project ‘Encino’. Lott’s management told us that ‘Encino is full of autobiographical songs of romance, family and nostalgia, and the 13-track album sees Pixie taking control of her career for the first time.’ An MTV award winner, BRIT nominee, and with three UK No.1 tracks underneath her belt, Pixie Lott is ready for a new sound as well as plenty of new projects. I was lucky enough to have some time with Lott to discuss her career and new album. 

Kiaya: I know you have a big fanbase in Oxford so I know students will be excited to hear from you. I think my first question is, it’s been ten years since your last album so why now? Why are you reentering the scene now?

Pixie: “It just kind of took that long to write. We started this album five years ago and because it didn’t have a timestamp on it, I just wanted to try and make time to make something real, raw, and organic. So I knew it could come at any time. I didn’t have to follow a trend, which was the whole reason for doing the album. I wanted to stop doing that, stop fitting into moulds and just do what I’ve always wanted to do. It took five years to make. It’s an album I’ve always wanted to make, so even if I did it earlier I don’t think I would have lived enough life to have even written it. So, even though it took a long time, it came at the right time.”

‘Midnight Trash’ Single Cover Image by Nicole Nodland

Kiaya: Definitely. You’ve been co-writing all of these songs on the album, which is a first for you. So how is that different for you, and is that something you were set on going into this new project?

P: “Yeah, I’ve been co-writing since I was thirteen or fourteen but I’ve always been told who to write with, what style of songs to do, and sung other people’s songs as well. This is the first time I’ve written with the same people, so I could really write stuff that’s not just surface-level. We built up a relationship over five years and it was stuff I’ve never written, or even spoken about, to anyone before. It was really freeing. I never knew you could make an album any other way because I was so young. I thought that’s how it was done, you just get put with millions of different people every day, and you never see them again, and you are expected to write a hit song by the end of the day. But this was really considered and focused, we all had the same goal and vision for the album and it was just a few people, so it was all very cohesive and now I don’t really wanna make an album any other way.” 

Kiaya: Was there a song that was quite difficult to make? You said that this album took over five years to make, was there a particular song you were stuck on or somewhere where the vision wasn’t coming together like you wanted? 

P: “To be honest, as these are all natural they all had a reason to be made and came out quite easy. But we kept going back to make sure the sound was very in line with every other song. We had drums in it then we would take drums out of it, then we would find a piano sound, like 1972 that The Beatles used, and put that on. So we really took them apart and put them back together with the production side of things. So whatever was best for the song. But thesongwriting poured out pretty quickly and we focused on a lot of the lyrics as well. If it wasn’t right or good enough we’d go back and change it because we had that luxury of time. But yeah, I loved it!”

Kiaya: I can imagine! You said this is a new era for you and that this album really means something. If you were to pin it down how would you describe the album or its message?

P: “I think it’s real, raw storytelling. They are the main words. Also authenticity, organic, live.”

Kiaya: Your track ‘Somebody’s Daughter’ is about toxic online behaviour and bullying, which is prevalent among my generation. I was wondering what inspired you to write a song like that? It’s a unique take and I wonder whether you see this as a large problem in coming generations and something that we need to tackle?

P: “Yeah definitely. It is about online toxic behaviour but also in general as well; at school, work or uni just people being too quick to judge. Saying or writing something when they don’t know the full story or getting caught up in that negative world. I think it’s so much better to not focus on that, and to spread the love and the kind vibes. It definitely is a problem and unfortunately, I don’t ever think it’s going to be completely eliminated. I mean it would be great if it was! But the best thing you can do is not focus on it, easier said than done. Sometimes things pop up, or you see something and it can ruin your whole day or week or year. I think people don’t realise the power of words. They don’t know the domino effect for what could happen from something that has been said or written. So hopefully someone may listen to it and it might make them not write or say that.” 

Kiaya: I definitely think it’s a prevalent thing, especially with social media. It’s so easy to spread things without consequences for your actions.

P: “Yeah, social media has definitely made that spiral a bit out of control hasn’t it!”

Image by Nicole Nodland

Kiaya: A lot of students in Oxford want to go into the music scene when they leave uni. So what advice would you give to them, looking back on your career now as you started so young? 

P: “I know we just said social media is growing and I definitely think you can get things out there by posting online. Even if you keep posting and you only get two views! Just the more you do, you never know who might see it. It’s a good way to get things out there quickly. But in the same token, I really think it’s come back around again – thank god – of going out to live shows and seeing talent live and people really appreciating that experience again rather than just seeing it through a phone. So I’d say do as many gigs and open mic nights and shows as you can because it all pays off and leads to something. And if you keep showing up and keep going to writing sessions and meeting people, even if you think “Oh that wasn’t worth it” you never actually know, it could be little baby steps that lead to the next thing, that’s what I’ve always done. People like Ed Sheeran, he was going round gigging all over the place. It really does work. I think if you can’t imagine doing anything else – for me I love the playing live side – then just get in front of as many people as possible. Also, you learn every single show; every single time you are learning something, so it’s always going to be beneficial.” 

Kiaya: One hundred percent. From your older songs, I think a lot of us grew up listening to your old pop tracks when we were kids. Even now I go to pres [pre-drinks] and some of your songs will come on, and they are always songs that everyone knows the words to. I was wondering if you had a favourite? And how do you feel about that music now? 

P: “I am still singing them in my sets. Even today we are doing the in-stores. I’m doing ‘Mama Do’ and ‘All About Tonight’, so they are the old ones in the set. Now because everything is live and the sound is all organic and the band are playing them much more root-sy and there is no track or synth – before I would play them with track underneath to emulate those sounds – but now because it’s all about that raw stuff, it kind of gives it a different twist which is nice. When we first played ‘All About Tonight’ like that it made it sound Mumford and Sons-y which was cool. But my favourite from the early stuff is ‘Cry Me Out’, I think because I am a sucker for a ballad.” 

Kiaya: Who doesn’t love a ballad? I can agree with that. Also, I know you have just done some TV stuff and acting so I was wondering how it feels to be in the acting space and how that differs from the music space, and whether you have a preference?

P: “For me, I feel like they are so linked. Especially now with this album, it’s really telling stories and acting for me is the same thing, it’s about telling other people’s stories. So I just get into the zone of the story which I do when I’m singing these songs – I go back to the zone of when I wrote them. Obviously, I have done way more stuff in music so I have more experience in music, and acting I love because I am getting new experiences in it all the time. Any kind of project I take on is to help ground me as a performer and an artist. Doing all this acting stuff has really helped with my music as well. I feel like it got me to access emotions easier, which has been really good.”

Kiaya: I think that’s the thing about acting – you can get really into characters. I used to do a lot of acting and it’s great and Oxford especially has a big drama scene so I know they will find that interesting.

P: “Oh that’s so great!” 

Kiaya: “I will just finish up by asking what’s next for you, where do you want to go from here? Do you have a goal or vision for the next few years?” 

P: “Yeah definitely. Now this album is out, which I’ve been working on for so long, I can’t wait to tour it and do lots of shows. There will be another single out soon and I’m just really happy that music is back at the forefront. But there are some acting projects as well I’m going to be doing alongside, but music will be the focus and touring. There won’t be as big a gap between my next album for sure. Really happy to be back meeting everyone at the shows and really appreciate all the support and responses so I don’t want to leave it so long before the next time.” 

Kiaya: Yeah, that makes sense. I think another ten years might be pushing it.

P: “Haha yeah I’ll be really old!”

You can find Pixie Lott on Instagram and her new album on Spotify