ME: you have a song called galaxy which I think perfectly reflects your unique aesthetic. do you often feel the songs you make and name reflect the aesthetic on purpose or by accident?
BILLIE-ANGELA: that is really interesting that you say that because i feel like GALAXY is a song that doesn’t fully reflect who i am most of the time !! it is a more dark and mature version of myself if that makes sense? for me songs come when i’m feeling a certain emotion quite strongly or i’m in a particular headspace and i feel like my emotions leak into how i dress and present myself. so i think the sound and look of GALAXY is both intentional and accidental in a paradoxical kind of way !!
M: you're friends with henjila who I also interviewed so I thought it would be great to get your perspective on a similar question I asked her - what would you say being in London/uk is like for an upcoming musician?
BA: being in london is great for upcoming musicians, especially in this era of social media. i have managed to connect with so many people online and then i meet them at these music events in london and i feel right at home because i already know everyone !! most musicians are in london or fairly close, i know some artists who are further up north who struggle a bit more to break through because of the lack of surplus music/ networking events. everyone down here is connected and there’s always some gig or event that is going on. london truly is a hotbed for music and musicians of all different genres, i can’t say the same for cities up north though
M: your socials are heavily aesthetic based (which I love by the way). do you feel its important for an artist to have their own aesthetic and show that to their platform?
BA: i feel like the music and art should always come first and the looks come after. like it’s helpful to have an image and a brand associated with your work because it makes you memorable in people’s mind - look at melanie martinez, lana del ray, ariana grande as examples; that being said you can also be memorable with just your records alone. for me, i have always been into fashion, hair and makeup, it is just a little bit of fun for me rather than a conscious curated brand !! how i see myself it’s like “oh i’m billie-angela the musician who also happens to be really into pink and hello kitty”
M: a theme I've noticed through your socials and music videos etc is that you really emphasise your friendships/relationships. is this on purpose? if so, what is the importance of friendships to you?
BA: friends are everything to me !! my friends are my chosen family and i always want to express that and my gratitude to them even through my music !! i am the happiest when i am with my friends !! relationships aren’t a be all and end all of course, but they do take a toll on my emotions and headspace and as i’ve previously mentioned, that leaks into my songs hehe !!
M: as a new artist, your two songs on Spotify are already garnering streams in the thousands. how does that feel to you?
BA: it is really exciting !! i only debuted in late april so having such a positive feedback is always encouraging to keep going! i try my very best not to focus on numbers too much because i fear it may influence what i put out to the public and i would hate to grow into a disingenuous artist who pigeonholes myself into creating the same record over and over again simply because it does well with an audience
M: its obviously the new year - can we look forward to any new music, music videos, etc?
BA: YES !! i can’t say too much but definitely expect another single and then a bigger project later on into the year !! i’m so excited about it i’m quite literally shaking !! me and my friend david have been working away at stuff since october and i am so happy with what we have cooked up so far i hope everything pays off !!
M: as an aspiring artist I think its always interesting to ask which artists you look up to or think you relate to the most?
BA: i mentioned a few earlier accidentally hehe !! i really love melanie martinez, ariana grande, sza, victoria monét and doja cat !!!
M: if you had to introduce your music to people who had never heard it before how would you describe it?
BA: cute metaphorical songs with lush thick harmonies and sugary sweet hooks
M: what are your goals in this new year in terms of your music?
BA: i really want to stretch myself and try something new, i would consider myself a bedroom pop artist or an alternative pop artist but i would looove to collaborate with a rap artist or something completely out of my comfort zone like that !!
M: and finally, a more fun one - where do you see yourself in five years with your music?
BA: in five years aaaa, gosh i’ll be 25 ummm… hopefully i would have done a tour by then? a uk your at LEAST !! and i’ll have 2 big projects that people can listen to !!
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