She’s been called The First Lady of Mad Decent, Diplo’s sprawling EDM empire, and the underground pop princess. She’s super smart, stylish, and like her seminal influence Madonna before her—offers just as much pulse as pomp in her riveting brand of joyful dance-music. There’s something ‘real’ about all her stylistic incarnations. She’s POP’s newest ‘come-as-you-are’ culture icon. With support from the likes of Fader, Dummy, Stereogum and more.
Music editor Lulu Jones caught up with the lady herself to find out more…
Hey LIZ! Tell us how did you got into music?
I’ve been in love with music ever since I was a small child. I was influenced by classical music from being a ballerina for 10+ years and also did musical theatre in school. I got serious about pop music when I had an opportunity to audition for a girl group when I was 13. I’ve worked with writers and producers ever since!
How did end up getting signed to Mad Decent, and Columbia?
I had been top lining for electronic music producers/dj’s for a couple of years during the rise of the EDM bubble, so that was how I got the attention of Mad Decent and Diplo. Fortunately, they were interested in putting out my own material and focusing on me as a pop artist which was such a cool and brave choice for them as a label and brand. Columbia came in shortly after and I’m honored to now be part of the Sony family. It’s been a long road to get to where I am now.
You’ve worked with some incredible artists – what was it like touring with people like Charli XCX?
Yeah, touring with Charli was a great experience. She’s a badass female. It’s fun to be around other talented artists who take their careers into their own hands and are trail blazers. That’s the way I want to operate my career as well.
Tell us about your collaboration with SOPHIE – how did that come about?
I met SOPHIE through Diplo. I think he had a hunch that it would be a good fit without even knowing I was already a huge fan of SOPHIE’s sound. We worked together in LA and it was magic.
Your video for ‘When I Rule the World’ has a lot going on in it – what was the inspiration behind the concept?
I wanted to play up the juxtaposition of innocence and brattiness/naughtiness in this song/video. I thought it would be way too obvious if the video were like S&M themed or something. It had to be true to me and what I envisioned and felt when I recorded the song. I always wanted little girls in it and for it to be loads of fun with explosions of color and character.
We love your kawaii sugary-sweet yet very bold style – what influences you in terms of fashion?
I’m definitely influenced by style in Japan and London. I also pull inspiration from late 90’s/early 2000’s artists such as the Spice Girls, Britney, and 3LW. I also love the aesthetic of Barbies and Bratz dolls.
What are your plans for next year?
Well, I’m hopefully putting out an EP and another video before the year ends, and would love to tour a bunch next year. I’m also really looking to get involved in fashion/girl lifestyle projects. I want to be a spokesperson for tweets and teens.
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