Reemerging with her first studio album in 10 years, Pixie Lott returns with a fresh, organic sound on ‘Encino’ – a record five years in the making.
Coinciding with the 15th anniversary of her breakthrough, the LP represents a fresh chapter that sees the Mama Do (Uh Oh) hitmaker regain control and embrace a newfound freedom, reflecting upon a decade that’s seen the chart-topper get married to husband Oliver Cheshire and welcome the couple’s first child.
Markedly different to anything Pixie has released before, with an organic, ‘70s-inspired direction that aligns with her personal tastes, it began, she tells RETROPOP, as a passion project: “I started it on the side because I was still doing dance features, because that was the opportunity that I had at the time and it was really fun.”
It’s a direction best aligned with her soulful early work or her last, Motown-inspired LP, and a U-turn from dance-pop smashes like All About Tonight and Kiss The Stars, which featured on her second album ‘Young Foolish Happy’ (2011).
“I love so many different genres of music, but I was surrounded by dance and I was missing that real live music, full band, storytelling thing,” the Boys And Girls singer reflects. “I needed to make an album that leaned towards performing live and touring because that’s what my heart loves.
“I didn’t know if people would want that from me or if the opportunity would present itself, so it was definitely something I had to make happen off my own back and then the more I started to do it, the better it got.”
It was while guesting on dance music that Pixie began writing and recording on ‘Encino’, working with a small, core group of collaborators in Dave Gibson and Jeeve, both of whom helped bring her vision to life.
“I got to a crossroads; I was like, ‘Do I want to keep doing this? Or do I do something that I really want to do?’,” she recalls. “So what I’ve learned and where I’m at in my life, I just want to keep going on that trajectory, because when you fall into your authentic self, that’s when the magic really happens.”
Pixie launched the record with Somebody’s Daughter; an “empowering” anthem that sees the star turn her pen towards toxic online behaviour and bullying. “I wanted to put out a song that says something and also shows the sound of the rest of the record,” she smiles.
Elsewhere on the record, she leans into various subject matters. Among the most personal songs, the “vulnerable” Say So discusses the star’s “tough” mental health struggles – “I love writing songs that people can relate to or that can help them,” she notes – while Blockbuster Video sees her reminisce on family visits to the rental store to pick out movies with her dad at the weekend.
“I used to love horror,” she giggles of her teenage years. “I don’t as much now – I freak out – but when I was younger I loved the adrenaline!”
Another track, Happy, has taken on new meaning since Pixie became a mum. “The impact it’s had on me is massive,” she muses of motherhood. “I think you become even more present when you have a baby and you don’t sweat the small stuff as much.
“You don’t bother about the people that don’t make you feel good, because you realise it’s a short life that we have and what you want to spend your time doing is all that matters.”
Since releasing her self-titled third album in 2014, the singer-songwriter has kept one foot in the spotlight with standalone releases and a coach role on ‘The Voice Kids’, but now she’s determined to keep the focus on her music.
“I definitely won’t be taking a 10-year break,” she laughs. “I want to enjoy this run as much as possible, for as long as possible, and then get cracking so that I can keep this momentum rolling, because I love it so much.”
The Nasty star adds: “I definitely don’t want to take 10 years away – I don’t even know how that happened!”
