‘IT’S BEEN A ROLLERCOASTER OF NERVES AND EXCITEMENT’
Singer-songwriter Arlo Parks talks dream collaborations and branching out into acting ahead of her debut album release
Not many people could call 2020 a success, but 20-year-old singer-songwriter Arlo Parks certainly made the best of it.
After featuring in the BBC’S Sound of 2020 list, Arlo was set for a UK headline tour, as well as a coveted slot at Glastonbury. Of course, those plans came crashing down. instead, the londoner found herself with plenty of time to hone her craft and she released a slew of dreamy tracks. Uplifting song Hurt even seemed to become the unofficial anthem of lockdown fatigue with its reassuring lyrics, “Just know it won’t hurt so much forever.”
now, Arlo is gearing up to release her debut album, Collapsed In Sunbeams. And while the star can already count most of the Radio One DJS and superstar Billie eilish as fans, we’ve got a feeling her star is about to hit stratospheric levels.
here, new caught up with Arlo ahead of the album’s release to chat about what inspires her and how she’s kept sane in the most turbulent of years…
Hi Arlo, are you excited about the album release?
it’s been a rollercoaster of nerves and excitement!
How would you describe the record?
i think that now more than ever people want music as something that is soothing to carry them through difficult times, so i hope that it can
provide that for people. The album’s a mixture of indie, pop, soul and R&B. It’s quite sensitive and introspective music that surrounds people with stories and poetry.
You talk about mental health a lot in your songs. Is it important to you to be open about it?
For me, it’s about opening up conversations, even if the topics are difficult. There is still a stigma surrounding mental health and a lot of people going through these moments feel isolated. I think by opening up and being vocal, people feel like getting help is valid, which is important.
A lot of your songs are about scenes you’ve witnessed. Has a friend ever called you out for writing a song about them?
Yeah! I’ve had that a few times. It’s interesting, because I’m telling a story but there have been times when friends have said they thought it was about them. I haven’t written any diss tracks or anything, so it’s usually not too negative!
Who are your influences?
I’m really influenced by Frank Ocean, Portishead, MF Doom and Erykah Badu.
Has songwriting kept you going through the pandemic?
I definitely turn to writing. I’ve been journalling a lot and writing a lot of poems. I’ve also done a lot of cooking and been going for runs, just trying to fill the days.
Have you picked up any new hobbies?
I taught myself to DJ, which was really fun, from watching Youtube videos. I started drawing as well. It was nice to pick up new hobbies and have my mind working, rather than sitting on the couch feeling sad. Any advice to our readers on coping with lockdown?
Be patient with yourself. You can’t be excellent all the time. But if there’s anything you’ve always wanted to try, take the time to try it now. Whether that’s drawing, writing or painting, or even playing chess, anything that you can do indoors. You don’t necessarily have to be good at it to give it a try! Also, remember we won’t be in this situation forever.
Who would be your dream collaboration?
I think it would probably be Thom Yorke. Radiohead is my favourite band of all time.
Who are you listening to at the moment?
I’ve been listening to a lot of James Blake, a lot of Men I Trust, Erykah Badu, Four Tet and some other electronic artists.
What are you reading?
I’ve just finished reading Catching The Big Fish by David Lynch, which is about creativity and meditation. It was really insightful. I’m currently reading Man And His Symbols by Carl Jung, which is about dreams. I’ve noticed over quarantine that everybody is having crazy dreams and I got interested in how it works.
What TV shows are you into? I watched Euphoria recently, which was incredible. I’ve mainly been watching films. I love revisiting childhood movies like Fantastic Mr Fox – all those wholesome ones have kept me happy.
What about podcasts?
I love a podcast called Song Exploder, where they get artists in to deconstruct their songs. Solange did one, and Nine Inch Nails too… They get really interesting people in.
Do you see yourself branching out into things like acting?
I definitely want to explore poetry and acting, maybe even directing. I want to write a book at some point. There are lots of avenues I want to explore.
What are your hopes for this year?
I hope the coronavirus situation gets better and we can get back to enjoying ourselves, and seeing each other!
‘PEOPLE WANT MUSIC TO CARRY THEM THROUGH DIFFICULT TIMES’